Lucas County commissioners amend pandemic operations plan
The original plan, which was passed June 30, was designed to be a “living document” and be amended as needed based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local health departments.
By Kate Snyder / The Blade
Tue, 11 Aug 2020 17:47:22 GMT
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With several area school districts planning for virtual starts to the school year, Lucas County commissioners voted Tuesday to amend the county’s pandemic operations plan to accommodate county employees who are parents with school-age children.
Specifically, the commissioners amended the county’s leave donation program to allow employees to receive donated leave time from their colleagues for childcare-related reasons during the pandemic.
Employees will also be eligible for leave under the Family Medical Leave Act for childcare-related purposes after being employed with the county for one work day, as opposed to the previous 30 calendar days.
The original plan, passed June 30, was designed to be a “living document” and be amended as needed based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local health departments.
“We are hopeful that this provides the additional resources that our employees need so they can take care of themselves, their families, and the public,” Lucas County Administrator Megan Vahey Casiere said during Tuesday’s meeting.
Other amendments to the plan were also passed, including expanded use of sick time under FMLA leave and allowing employees to return to work when they have been fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication for one day, instead of the previous three days, in accordance with CDC guidelines.
The pandemic operations plan includes allowing employees to work remotely when possible, requiring face coverings while in common work space areas or while working with groups and while interacting with the public, and conducting brief health assessments for all employees and visitors to county facilities.
Commissioners discussed the amendments Tuesday and emphasized that this would likely not be the last time that the pandemic operations plan would need to be updated.
“This has been an incremental document,” Commissioner Gary Byers said. “We’ve taken logical steps at logical times.”
Commissioner Pete Gerken mentioned that a policy that county employees would be required to self-isolate after visiting a high-risk area, such as Florida might one day need to be implemented.
“Every time we think something comes up, it changes,” Mr. Gerken said.