One of my small towns wants to promote a reserve police officer to part-time police officer. As a reserve officer, he is uncompensated. As a part-time officer, he will be compensated for up to 30 hours per week. I understand there are special wage and hour rules for public safety officers, but that is for another day. The problem is this: The officer was supposed to be hired in February, but the Town Board meeting was cancelled due to COVID infections. At the March meeting, the officer was promoted, but the Town Board would like to make it retroactive. My initial reaction was, why not? Then I thought about the authority of the Town Board to hire generally, which is not well defined (the Police Chief has no authority and simply recommends). It also occurred to me that the Town Board might be able to give a "signing bonus," which would avoid any questions about retroactive hiring or retroactive pay increases. Another option might be to increase the hourly compensation to cover the amount over time, but that raises the questions of how much time and would there be a pay cut at the end of that time? I feel certain I am overlooking something. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance! Mark H. Ramsey For the Firm Taylor, Foster, Mallett, Downs, Ramsey & Russell, P.C. P.O. Box 309 Claremore, OK 74018 918-343-4100 918-343-4900 fax mramsey@soonerlaw.com<mailto:apixley@soonerlaw.com> The information contained in this electronic mail transmission (including any accompanying attachments) is intended solely for its authorized recipient(s), and may be confidential and/or legally privileged. If you are not an intended recipient, or responsible for delivering some or all of this transmission to an intended recipient, you have received this transmission in error and are hereby notified that you are strictly prohibited from reading, copying, printing, distributing or disclosing any of the information contained in it. In that event, please contact us immediately by telephone (918) 343-4100 or by electronic mail at postmaster@soonerlaw.com<mailto:postmaster@soonerlaw.com> and delete the original and all copies of this transmission (including any attachments) without reading or saving in any manner. Thank you.