Bryson city staff affected by new labor law

Two Bryson City employees will be affected by the new US Department of Labor overtime regulations.

Mayor Sheila Birdwell said during a city council meeting Thursday, the employees currently receive comp time if they exceed 40 hours a week.

“The city has never been a financial situation where we feel like we can budget and pay overtime, so we’ve always had our field guys as salaried workers,” she explained.

A regulation that will go into effect in December has changed the minimum annual salary for overtime exemption to $47,476.

“It is possible that with state and local governments, we can still use comp time, but they will have to be an hourly employee, but there is a lot to work through,” Birdwell said.

The council also discussed the completion of the pavilion in Bryson’s Log Cabin Park. Jean Casson donated the funds to build the pavilion.

Council member Joe Lake said Casson was hoping the community might host a fundraiser to purchase some picnic tables to place beneath it.

The council discussed a possible reservation system, fees or deposit for use of the pavilion.

To read the complete article, see the Aug. 12 edition of the Herald-Gazette.