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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPersonnel Committee - Agenda - 7/2/2020 Bayfield County Administrator 117 E 5th Street, PO Box 878, Washburn, WI 54891 Ph: 715-373-6181 Fx: 715-373-6153 Mark Abeles-Allison, County Administrator Kristine Kavajecz, Assistant Paige Terry, Clerk BAYFIELD COUNTY PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING Brett Rondeau, Chair Fred Strand Tom Snilsberg, Vice Chair Dennis Pocernich Marty Milanowski Dear County Board Members: This letter is written to inform you of the Bayfield County Personnel Committee Meeting scheduled for 4:00pm Thursday, July 2, 2020. This meeting will be held in the County Board Room, Washburn WI, and is also available to access remotely. The public will be able to participate in the Meeting via voice either by using the internet link or phone number below. Join Microsoft Teams Meeting +1 715-318-2087 United States, Eau Claire (Toll) Conference ID: 567 954 070# Local numbers | Reset PIN | Learn more about Teams | Meeting options Contact the Bayfield County at 715-373-6181 if you have access questions. Notice is hereby given that a majority of the Bayfield County Board may be present at the meeting to gather information about a subject over which they have decision-making responsibility. This constitutes a meeting of the Bayfield County Board pursuant to State ex rel. Badke v.Greendale Village Bd., 173 Wis. 2d 553, 494 N.W.2d 408(1993), and must be noticed as such, although the County Board will not take any formal action at this meeting. AGENDA 1. Call to order 2. Public Comment 3. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Approval of Minutes of June 4, 2020 4. Update on Courthouse Staffing 5. COVID-19 Policies Personnel Policies 6. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Health Department Staffing. Full Time Nurse, Limited Time Contact Tracing, part-time Dietician. 7. Reports a) Human Resources Report b) Personnel Financial Report for the month of June 2020 8. The committee may enter in and out of closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes: a. §19.85(1)(c,e) to consider employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility: and deliberating or negotiating the purchase of public property, vesting of public funds or conducting other specified business whenever competitive or bargain reasons require a closed session. i. Approve Closed Session Minutes of June 4, 2020 ii. WPPA Negotiation Preparations iii. Employees specific compensation. 9. Adjourn Should you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact my office. Sincerely, Mark Abeles-Allison Mark Abeles-Allison Bayfield County Administrator MAA/kak Enc. Any person planning to attend a Bayfield County meeting that has a disability requiring special accommodations should contact 373-6100, 24-hours before the scheduled meeting, so appropriate arrangements can be made. cc: Mr. Scott Fibert, Bayfield County Clerk Bayfield County Board of Supervisors The Daily Press, via email Personnel Committee Narrative, July 2, 2020, 4:00pm This will be an in-person / remote meeting in the County Board room. Item 4: Our goal was to gradually bring staff back to the courthouse over a 30- day period. We are at about 90% of that goal now. The transition has gone relatively smoothly. All offices are open to the public. We are offering PPE based on individual office needs, masks, sanitizer, etc. We continue to urge people to work remotely with the county when appropriate. Item 5. County COVID19 policies are in place. When people return from trips to high incidence level areas, we ask that they follow a variety of isolation options, some onsite and some off. During the summer we have staff traveling all over the country. We are encouraging all contractors and public coming into the building to wear masks in common areas, maintain distancing and use hand sanitizer to reduce the potential for COVID Spread. Item 6. The Health Department has requested several staffing changes based on COVID and other departmental changes. A. We currently have a vacancy for a 0.43 FTE (840 hours) nurse. This was previously a 0.5 FTE, when combined with Human Services CSS Program. Demand for nursing services has increased with COVID-19. Our staff spent most of their time this spring on COVID-19 related activities and services, meaning many other projects were put aside, most are contracts with the state with specific deliverables. Total amount awarded to date to Bayfield County for COVID-19 is over $220,000. With consideration to funds already spent in COVID-19 response YTD to 2nd Quarter, CARES funding is currently anticipated to cover over $100,000 of costs associated with hiring new staff required for contact tracing and contractual obligations. In addition, the department has received Title X, Women’s Health/Family planning funding as well as PHEP funding for COVID-19. Public Health and I recommend hiring a full-time public health nurse to help-out for the next 12 months with a reassessment to occur after