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3.12 COVID Leave Policy Request for City Council Action DEPARTMENT INFORMATION ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT REQUESTOR: MEETING DATE: Human Resources HR/Assistant City Administrator Hille January 24, 2022 PRESENTER(s) REVIEWED BY: ITEM #: Consent City Administrator/Finance Director Flaherty 3.12 – COVID 19 Policy STRATEGIC VISION MEETS: THE CITY OF OTSEGO: Is a strong organization that is committed to leading the community through innovative communication. Has proactively expanded infrastructure to responsibly provide core services. Is committed to delivery of quality emergency service responsive to community needs and expectations in a cost-effective manner. X Is a social community with diverse housing, service options, and employment opportunities. Is a distinctive, connected community known for its beauty and natural surroundings. AGENDA ITEM DETAILS RECOMMENDATION: City staff recommends the City Council adopt a resolution approving a City policy. ARE YOU SEEKING APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT? IS A PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED? No No BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION: The City of Otsego follows the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for isolation and quarantine related to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The City understands that the CDC may change guidelines, and will enact those changes as they are implemented. City employees have been required to quarantine and isolate due to COVID-19 close contacts and positive test results. The City looks to support employees during the pandemic and to encourage a healthy workplace. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to take the responsibility to provide a safe workplace. One of the key Employer Responsibilities, in The General Duty Clause, is to provide a workplace free from serious recognized hazards, COVID-19 is considered a recognized workplace hazard. To ensure employees are able to complete full isolation and quarantine, the City looks to provide for COVID-19 related leave with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. This allows all employees to take appropriate precautions to reduce exposure and fully recover before returning to the workplace. This policy is subject to change due to the evolving environment of the COVID-19 pandemic; staff will update City Council as information is available. The City Council has reviewed draft versions of the COVID-19 Leave Program Policy during special meetings on December 13, 2021 and again on January 10, 2022. At the latter meeting, the City Council directed City staff to include the policy for approval on the next agenda. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ATTACHED: • COVID-19 Leave Program Policy • Resolution 2022-12 POSSIBLE MOTION PLEASE WORD MOTION AS YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO APPEAR IN THE MINUTES: Motion to adopt Resolution 2022-12 approving the COVID-19 Leave Program Policy. BUDGET INFORMATION FUNDING: BUDGETED: Fund 101 – General Fund 601 – Water Utility Fund 602 – Sanitary Sewer Utility No. Paid leave will be reimbursed with funding from the City’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation.       COVID‐19 LEAVE PROGRAM POLICY  ADOPTED: N/A ‐ Draft    1. PURPOSE  It is important for the City of Otsego to provide employees information regarding the workplace  and COVID‐19 (COVID). The City supports a healthy workplace and wellness and wants to work  together to ensure that essential functions are operational, and services can be provided.     In the effort to support a healthy workplace, the City is following recommendations and  guidance  from  the Centers  for  Disease  Control  and  Prevention  (CDC)  and  the Minnesota  Department of Health (MDH).    The CDC’s most recent guidance states that getting vaccinated helps prevent severe illness,  hospitalizations, and death. The City of Otsego strongly urges all employees to work with their  health care provider to ensure they are getting the proper preventive care needed for COVID  and related variants.    In order to encourage a healthy workplace and allow all employees the time to test and/or  isolate per CDC recommendations, the following policy will be in place effective __________,  202XJanuary 25, 2022, understanding that due to changing situations, this may be modified or  eliminated as needed by the City Council. It is expected that, in the event this policy is amended,  updated,  or  replaced,  a  new  effective  date  will  be  added,  and  the  prior  policy  will  be  automatically withdrawn.    2. RETROACTIVE APPLICATION  Prior to adoption of this policy, employees have used personal time‐off (PTO) for all COVID  related leave. Any employee that used PTO for COVID related leave from May March 3, 2021 up  until the adoption of this policy will be eligible to have that amount of PTO reimbursed so long  as the COVID leave use guidelines in Section 3 or Section 4 below were met.    An employee will be required to request reimbursement of PTO for previous COVID related leave.  The request will be on a standardized form available from Human Resources, and will be required  to be requested by an employee no later than __________, 202XMarch 31, 2022.      Reimbursement of PTO for previous COVID related leave will not have an impact on available  leave in Section 3 or Section 4 of this policy.    3. COVID‐19 LEAVE (DIRECT)  An employee who meets the leave use guidelines within this section will be eligible for paid  COVID/COVID‐19 leave for work hours missed while they are unable to work.    This PTO is available regardless of prior use of paid COVID/COVID‐19 leave or FFCRA leave  provided to the employee. City paid COVID/COVID‐19 leave will be utilized prior to other leaves  that may be available.    Leave Use Guidelines:  The employee is eligible for paid COVID/COVID‐19 leave under this section, if the employee:   Has received a positive test‐result for COVID‐19 (isolation).    Has been advised by a health care provider to quarantine or isolate related to COVID‐19.   Is experiencing COVID‐19 symptoms and is seeking a medical diagnosis.   Is seeking testing for COVID‐19 pursuant to guidance from the CDC and/or MDH.   Is experiencing an immune system response from a vaccination or booster.   Has been sent home for quarantine due to a workplace exposure.    In the event that an employee’s leave for a positive test result extends beyond 15 working days  (or 120 work hours)XXX days (or XXX work hours), the employee would no longer qualify for  paid COVID/COVID‐19 leave, and would need to explore short/long‐term disability insurance or  PTO. Employees who will be on extended leave should work with Human Resources to discuss  Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave. FMLA is unpaid, and can be supplemented with  Shortshort term disability.    