MMHR discusses municipal records retention, employee mental health

John Warner, archivist of the Commonwealth, led a records retention and digitization workshop during the Massachusetts Municipal Human Resources Annual Meeting on June 13 in Salem.

Warner demonstrated how to find and navigate the resources available through the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website, including a guide to the public records law, a records retention schedule for municipalities, and information on “born-digital” and digitized records.

For HR professionals seeking to digitize their existing municipal records, Warner recommended starting with outreach to stakeholders in city or town hall, such as the IT department.

“At the end of the day … you have to have buy-in from all of your municipality’s government on why you want to do this,” he said.

Warner was followed by a panel discussion featuring mental health and legal experts, titled “Beyond Discipline: Supporting Employee Mental Health in the Municipal Workplace.”

Jon Mattleman, a mental health presenter and consultant with previous experience in Stoughton and Needham, reviewed common mental health issues faced by public servants, including anxiety and depression. He discussed how shame and stigma can exacerbate mental health issues, making it harder for those who are struggling to seek help from others.

Mattleman shared several strategies that municipal HR professionals can use to build trust with an employee in crisis. One example is taking a walk instead of talking in an office or formal meeting space, which can help to put an individual at ease and move the conversation forward.

Mattleman said a non-disciplinary approach to mental health can lead to positive outcomes that extend beyond the individual.

“Ultimately,” he said, “how you treat your employee reverberates through town hall.”

Mattleman was followed by Jennifer Tatten, a Jail Diversion Program clinical liaison serving Danvers, Salem and Topsfield, who discussed how to find resources to support municipal employees with mental health concerns and navigate the referral process.

When searching for mental health resources, Tatten recommends looking at it “almost like career networking.”

“You want to connect with people and get personal recommendations,” she said.

Attorney Kier Wachterhauser, a partner at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey and Lehane, provided a legal context, including a summary of employee rights under Title 1 of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as reasonable accommodation, and confidentiality and privacy protections. Not only do these rights protect employees struggling with mental health issues, he said, but they also enable employers to help.

“There’s a lot of options out there,” he said, “and we shouldn’t be afraid to explore them.”

The meeting agenda included MMA Legislative Director Dave Koffman, who shared updates on the current legislative session and the status of key bills, including the Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act and civil service reform.

Attendees also participated in the MMHR’s annual business meeting, voting on the fiscal 2025 board slate and budget, as well as updates to the association’s bylaws.