that. New funding will more than cover these costs. B. We need to hire / train additional contact tracing staff in the event that an outbreak occurs so we are prepared, and current staff can continue their normal public health projects. This is 100% reimbursed. To date we have utilized health department, tourism, human services and land records staff to provide assistance. We anticipate hiring 2-3 part time contact tracing staff, training them now, then only using them if needed. C. The Women Infant Children program (USDA, Federal Government) is now requiring a registered dietician. With case numbers increasing dramatically and high-risk chart reviews requiring dietician review we recommend authorization for 8 hours a week of a registered dietician. Item 7: An HR report will be distributed together with June Personnel Financial report before the meeting next week. Minutes of the Bayfield County Personnel Committee Meeting 4:00 PM, June 4, 2020 Meeting was Held Remotely through Microsoft Teams and in person at the Bayfield County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Washburn, WI Members Present: Dennis Pocernich, Brett Rondeau, Tom Snilsberg, Fred Strand, Marty Milanowski Members Excused: None Others Present: County Administrator Mark Abeles-Allison, Kristine Kavajecz-Human Resources Director, Mary Dougherty, Kevin Johnson, UW Extension office Meeting called to order at 4:00pm by Rondeau Public Comment: None Minutes of May 7, 2020: Motion Milanowski, Strand to approve minutes of the May 7, 2020 Personnel Committee meeting. Motion Carried (5-0) Updated Telecommuting Policy: A copy of the draft policy was provided in the meeting packet and was reviewed by the committee. The policy was temporarily modified when many employees were requested to telecommute at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several of the provisions in the agreement were suspended at that time to accommodate childcare, office location and other expectations that were included in the original telecommuting policy. The policy being presented generally reverts to the original telecommuting policy, with some modifications that are being proposed as a result of lessons learned during the pandemic. Suggestion was made to limit the amount of time that employees will be allowed to telecommute. Comment was made that the committee should be setting broad policy and that department heads should be allowed to manage their staff within those policies. Specific topics discussed include: • Number of days per week allowing employees to telecommute. • Requiring employees to work on-site for 6 months before being allowed to telecommute. • Support from IT regarding trouble-shooting, but not going into the home for set up of equipment. • Not allowing home computers to connect to the county network. Motion Pocernich, Milanowski to approve the updated telecommuting agreement as presented with the modification that only county-owned computers may be connected to the network and requiring that employees must be in their position for six months before being eligible to telecommute. Motion Carried. (5-0) County Veteran Service Office and Emergency Management Staff: Abeles-Allison explained that Michelle Anderson has been acting CVSO while Kevin Johnson was deployed. With the retirement of Clerk, Nancy Brown, a recommendation is being made to create the position of Veterans Benefit Specialist and award that position to Michelle Anderson. Michelle may also assist the Emergency Management department with office duties in the interim until a replacement Clerk is hired. CVSO Kevin Johnson explained that his intent is to expand the duties of whatever position is approved for his office. Motion Milanowski, Pocernich to approve one full-time position serving half time in the Veteran’s Service and half time in the Emergency Management office. Motion Carried (5-0) 2021 Planning, wages and benefits discussion: Abeles-Allison explained that the county will need to begin considering wages and benefits for 2021. Reports a) Human Resources Report: Review of the changes occurring in the Sheriff’s Office. b) COVID Planning / Existing efforts / plan for employees c) Personnel Financial Report for the month of May 2020: Motion Pocernich, Milanowski to enter into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes: a. §19.85(1)(c,e) to consider employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility: and deliberating or negotiating the purchase of public property, vesting of public funds or conducting other specified business whenever competitive or bargain reasons require a closed session. i. Approve Closed Session Minutes of May 7, 2020 ii. WPPA Side letter Consideration. Motion Carried. Entered closed session at 5:32 pm Strand, Dougherty and Kavajecz were allowed to remain in the meeting. Motion Pocernich, Milanowski to move into open session. Motion Carried. (5-0) Entered open session at 5:35pm Meeting adjourned at 5:35 pm. Minutes respectfully submitted by Kristine Kavajecz BAYFIELD COUNTY COVID-19 GUIDANCE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS