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LEGISLATIVE MEMORANDUM
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TO:
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Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council | | FROM:
| Suzanne Sherman, City Manager |
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| | | | | | | | | THRU:
| Joan Junkala-Brown, Deputy City Manager; Charleena Cox, Human Resources Director |
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| | | | | | | | DATE:
| 8/19/2021 | RE:
| Consideration of temporary benefits to City personnel for relief related to COVID-19 exposure. |
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| | | | | | | | During the period of March 2020 through the end of June 2021, the City had 154 positive COVID-19 cases among City personnel. Since mid-July, the City has seen a rapid increase in positive cases (41 new cases), some of which have adversely impacted City operations. Since the expiration of the federally mandated Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), the Human Resources Department is witnessing personnel who have used up accrued leave time, and in some cases having to go into an unpaid status. Staff is recommending consideration of the following accommodations to provide continued relief to personnel impacted by COVID-19.
COVID-19 Voluntary Vaccination Incentive
According to 31 CFR Part 35, Eligible Uses (b)(1)(xiii) and (xiv), and further supported by section 2.12 of the Interim Final Rule released by the U.S. Department of Treasured dated June 23, 2021, recipients may use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to offer “incentives reasonable expected to increase the number of people who choose to get vaccinated or motivate people to get vaccinated sooner than they would otherwise.” Staff is requesting Council consideration to provide a monetary incentive in the amount of $300 to City personnel who can provide official proof that they have become fully vaccinated before October 31, 2021. Similarly, for City personnel who are already fully vaccinated, this benefit will be retroactive.
COVID 19 Leave Bank for City Personnel
With the rise in cases due to the new variants and start of the school year, the City has witnessed a tremendous increase in the number of COVID-19 positive results reported by the City’s employees, their family members, and childcare facilities (including schools). Whereas the FFCRA provided the City a mechanism to provide a leave bank of 80 hours, this federal program ended effective December 30, 2020; however, the City chose to extend these benefits through July 1, 2021. The City Manager’s Office and the Human Resources Department are requesting Council’s consideration to provide a similar leave bank to employees impacted by COVID-19. The leave bank can be funded one of two ways: 1) utilizing ARPA funds (see 31 CFR Part 35, Eligible Uses (b)(1)(xiii) and (xiv)), or 2) utilizing undesignated fund balance to provide paid leave, not to exceed 80 hours, to employees who meet the criteria set forth in the attached. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic through July 1, 2021, the City provided Emergency Paid Sick Leave under FFCRA for eligible employees in the amount of $380,367.21 (average hourly rate of $19.80) and Expanded Family Medical Leave in the amount of $110,670.96 (average hourly rate of $18.50). If approved, this benefit would be available effective immediately and retroactive to July 2, 2021 with an expiration of December 31, 2021 unless otherwise extended by City Council.
Teleworking for Extenuating Circumstances
Staff is requesting Council consideration to authorize City Manager and City Attorney to develop a Teleworking Policy for extenuating circumstances related to COVID-19. If approved, this policy will be added to the Human Resources Administrative Code G.25.2 (formerly Human Resources Administrative Code 1-31).
REQUESTING DEPARTMENT:
City Manager's Office, Human Resources |
| | | | | | | | FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding is permitted under the American Rescue Plan Act using the assumed average hourly rate as provided above. Information on the impact for the prior FFCRA program is provided above
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| | | | | | | | RECOMMENDATION: Motion to authorize the City Manager to enact the temporary benefits to City personnel related to COVID-19 voluntary vaccination incentive program and a COVID-19 leave bank funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and implement a Teleworking Policy for special circumstances. |
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