Resolution 2022-02 – COVID-19 Policy Changes

RESOLUTION 2022-02
A RESOLUTION APPROVING CERTAIN POLICY CHANGES IN LIGHT OF THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, on March 6, 2020, the Governor of Indiana issued Executive Order 20-02 which declared a public health emergency in the State of Indiana as a result of the novel (new) Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19″) outbreak in Indiana, throughout the United States, and worldwide; and,

WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, and on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared COVID-19 to be a national emergency; and,

WHEREAS, in March 18, 2020 the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) was signed which required certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19 with those provisions expiring December 31, 2020; and,

WHEREAS, the Town Council of the Town of Churubusco has passed resolutions outlining safety protocols for our staff to protect the health, safety and welfare of our employees and citizens in connection with the continuing and evolving threat posed to public health by COVID-19.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the following policies apply until further notice and shall replace related policies which have been previously passed:

Absences
Sick Time: Employees who have symptoms of respiratory illness or fever are encouraged to stay home and be tested for COVID-19. Employees are further encouraged to not return to work until they are free of fever and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g., cough suppressants). In the event an employee is waiting for the results of a COVID-19 test, the employee is encouraged to remain at home until those results are received.
• In the event an employee does not seek testing or receives a negative test result, the employee must use sick time or other leave to cover those absences. In the event an employee does not have enough paid time off to cover an absence, the Town will abide by the guidelines and penalties set within the Town’s Personnel Handbook.
• Employees may use sick time or other leave to care for immediate family and household members who are ill, need care due to any COVID-19 related closures of schools or day care centers, or for other breakdowns in care arrangements.
• An employee may request reimbursement of any COVID-19 testing costs (at-home or otherwise) after submitting proper documentation to the Clerk-Treasurer.
• In the event an employee receives a positive test result, the Town will pay the employee their regular hourly wage for the hours they were unable to work without penalty to the employee. Documentation of a positive COVID-19 result will be required to be submitted to the Clerk-Treasurer to be paid without penalty or exhaustion of paid time off. The employee will be paid for five (5) days OR the date a doctor or medical professional has cleared the employee to return to work. In the event an employee tests positive, the employee must follow all CDC guidelines when returning to work including masking and social distancing.
• Preliminary positive results from an at-home test are acceptable and must be submitted to the Clerk-Treasurer to receive pay; however, the Town Council may require an employee submit further testing by a medical facility. In the event the medical facility test is negative, the employee will only be paid for the time between the positive at-home result and the negative medical facility result, not to exceed three (3) days. Further absences must be covered by paid time off.
Further Executive Orders and Directives

The Town shall abide by and follow any directions and/or guidance outlined in any national or state directives released after the date of this resolution.

The Town Council will re-evaluate these policies and issue further guidance as it becomes necessary.

DULY ADOPTED by the Town Council at its regular meeting held on the 19th day of January, 2022, at which meeting a quorum was present.

_______________________________ ATTEST:
Devin Keener, Town Council President

________________________________ _____________________________
Mark Pepple Madalyn Sade-Bartl, Clerk-Treasurer

________________________________
Nathan Van Horn

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