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The primary reason a city may want to consider using an individual <br />employment agreement is for recruitment. Experienced city manager or <br />administrator candidates may refuse to work for a city without an <br />individual employment agreement that outlines their terms and conditions <br />of employment, particularly severance pay issues. There are a number of <br />reasons for this, but probably the one most often cited by these <br />professionals is that the relationship between a city council and the chief <br />administrative officer can change over time. Each city council hires those <br />who will be able to work well with their individual styles and overall <br />philosophy for running the city. However, the persons occupying those <br />council seats change at nearly every election. Over time, the styles and <br />philosophy of the council changes and the relationship may no longer meet <br />council expectations. Employment agreements, in particulaz severance pay <br />provisions, acknowledge that this change in relationship is a reality of city <br />government, is not the fault of any party and provides the employee a <br />financial safety net for his or her post-employment transition. <br />1. Pros <br />There can be some advantages to an individual employment agreement <br />once the city, in consultation with an attorney, decides such an agreement <br />is necessary. For example, an individual employment agreement, if well- <br />thought out and well-drafted, can: <br />• Help avoid miscommunication about verbal offers and terms. <br />• Clarify special terms and conditions of employment unique to the <br />position, such as caz allowances, additional vacation or memberships in <br />professional associations. <br />• Protect the city's "front-end" investment in the employee, such as <br />relocation expenses, by specifying that the employee must reimburse <br />such expenses if he or she resigns within a certain period of time. <br />• Address severance issues up-front, eliminating the need to negotiate a <br />settlement at the end of employment, which may be an emotionally (or <br />politically) difficult time. <br />• Be used to specify how and when performance evaluations will be <br />conducted as well as outline, in general terms, the expectations for the <br />position. <br />• Assist in the recruitment of qualified candidates. <br />• Help remove the appearance of self-interest when the manager or <br />administrator recommends changes to personnel policies. <br />2. COILS <br />In addition to potential legal issues, individual employment agreements <br />may cause other problems: <br />22 LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES <br />