Tell Yamhill County: Our Health and Safety MATTERS

It's sad to see how little they think of all of US when they talk so big about helping the community and the people in it. We are part of that Community and as such we need to be given that help, not just thrown out like some trash. If we all stand TOGETHER they can not ignore us and have to listen and help.

Work email: [email protected]

This situation is not hypothetical and it is not a normal, we have to adjust to the needs of our workers as they are not as they are "expected to be," we have plans in place but they are not going to be enough. If Yamhill county wants to protect its residents and workers it needs to act on this now. We all have a part to play and as we continue to meet the needs of our clients (some are at high risk) we also need to ensure we help our workers be able to continue to work down the line. We need an agreement.

As of the end of the day, I will be out of work, due to being a single parent and schools now being closed, for at least the next two weeks. That means getting increasingly behind in my own work and zero contacts with my high risk clients and their families. I wouldn't suggest that I would have the ability to work 40 hours from home each week, but I have plenty of work that I can accomplish from outside of the office, and taking into consideration non-distracted time (such as if I have child care for a few hours or my child is asleep or otherwise occupied). It is likely that there will be a negative impact to my clients and their families, as well as others in the community, if I am unable to respond or follow up in any way for the next two weeks, especially considering what an overwhelming time this is for so many of us. I hope that the county will be flexible with working from home during this time, for those of us that have this ability to do so. As we all know, there are plenty of trainings and policies to review that could easily be completed elsewhere, at a minimum, without being in the office and putting ourselves or others at risk. I think it is fair to have a requirement of being able to show how we used the time, regular check ins with supervisors, strictly documenting the amount of time worked each day, etc. It is generally known that Oregon has had access to very few tests until just a few days ago, which makes it highly likely that the numbers in Oregon are much higher than have been determined. It would not be fair to suggest that we are in the clear in Yamhill because we haven't had a conclusive case of COVID. I am very hopeful that the county will reconsider flexibility in this very overwhelming time, a time that is requiring flexibility and accommodations by individuals and families worldwide. It is unacceptable to be in a position of leaving my child with my parents, one of whom is highly vulnerable and the other of whom has spent the last we

Thank you for fighting the good fight! We are all with you

This is the right thing to do. We should feel supported to take leave if necessary to support the effort to curb a pandemic and not punished. This is the time where the County could support us in not draining our FET should a crisis come. The Federal and State Governments are taking actions and it does not make sense that Yamhill County would not react to make sure its employees are protected as we serve as the safety net to low income, vulnerable populations, and serve high risk special needs populations. By not protecting us you are not protecting them.

Our heath and safety matters!

Schools are closed, Senior center is closed, Gatherings of 250 or more are cancelled, how is this Hypothetical?

Please do right by your employees. Many of us still live paycheck to paycheck. Missing work, with little FET could and would be huge barrier.

County should absolutely provide sick time pay whether an employee has FET or not. Inability to work due to Covid-19 or mandatory quarantine times should not be put on the shoulders of the employee. Otherwise for myself, I'm coming to work sick, or not, and let the county deal with the situations that arise from sick employees coming to work as they cannot afford to stay home for extended periods, such as quarantines.

With all the school closures state wide and now many restrictions being placed on many other entity's I feel it is the county's responsibility to help valued employees during this time. This is a time we should all be working together, and should not have to use our hard earned FET for times like this.

Washington county is granting administrative leave for all employees (including the SO) if their child cannot go to school or due to illness in the family.

It's not right to use our own hard earned FET for things that we have no control over (eg. worksite closures). Please step up and lead us through this crisis. Thank you.