Many institutions are taking serious steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We’ve seen a statewide school closures, cancellation of large events, and some employers moving completely to remote working arrangements.

Employers, government and policy makers have a responsibility to protect their employees from financial hardship. If they don’t, we’re asking people to weigh their personal financial security against public health – a decision that only a bad system would ask people to make.

On March 9, 2020, AFSCME proposed a letter of agreement to Yamhill County as a contingency for COVID-19 that proposed to enact three things on a temporary basis:

1) All requests for telework should be “presumed to be accepted” unless specifically denied within a reasonable time frame. 2) Administrative leave – that is leave covered by the employer not the employee – should be used to cover quarantines and worksite closures. 3) Employers should also stop using any absences from work due to illness for coronavirus or flu-like symptoms to support disciplinary actions.

Yamhill County told us our members should use FET and follow normal procedures to request telework. What happens if we don't have enough FET? What if the response to telework is untimely or unreasonably denied?

COVID-19 is already impacting our community in Yamhill County. SIGN NOW to tell Yamhill County do the right thing for their employees.