On Thursday, April 23, LA County’s Chief Executive Officer sent a letter to all Department Heads and Department Human Resources Managers with further guidance on the implementation of the COVID-19 Paid Leave programs. The letter can be found here. Here are the highlights:
- All Departments are expected to begin to approve leave requests no later than Friday, April 24.
- Departments cannot narrow the eligibility criteria established by the Department of Human Resources, and can only deny requests based on legitimate operational needs.
- Departments that limit approval of childcare related leave requests are encouraged to consider hardships, such as the child’s health condition, special needs, or legal (foster) status.
- Leave requests can be approved retroactive to April 1, when the programs took effect. (Time for the first half of April can be adjusted up until May 22.)
- There will be a REVIEW PROCESS with Labor participation to reconsider certain requests that have been denied.
The CEO has heard our concerns and has taken these steps to ensure that the leave programs are available to as many employees as possible, while allowing for consideration of Departments’ operational needs during the COVID-19 emergency.
For the COVIDLeave in Packet B has it been clarified if you can combine the 2/3 pay with other paid leave that you might have available (vacation hours, personal leave hours, etc.) to make 100% pay?
It is very clear that you can not do this for the COVID PAID Leave, but not with the COVIDLeave.
Any answer to the above question?
Sorry. I just don’t know. I am trying to get a definitive answer from the Department of Human Resources. (Since COVID Leave is a County-sponsored program it is not governed by Department of Labor guidelines.) Should have an answer today.
What does this mean ? So now DHS workers can apply and it might get approved ? I didn’t apply becuse I knew it was going to get denied so I just took ABwOP
DHS workers CAN apply. Here is my email address: bart.diener@Jorge Reyes.org. If you contact me there I can send you my phone number to discuss your circumstances.
This new letter needs more clarification. Which leave can we use- Covid Leave or Covid Paid Leave? They have two different guidelines. Covid Leave states that it can only be used after the first 10 days of unpaid leave (accrued time can be used these first 10 days) and we can use up to 12 weeks of FMLA. Covid Paid Leave states that only 80 hours can be used. Can we use both leaves concurrently? And do we fill out the same form under “Packet B”?
Thank you.
If you are eligible, you can be approved for both leaves, but not concurrently. For leave based on a child at home due to school closure you would use COVID Paid Leave for the first two weeks (80 hours) and then switch to the COVID Leave for up to ten additional weeks. Apply for both using form in Packet B.
In the form to request leave, can we check off “I am subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine or isolation order related to Covid-19” since we are under a quarantine/isolation order issued by the Governor of California and Mayor of the City??
No, unfortunately not, because those orders exempt government employees and other “essential workers”.
Will you have to exhaust all other leave during the 2 week waiting period to use this leave? I hope not as I’m sure we would all like to hold onto that especially in light of these uncertain times.
No, during the two week waiting period you would use your 80 hours of COVID Paid Leave. For employees with children at home due to school closure, the two leave programs are designed to work together. First use COVID Paid Leave, then COVID Leave. (It’s more than a little confusing.)
Thank you for the info. My Jobsite has yet to give details on how/when to apply for this.
Where do you work? Each Department is expected to begin to approve requests this week. Fill-able request forms can be found on the Department of Human Resources website here: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/leaveforms/
I work at San Bernardino Superior Court.
If i applied for covid paid leave, how will i know its approved and will it reflect on my check Thursday or will it be adjusted later.
Do we have a clause that grants us reimbursement for using personal laptops and our personal phones to telework from home. I call clients all day, and use my personal computer all day to conduct clinic business.
No. It’s in the telework agreement that the cost of using a personal device, such as a computer, laptop or home/cell phone, or Internet at home is our responsibility. Just use *67 to block your number when you call.
I don’t believe anything can be reimbursed for the personal laptop but personal phone yes.
The telework agreement says:
“I acknowledge that in the event that the County does not provide a cellular phone, the County will pay for all business-related telephone calls on my personal telephone or cellular phone. I will be required to submit my claims on a Travel Expense Claim form along with documentation to support the expense.”
Has any DHS employee received approval? I was told today from the LAC+USC HR department they were not accepting the COVID leave packages.
Nothing but smoke. DHS has dismissed every “update” from SEIU. We look like fools submitting phony SEIU leave packages.
I work at the La county Jail and we were emailed back on April 3 regarding COVID leave, and as of today, they are still not accepting our Packet B paperwork. Do you know if they will start accepting them ever?
We spoke on the phone Shronda. Keep me posted.
We still have notices posted throughout our department highlighting how we do not qualify for ANY time off. No vacation time off is being granted to front line staff but supervisors seem to be able to take time off……….
Which department? The paid sick leave programs are available to employees in ALL County departments.
The Union met with Health Services HR Management on Friday. They said that they would begin approving requests early this week. They have been ACCEPTING request forms, but most have been denied so far. DHS announced last week that they are not approving requests for paid leave for the care of children at home due to school closures, but the CEO responded by instructing Departments that they can ONLY deny requests based on operational issues. And the CEO established a REVIEW Process so that requests that are unfairly or unreasonably denied can be reconsidered. So, yes, DHS employees CAN apply… Read more »
Hi Bart,
Should I submit my package B to LAC+USC HR or DHS management?
Thanks,
Submit to LAC+USC Human Resoures.
So I guess no hazard pay for those that continued to work and will recieve zero benefits from this program?
Thousands of LA County workers are expected to be approved for paid sick leave programs. Those that are denied use of the sick leave will continue to have 80 hours in their leave bank. (It’s there now.) The Union has put the County on notice that, if employees are denied use of this leave during the COVID-19 emergency, we will be calling for the 80 hours to be converted into compensation.
and what of those that do not qualify for the sick leave programs: no children, single, not providing care for a relative
Thank you for the update. I was more referring to the circumstances anonymous asked below. Single, no children, able to work (and have been) to be provided hazard pay while working.
duplicate
Yes. But here’s the problem: By the end of this fiscal year ending in June, the County of Los Angeles is projected to have lost $1.3 billion in sales tax revenues due to the closure of businesses during the COVID-19 emergency. The federal government has bailed out businesses, corporations, and industries, but has provided practically nothing to state and local governments (and their workers) who deliver front line services during the pandemic. US Senate President Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) does not want to provide relief in the next stimulus and says that he’d rather that state and local governments go bankrupt… Read more »
Here’s a link to a story in today’s Washington Post that lays out the budget crisis facing cities and counties due to the federal government’s failure to provide financial relief:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/29/cities-states-layoffs-furloughs-coronavirus/