REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
SITTING AS THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE FOLLOWING
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE FOLLOWING
INLAND COUNTIES EMERGENCY MEDICAL AGENCY
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 19, 2020
FROM
GARY McBRIDE, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
Actions Related to COVID-19 Pandemic
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the County of San Bernardino, Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency, and the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, authorize reimbursement of up to $600 for childcare services to County employees who have been identified as emergency responders and healthcare providers covering the period of April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020.
(Presenter: Bob Windle, County Labor Relations Chief, 387-3101)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
It is not anticipated that this item will require additional Discretionary General Funding. The estimated cost of this action is unknown at this time, as the County does not currently have detail on the number of employees that will qualify for reimbursement. It is anticipated that this action will require the use of the County’s CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds if other federal or state funding does not become available.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On March 4, 2020, the State of California declared a state of emergency as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic due to the rising number of confirmed cases and anticipated complications for those infected, including potential deaths. On March 10, 2020, the County Public Health Officer declared a local health emergency to help ensure county government and the public were prepared for the possibility that COVID-19 will appear within the County. On March 10, 2020 (Item No. 75), the County Board of Supervisors (Board) proclaimed the existence of a local emergency within San Bernardino County resulting from COVID-19, which causes infectious disease resulting in symptoms of fever, coughing and shortness of breath with outcomes ranging from mild to severe illness and in some cases, death.
On March 18, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed into law, requiring that effective April 1, 2020, the County provide certain employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19 through December 31, 2020. Under the law, the County could elect to exclude healthcare providers and emergency responders from the application of FFCRA. In order to ensure adequate staffing to respond to the emergency the County elected to exclude employees it has identified as healthcare providers and emergency responders from the FFCRA, including from the expanded childcare leave provisions of the Act.
Across the nation, schools and day care providers have been closed, resulting in millions of children being home. Many workers have also been sent home with the option to telework, which, in addition to the expanded childcare leave under the FFCRA, has eased their need for childcare services. However, emergency responders and healthcare providers are required to remain at work and are excluded from the expanded childcare leave, resulting in additional childcare costs. Various cities, counties, and states have attempted to ease this burden by providing assistance with childcare costs and/or childcare placement services for emergency responders and healthcare providers. Consistent with this approach, the County is requesting that the Board approve reimbursement of up to $600 covering the period from April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020 to assist employees the County has identified as healthcare providers and emergency responders with these additional childcare costs. The processing of such reimbursements shall be made according to the expense reimbursement provisions of the applicable Memorandum of Understanding.
The County has notified the unions who represent employees who may be impacted by these proposed actions and those unions have all expressed support or had no objections to the recommendations.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Cynthia O’Neill, Supervising Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 14, 2020; Labor Relations (Bob Windle, County Labor Relations Chief, 387-3101) on May 13, 2020; County Finance (Jessica Trillo, Administrative Analyst, 387-4222); and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on May 14, 2020.