By Janice Podsada
Herald Writer
EDMONDS — The Edmonds City Council will consider a proposed ordinance to provide supplemental pay and benefits to city employees called to active military duty.
The ordinance will be prepared this week, and will be considered by the council at its meeting Monday.
The issue came to the attention of Brent Hunter, the city’s human resource director, after he learned the plight of a city employee who had been called up.
Edmonds has six city employees in the military reserves. Five are scheduled to serve two weeks of duty. The city will provide them with full pay for those two weeks, Hunter said.
But there were no provisions for reservists called up for extended military service, as with an Edmonds fire marshal called up for a year’s tour of duty.
"I was surprised by the amount of adjustments we expect these reservists to do," Hunter said.
Hunter said he wants Edmonds to follow the lead of King County, Redmond and Mountlake Terrace, which provide an additional 60 days of pay and benefits for reservists.
Hunter proposed three options for the Edmonds City Council’s consideration:
The Edmonds fire marshal, who city officials declined to identify, took a 50 percent pay cut when he was called to duty. Under the new provision, the city would pay the difference between the military pay and city pay for 60 days.
State and federal law provides some benefits to reservists. But the private sector has been the leader in providing additional pay and benefits for workers called to duty, Hunter said.
Hunter, a former military man, said the plight of the city’s fire marshal tugged at his heartstrings.
"He had a week or so to go before he left, and he spent it talking to his creditors instead of spending time with his family," Hunter said.
You can call Herald Writer Janice Podsada at 425-339-3029 or send e-mail to
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