By Jacque Day
Paducah, KY – McCracken County Clerk Jeff Jerrell says personnel policy changes in his office will go into effect as soon as possible. Paid holidays and personal days are to drop from 21 to 14 a year. Maternity leave and surgical recovery will now be deducted from accumulated sick leave instead of being considered paid excused absences. The move comes after public criticism and a letter drafted by Judge Executive Van Newberry.
"What prompted it is, he had an employee who was angry with what was going down there and became a whistleblower and wrote a letter with some of these allegations," Newberry explains.
Jerrell's office will adopt similar policies used by other county offices. However, he says he will not hand over financial oversight to the Fiscal Court as suggested by Judge Newberry.