Senior Staff will continue to meet daily as this is a rapidly evolving situation. Sending communications out at the end of each day will be the goal. Today the County called together a meeting for public agencies, cities, etc. to stay informed and will continue to meet daily. The county is issuing a news release this afternoon announcing the closure of certain county & city facilities and recreational activities. County justice facilities will shortly follow with their releases. County/Cities are in the process of making and releasing declarations of emergencies.
The governor issued the following statement on his website:
“Gov. Jay Inslee announced today an emergency proclamation that mandates the immediate two-week closure of all restaurants, bars, and entertainment and recreational facilities, as well as additional limits on large gatherings. The new orders go into effect at midnight tonight and will be in place through March 31.
The announcement comes after the recent spike in numbers of COVID-19 cases in the state and across the country.
“If we are living a normal life, we are not doing our jobs as Washingtonians,” Inslee said. “We cannot do that anymore. We need to make changes, regardless of size. All of us need to do more. We must limit the number of people we come in contact with. This is the new normal.”
Inslee made the announcement in Seattle with King County Executive Dow Constantine and other local and health leaders via streaming and telephone to practice social distancing measures.”
Attached is the Supplemental and Pandemic Leave Authorization, and just a reminder of Gary’s Message from Saturday: Please continue to take good care of your own health and that of your family’s as well, and I encourage you to practice social distancing in your personal life, as we have instructed at work. Thank you for your cooperation in these uncertain and challenging times.
Key points:
- This is a unique and dynamic situation, please be patient with us. Questions will arise and we anticipate there will be a variety of unique circumstances to resolve while implementing this authorization.
- The intent of this authorization is to provide paid leave in addition to pre-existing benefits to address work disruptions during COVID-19 .
- Full-time employees will be granted 80 hours of supplemental leave; part-time employees will be granted 60 hours of supplemental leave to be used in case of COVID-19 illness for yourself, caring for someone you reside with, or caring for your child due to school closure until alternate care can be arranged. The supplemental leave time allotted may be adjusted based on governmental direction.
- The authorization does not require a doctor’s note to utilize the leave or return to work, indicating the PUD is reliant on honorable use of the benefit.
- If an employee exhausts the supplemental leave then the other pre-existing leave benefits will apply.
- In addition, the authorization includes paid administrative leave in case the PUD elects, or is mandated, to proactively increase social distancing to prevent spread of COVID-19, or in other words, require working from home.
- In the case of paid administrative leave, each employee will be required to work from home, be ready to receive work assignments, and be fit for service during the normal work shift, as applicable.
- Application of this authorization is strictly for the COVID-19 pandemic and establishes no future precedent.
- The duration of the authorization is unknown at this time. When the PUD determines the COVID-19 risk has past, the authorization and benefits will terminate.
- The full written authorization is attached, please review and address questions to your supervisor or HR.
Cowlitz PUD Blog 