Wayland Personnel Board weighs in-house review of outdated town policies

WAYLAND -- October 11, 2023, Wayland Personnel Board debates who should rewrite policies last updated in 2018. Chair Maryanne Peabody led an Oct. 11 discussion after member Paul Morenberg, an employment attorney, urged yearly reviews to keep town policies aligned with state and federal law, citing the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act as one likely gap. HR Director Kate said she has drafted a scope of services for an outside consultant and noted the town's handbook lacks any flex or remote-work policy; town meeting appropriated $30,000 to rewrite both Chapter 43 and the handbook. Former chair Deb Cohen pushed instead to seek a fixed-fee quote from KP Law, warning "Koppelman and Paige is not going to like what the consultant does and going to redo it." The board unanimously approved July 25 and Sept. 12 minutes as amended and voted to release seven sets of executive-session minutes dating to July 2021.