June 9, 2020 This document supersedes previous communications related to County Policy and Procedure pertinent to the COVID-19 Pandemic and County Operations during the pandemic. Purpose: Continue efficient county service delivery in safe manner. A target date of July 6, 2020 is in place to transition all staff back to on-site work. Extenuating circumstances will be addressed on a case by case basis through HR. At the onset of the pandemic, many staff telecommuted to reduce exposure and “flatten the curve”. Telecommuting was also offered in situations where care for a family member, or underlying health conditions were of concern. Since that time, Bayfield County has implemented a number of measures to protect both employees and citizens working in and visiting our facilities. We are confident that safety measures are in place to facilitate a safe return of staff and citizens to county facilities. We remain committed to maintaining a safe workplace. If you have other suggestions or recommendation, please contact your supervisor or HR. The transition of employees back to on-site work is an effort to “re-group” and “ground” our organization and to re-establish “quasi-normal” operations while following the safety measures. A Review of Safety Measures That Are In Place For The Safety Of Employees And The Public: There is no singular way to prevent COVID. Combining several preventing methods; however, increases chance of success. 1. Masks are strongly recommended to be worn by all staff when in public areas. Masks for staff are available in your department or HR if you do not have your own. Several staff have questioned if a mask must be worn. While it is not mandatory, it is strongly encouraged. There are many staff and citizens that are at higher risk for exposure, or that may experience anxiety when they encounter staff and citizens not wearing masks. Out of respect for your fellow co-workers and citizens, and not knowing their personal situations, we ask that you be respectful and wear masks in public spaces, even though you may not feel that it is necessary. We are asking the public to wear masks in our facilities, we feel that employees should be setting the example that we would like our citizens to follow. 2. Establish a twice daily sanitizing routine for your office area/ workspace. Maintenance will provide sanitizing spray and paper toweling. Items that should be sanitized twice daily at a minimum: Telephone, doorknobs, keyboard, and any surfaces that are frequently contacted. 3. Hand sanitizer will be available at each reception point and each employee workspace. 4. Respect personal distancing and do not use another employee’s phone or computer. 5. Minimize paper transactions. Use scanning / email whenever possible. 6. Avoid bringing any items into the workplace that are not needed for work. 7. No training or conference travel is authorized until further notice. 8. Work-required travel is limited to the Ashland-Bayfield county area unless prior approved by department head. 9. Social Distancing must be observed in all areas, including offices, hallways, meetings, breakrooms, etc. 10. Gloves will be available at each reception area for employee use when accepting documents, materials, monies etc… from the public. 11. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. 12. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. 13. Social Distancing of 6 feet shall be observed at all times, including in break areas. Employees utilizing break areas should sanitize all items touched. This may include table, refrigerator door handle, faucet, etc. 14. Sneeze-guards have been made available in most offices. If additional sneeze-guards are needed, please contact the maintenance department. 15. Bathrooms are cleaned and sanitized every day. Restrooms are sanitized a second time each day. 16. Doorknobs, handrails & frequently touched public surfaces are being sanitized daily. 17. Meeting rooms are sanitized as needed. Out of Area Travel: Employees are no longer required to complete the Travel Survey. If there is any question on whether self-quarantine is recommended, employees are asked to speak with the HR office. If you or a member of your household have plans to travel out of the immediate region, we ask that you communicate this with your supervisor ahead of time. Following travel out of the immediate region we may request that you self-quarantine at home for a period of time before physically returning to courthouse facilities or interacting with the public. Based on your work setting, we may have a self- quarantine option for on-site work. If telecommuting is feasible during self-quarantine, this may be coordinated with your supervisor. In certain circumstances you may use eligible paid leave time. Thank You all for your cooperation and consideration. All of these precautions are meant to protect our employees and our citizens. Please be respectful and mindful of those around you. Illness: Per CDC Guidelines, if you or a household member have these symptoms, you are encouraged to stay home. