2021.01.04 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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14669 Fitzgerald Avenue North, Hugo, MN 55038 • (651) 762‐6300 • www.ci.hugo.mn.us TO: Honorable Mayor Tom Weidt and Members of the City Council FROM: Ron Otkin, Finance Director SUBJECT: Approve Extension of Emergency Paid Sick Leave for Specified Reasons Related to COVID‐19 DATE: For the City Council Meeting of January 4, 2021 DESIRED COUNCIL ACTION Approve Extension of Emergency Paid Sick Leave for Specified Reasons Related to COVID‐19. BACKGROUND The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) went into effect on April 2, 2020 and contained provisions which required employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave for specified reasons related to COVID‐19. The Act and related emergency paid sick leave will expire on December 31, 2020. The Act stated that employers must provide employees with up to two weeks (80 hours, or a part‐time employee’s two week equivalent) of paid sick leave based on their regular rate of pay, paid at 100% if an employee has been advised by a health care provider to self‐quarantine related to COVID‐19 or is experiencing COVID‐19 symptoms and is seeking a medical diagnosis. With the Act expiring on December 31, 2020, but with the Coronavirus still impacting daily lives staff recommends that the City Council hereby extend emergency paid sick leave and provide employees with up to 80 hours of paid sick leave for employees who are experiencing COVID‐19 symptoms or who need to quarantine because of COVID‐19. The paid sick leave extension would expire when employees have the option to receive the Coronavirus vaccine. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council approve the extension of emergency paid sick leave, up to 80 hours, for employees who are experiencing COVID‐19 symptoms or who need to quarantine because of COVID‐19, with the extension expiring when employees have the option to receive the Coronavirus vaccine.