To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Departmental
SUBJECT:
title
Resolution Relating to Updated Employee Procedures and Leave Accruals in Response to COVID-19 and the Family First Coronavirus Response Act
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Adopt Resolution 20-____ relating to updated employee procedures and leave accruals in response to COVID-19 and the Family First Coronavirus Response Act.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
All county funds
DISCUSSION:
On March 30, the Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich issued a revised shelter-in-place order which is now effective until rescinded. On the same day, Sheriff Honsal proclaimed a local emergency, which was ratified by your Board on April 6. Since then, major federal legislative changes have occurred that require action from your Board, as well as local issues for your Board to consider.
Benefit Time Accrual Caps, Extension of Wellness Benefit
Under current memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with bargaining units, employees cannot continue to accrue time off indefinitely. Many employees are responding to the current emergency, and the current emergency calls for allowing employees to continue to accrue time beyond these cap levels in order to continue delivering vital public services.
In addition, some MOUs include a $1,000 wellness benefit reimbursement for services and purchases that support employee wellness. Under current rules, employees have until June 30, 2020 to claim the reimbursement. However, due to the COVID-19 emergency, many gyms have closed and other services that are normally allowable and frequently claimed for reimbursement are temporarily unavailable. Therefore, attached resolution would extend that expiration date until rescinded by the Board to allow employees more time to receive reimbursement for their wellness benefit. Similarly, the resolution lifts time limits for use-or-lose holida...
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