By Mark Squibb
Paradise council this past March approved amendments to two Town policies.
The first affects the compensation policy for both management and non-management non-union employees, which was adopted in August, 2017.
Deputy Mayor Kimberley Street explained that discrepancies were recently identified in the policy between the treatment periods of leave without pay, including maternity, adoption, parental leave, worker’s compensation, and unpaid leave due to illness as it relates to the recognition of service. Staff recommended the policy be amended to update the definition of ‘service’ to state that periods of approved leave without pay up to 18 consecutive months will be recognized as continuous service.
The move will benefit employees on leave when it comes time to calculate benefits such as vacation time, pay raises, or severance packages.
Council also updated it’s purchasing policy.
“The Town currently has a purchasing policy that guides purchasing activities,” said Street. “This policy includes thresholds for open calls and reporting requirements as outlined in the Public Procurement Act regulations and policy. These thresholds are reviewed by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador public procurement agency every 18 to 24 months, and changes are made based on inflationary indicators. On March the 9th, 2026, the public procurement agency issued notice to the municipalities that thresholds for open calls had been increased effective March the 6th. The Town has updated its past purchasing policy to reflect these changes in legislation to make it easier to expedite the public procurement agency threshold changes in the future.”
Both amendments were approved unanimously.