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19: • Fever or chills • Cough • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing • Fatigue • Muscle or body aches • Headache • New loss of taste or smell • Sore throat • Congestion or runny nose • Nausea or vomiting • Diarrhea This list does not include all possible symptoms. Employees that are experiencing symptoms, or that have household members that are experiencing symptoms that are still able to work should coordinate with their supervisor to see if work from home or another site is available. When calling in sick, employees should notify their supervisor if it is because of COVID symptoms or not (their own, or a household member). The supervisor may ask what the symptoms are to help determine when the employee may be allowed to return to work on-site. If an employee is out sick for three or more consecutive days they must provide a Release From Their Medical Provider to return to work. When to Seek Emergency Medical Attention Look for emergency warning signs* for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately • Trouble breathing • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest • New confusion • Inability to wake or stay awake • Bluish lips or face *This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you. QUESTIONS/ANSWERS: Following are questions we have received from staff and management. Q) Will I have a choice if/when I return to the office? A) Department Heads/Supervisors will determine which employees should return to on-site work and when. They will make this determination based on the needs of the department and employee considerations. All employees will be back by July 6. Q) I am going to return to the office, what do I need to do? A) There are two actions necessary when returning to on-site work: 1) Contact the HR Office prior to returning to on-site work to complete a screening and to review the protocol for on-site safety precautions. 2) Notify IT of the date you plan to return to on-site work. Q) I have been told I need to be tested for COVID19, now what do I do? A) Contact your health provider or Public Health to discuss testing availability. Q) I don’t feel well today, but I don’t feel that I have COVID19 symptoms, should I report to work? A) If you feel ill, stay home. Q) I know my symptoms look like COVID19, but I have seasonal allergies. What do I do? A) Contact the HR Office for a screening. Many considerations are used to determine if an employee may return to on-site work. Q) Under what circumstances will I be asked to test for COVID 19? A) If an employee has symptoms of COVID-19, they may be asked to self-quarantine and/or it may be recommended that the employee contact their health care provider to determine if COVID-19 testing is warranted. Q) What if I do not want to be tested? A) If an employee has symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19, and they choose not to be tested, they will not be allowed to return to on-site work until the period of self-quarantine recommended by the CDC is exhausted. Q) Can I return to work immediately after I have been tested? A) Employees may return to work 24 hours after receipt of a negative COVID-19 test result. Q) Will quarantines continue as people travel, have guests from out of the area, etc. this summer? A) As employees travel, attend high-risk events, or have guests from out of the area, they are asked to follow safety precautions identified by the CDC. Employees travelling to high-incidence areas, or that take part in activities that have higher risk for exposure should discuss this with their supervisor and contact HR for guidance. Q) Will quarantined employees continue to have the option of working from home? A) Telecommuting will continue to be an option when on-site work is not recommended, and conditions of the telecommuting policy can be met. Q) Will there be a pool of “grab and go” equipment that can be assigned to quarantined employees who do not have laptops? A) IT has ample equipment available for anticipated telecommuting needs. Q) Should we continue to have employees who plan to travel proactively reach out to HR for direction, so they know whether or not they should prepare to work from home when they return? A) As employees travel, attend high-risk events, or have guests from out of the area, they are asked to follow safety precautions identified by the CDC. Employees travelling to high-incidence areas, or that take part in activities that have higher risk for exposure should discuss this with their supervisor and contact HR for guidance. Q) Is quarantine ten or fourteen days? A) The CDC recommends a 14-day self-quarantine; however, this may be reduced to 10 days for essential employees. All Bayfield County Employees have been deemed essential. Q) Should we continue to direct employees to send an e-mail to the IT Helpdesk ( ) when they are moving their work location (from home to the Courthouse, from the Courthouse to home)? A) Yes, please notify IT of any change in work location status. Q) Does Maintenance have