The Magnolia City Council voted Oct. 8 to rescind the city's Family Medical Leave Act benefits to its employees.

Employers with 50 or fewer employees can opt out of the federal program. The city of Magnolia employs 26 people.

Magnolia Police Chief Domingo Ibarra brought the issue to the City Council at its monthly meeting, spurred by an employee in his department seeking FMLA.

"This is not something a city of our size can accommodate," Ibarra told council members.

Under the federal act, employees could be granted 12 to 24 weeks of leave.

"We're a city so small that it adversely affects us," he said. "That is a tremendous burden on a department this size."

The decision impacts the entire city, Ibarra said. If the city of Magnolia allows police officers to take extended leave it would mean the entire city would not be as protected, he said.

The City Council voted unanimously to rescind the policy after an executive session.

Meetings

Magnolia City Council

Meets at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month. Its next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 12.

18111 Buddy Riley Blvd., Magnolia