The city of Joliet now will be able to hire replacement workers up to three months before departing employees leave.

The City Council this week approved the change in hiring rules, saying the city manager needs more leeway in replacing key employees.

The vote at a Tuesday council meeting was 7-2 with two members questioning whether three-months was necessary.

The city previously has not allowed the hiring of a new employee until the departing worker was off the payroll.

“It’s hard to have someone come in and take the baton without some sort of overlap,” Mayor Terry D’Arcy said, noting that some employees are working on two-year projects. “For some of the crucial positions, you just need to have this overlap.”

The first position in which the new rule may apply is that of deputy city manager.

Deputy City Manager Christa Desiderio plans to retire in July, and her position was cited as an example where a replacement may need to be hired before she leaves.

Councilwoman Jan Quillman said she was initially opposed to the new rule but now supports it.

“All we’re trying to do is get continuity with our employees,” Quillman said.

City staff initially proposed allowing replacements to be hired up to six months before the departing employee is off the payroll.

The timetable was reduced to three months amid questions raised by council members and after the proposal was reviewed by the Legislative Committee headed by Quillman.

Voting against the new hiring timetable were Larry Hug and Suzanna Ibarra.

Hug said that the city fills in for key employees when they go on vacation and suggested the same process could be used to bridge transitions when they retire or resign.

“We do have a way to keep running the department,” Hug said.

City Manager Beth Beatty, who hires city workers, said even with the looser hiring rule her capacity to spend on payroll is limited by the budget approved by the council.

“I can’t overspend your authority,” Beatty told the council. “You have to give me authority to do that.”