adequate hand sanitizer available for each office and employee? A) Yes Q) What happens if there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in Bayfield County? A) Bayfield County is monitoring the status of COVID-19 cases and will take appropriate action if an outbreak were to occur. This could include expansion of telecommuting. I Will be Travelling or Having Out-of-Town Guests This Summer, Will I Be Required to Self-Quarantine? This document is intended to help employees determine when they may be required to self- quarantine, and when they should contact Human Resources about eligibility to return to on- site work. As Summer approaches, many employees will be travelling, or having guests from other places. Summers are short, family and friends are important. We want employees to enjoy the Summer season. The goal is to keep our co-workers and citizens as safe as possible by limiting potential exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. In situations where self-quarantine is recommended, employees should work with their Department Heads to discuss telecommuting, or alternate work arrangements that could be considered. This checklist may be helpful in determining when you need to self-quarantine following travel, attending high-risk functions, or having guests from out-of-town. Is the area you travelled to identified as having a high number of confirmed COVID-19 cases? ☐ Milwaukee ☐ Madison ☐ Green Bay ☐ Eau Claire ☐ Minneapolis area ☐ Southeastern Wisconsin ☐ California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Illinois This list will change regularly. Check the CDC and applicable State Health Department web sites to identify if the location you are travelling to is a high-incidence area. CDC Website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html WI DHS Website: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/cases-map.htm MN Dept of Health: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/situation.html#overview2 MI DHS Website: https://www.mistartmap.info/ Page 2 Travel to high-incidence areas will likely result in self-quarantine, although there may be exceptions depending upon your position and nature of your work, precautions taken and activities while there. If you travel to a high-incidence area or have guests form a high-incidence area, please discuss with your supervisor and Human Resources. If your travel is NOT to a high-incidence area, or your guests are NOT from a high-incidence area, decisions regarding self-quarantine will depend upon the activities and precautions involved. How did you travel? ☐ I used public transportation such as airplane, bus, or train ☐ YES-Self Quarantine Required ☐ If you travelled in your personal automobile, self-quarantine may not be required depending upon other factors such as activities and precautions. Activities/Contacts ☐ Did you have contact with persons outside of your immediate household that are from a high-incidence area and have not been in self-quarantine for the previous 14-days? ☐ YES-Self Quarantine Required ☐ Did you attend an event/activity that had more than 10 people? ☐ YES-Self Quarantine Required ☐ Did you spend the night at a hotel/motel? ☐ YES-Contact Human Resources ☐ Did you spend the night at a friend/family home that has NOT been in self-quarantine for the previous 14 days? ☐ YES-Contact Human Resources ☐ Other than for essential items did you use/access any facilities that are frequented by the general public (restrooms, restaurants, stores)? ☐ YES-Contact Human Resources What Other Items are Considered When Determining Whether Self- Quarantine Will Be Required Following Travel, or When Having Guests: ☐ Did you follow CDC guidelines while travelling or having guests? ☐ Maintain 6-foot social distancing ☐ Wash hands for 20 seconds after touching public surfaces or use hand sanitizer. ☐ Wear a face covering in public spaces. Page 3 ☐ Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. ☐ Pick up food at drive-throughs, curbside restaurant, or stores, or preferably bring your own food and beverages for the trip. ☐ Do you or anyone you have had contact with have any cold or flu-like symptoms? ☐ YES-Contact Human Resources ☐ Do you currently have a fever, or have you had a fever in the last 3 days (100.4 or higher)? ☐ YES-Self Quarantine Required If you have questions whether self-quarantine is recommended, please contact Human Resources. The goal is to keep employees and citizens as safe as possible, while still enjoying summer activities. What is Self-Quarantine? How Long is Self-Quarantine? ☐ 10 Days (including weekends) upon return from travel, or from when the out-of-town guests leave. ☐ Employees may return to work on-site 24 hours after receiving the results of a Negative COVID-19 test. ☐ Depending upon circumstances, employees may be authorized to return to on-site work with additional precautions. Each scenario will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and decisions will be based upon ability to address potential for exposure and whether telecommuting is available.