RESOLUTION NO. 200223

Directing the City Manager to implement a telecommuting policy for City employees.

WHEREAS, in December 2019, a novel coronavirus, now called COVID-19, was detected in Wuhan, China; and

WHEREAS, on January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, advising countries to prepare for the containment, detection, isolation, case management, contact tracing, and prevention of onward spread of the disease; and

WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic; and

WHEREAS, on March 12, 2020, Mayor Quinton Lucas issued a State of Emergency, allowing the City of Kansas City to take measures to reduce the possibility of exposure to COVID-19 and promote the health and safety of Kansas City residents; and

WHEREAS, the COVID-19 virus spreads between people who are in close contact with one another through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes; and

WHEREAS, the City wishes to employ all means available under the law to protect public life, health, safety and property to limit the development, contraction, and spread of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, on March 16, 2020, Mayor Lucas updated the emergency proclamation to limit gatherings to fewer than 10 people and, with the support of school superintendents, to temporarily cease school operations; and

WHEREAS, the City has strongly encouraged businesses to allow employees to work from home to allow for social distancing; and

WHEREAS, the City employs over 4,500 people; and

WHEREAS, the City has often modeled top employment practices such as offering 12 weeks of paid parental leave, setting a $15-dollar minimum wage, and other employee benefits; and

WHEREAS, the health and wellness of City employees is of utmost importance at all times, and that during this public health emergency, unprecedented measures must be taken; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

That the City Manager is hereby directed to:

·         Ensure that all City employees whose typical job functions or special projects can be completed remotely, work from home until the Mayor’s State of Emergency has expired, regardless of whether those job functions are deemed essential or non-essential; and

·         As available, provide appropriate City hardware and software to these essential and non-essential employees lacking necessary technology to allow those employees to perform all, or a majority of, their job functions from their homes; and

·         Ensure that all City employees performing non-essential duties whose typical job functions (including meaningful special projects) cannot be completed remotely be sent home on paid leave, regardless of accrued leave or probationary status until the Mayor’s State of Emergency has expired; and

·         Ensure that all City employees performing essential duties whose typical job functions cannot be completed remotely follow all best practices for social distancing and workplace hygiene.

·         Ensure that Department Directors determine which job duties shall be deemed essential or non-essential for purposes of this resolution.

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