BROADALBIN - The town has agreed to give nearly an extra day's pay to a Highway Department employee, upholding a grievance that said the highway superintendent passed over full-time workers for an assignment.
The employee, whose name was not released by the town, said in the grievance that Highway Superintendent Lance Winney did not properly notify all the department's full-time employees about the availability of additional work May 12. It was given to a part-time employee instead, town Supervisor Joseph DiGiacomo said.
Under terms of the town's collective bargaining agreement, full-time Highway Department employees are to be given the right of first refusal, in order of seniority, when additional work is available. But only two of four full-time Highway Department workers were notified, DiGiacomo said.
The grievance was filed by an employee who was willing to work that day, DiGiacomo said. The town agreed to pay the employee about $150 for the five hours of overtime he or she would have worked. Highway Department employees earn about $21 an hour, DiGiacomo said.
DiGiacomo said upholding the grievance was a no-brainer.
For $150, it's not worth it," he said. "If we decided to go to arbitration, you're probably talking about a $2,500 fee for arbitration plus legal expenses."