4. COVID‐19 LEAVE (INDIRECT)  An employee who meets the leave use guidelines within this section will be eligible for up to  two weeks maximum of paid leave (up to 80 hours, pro‐rated for part time employees).    This paid COVID/COVID‐19 leave is available regardless of prior use of paid covid or Family First  Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) leave provided to the employee. City paid COVID/COVID‐19  leave will be utilized prior to other leaves that may be available.    This  benefit  is  available  one‐time  only  to  each  employee.  If  an  employee  has  paid  COVID/COVID‐19 Leave in excess of 80 hours, or has multiple occurrences of COVID/COVID‐19  leave under this section, that will require the use of PTO, short/long term disability and/or  FMLA.    Leave Use Guidelines:  An employee is eligible for paid COVID/COVID‐19 leave under this section, if the employee:   Is unvaccinated and has been exposed to someone with COVID‐19 (quarantine).   Is caring for a family member who has tested positive for COVID‐19 and needs care.              5. VACCINATION LEAVE  Eligible for up to 18 hours of paid leave for currently unvaccinated employees who are seeking  vaccination and have an immune system response from the vaccine that is severe enough to  impact work activities. In this situation, employees may use paid COVID/COVID‐19 leave for up  to 18 hours total (not per dose) in the 48 hours immediately following administration of a  vaccine dose.     A currently vaccinated employee who previously had immune system responses to the vaccine  or vaccine booster, are also eligible to retroactively be reimbursed  for  PTO  used  as  paid  COVID/COVID‐19 leave in accordance with this policy.    6. VACCINATION BENEFIT  In  order  to  qualify  for  the  vaccination  benefit,  employees  must be fully vaccinated.  Fully  vaccinated means two weeks following receipt of the final dose of the COVID‐19 vaccine.     The City will provide eight (8) hours of PTO to all full‐time employees or pro‐rated PTO to all part‐ time employees. This PTO benefit will be subject to carryover limits as outlined in the City’s  Personnel Policy.    All full‐time and part‐time fully vaccinated employees, even those who have been vaccinated  prior to adoption of this policy, are eligible to receive this benefit.    Employees are required to provide proof of vaccination, acceptable vaccination proof is listed  below, and a signed Tennessean warning to Human Resources. (Forms can be obtained from  Human Resources)    Acceptable Proof of Vaccination:   Record of immunization from a health care provider or pharmacy.   A copy of the COVID‐19 vaccination record card.   A copy of medical records documenting the vaccination.   A  copy  of  immunization  records  from  a  public  health,  state,  or tribal  immunization  information system.   A copy of any other official documentation that contains the type of vaccine  administered, dates of administration, and the name of the health care professional(s) or  clinic site(s) administering the vaccine(s).   In instances where an employee is unable to produce acceptable proof of vaccination as  noted, a signed and dated statement by the employee, subject to criminal penalties for  knowingly providing false information:  o Attesting to their vaccination status (fully vaccinated or partially vaccinated), and    o Attesting they have lost and are otherwise unable to produce proof required by  the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS).          7. DOCUMENTATION  Generally, Human Resources will require certification to verify the qualifying reason for the leave  and proof of vaccination. Employees should be prepared to provide:   Documentation such as a copy of any quarantine or isolation order, written note by a health  care provider advising self‐quarantine, or the results of a covid test; and/or   Documentation showing the employee’s vaccination status.    The City understands that requesting healthcare provider documentation may place additional  burdens on our medical community during this pandemic, therefore if an employee is unable to  obtain this documentation, at a minimum, the name, address, and phone  number  of  your  treating  healthcare  provider  must  be  provided.  The  City  also  reserves the right to request  additional documentation completed by your healthcare provider in situations where there is  reason to believe an employee has fraudulently obtained leave or paid benefits.    8. EXEMPTIONS FOR MEDICAL OR RELIGIOUS REASONS  Any employee who is unable to receive the COVID‐19 vaccine due to a disability or other medical  contraindications or sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance may be eligible to  receive the benefits above. Human resources will require medical documentation and/or an  attestation from the employee to approve benefits in these cases. See Human Resources for  more details.    9. POLICY HISTORY    This is the current and most recent version of the COVID‐19 Leave Program Policy. Previously:      Adopted:  N/A ‐ Draft    Revised:  N/A    1 CITY OF OTSEGO COUNTY OF WRIGHT STATE OF MINNESOTA RESOLUTION NO: 2022-12 APPROVING A COVID-19 LEAVE PROGRAM POLICY WHEREAS, in March 2020, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic for COVID-19; and WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to present challenges for the health, safety, and welfare of City employees and threatens the efficient delivery of City services; and WHEREAS, the City has a responsibility to provide a safe workplace free from serious recognized hazards; and WHEREAS, the City has developed a COVID-19 Leave Program Policy to ensure that employees are able to complete full isolation and quarantine to reduce exposures in the workplace and to fully recover before returning to the workplace; and WHEREAS, the City is able to provide for paid leave with available funding made possible with the adoption of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA); and WHEREAS, the City will reimburse paid leave expenditures with ARPA funds from the State of Minnesota in a manner consistent with the United States Department of Treasury’s ARPA guidance; and WHEREAS, the City Council has met to discuss and review the COVID-19 Leave Program Policy; and WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that the COVID-19 Leave Program Policy shall be in force and effect upon the date of adoption of this resolution. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OTSEGO, MINNESOTA: 1. That the COVID-19 Leave Program Policy as attached hereto is hereby adopted effective immediately. 2 ADOPTED by the Otsego City Council this 24th day of January, 2022. MOTION BY: SECONDED BY: IN FAVOR: OPPOSED: CITY OF OTSEGO __________________________________ Jessica L. Stockamp, Mayor ATTEST: __________________________________ Audra Etzel, City Clerk