COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR ORDINANCE NO. 210029

Providing certain City employees up to 80 hours paid leave for Coronavirus Disease 2019 quarantine.

WHEREAS, the United States Congress provided up to 80 hours Emergency Paid Sick Leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Pub. L. No. 116-127, 134. Stat. 195, to employees of local governments when they were required to quarantine for various reasons related to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19); and

WHEREAS, the provision of paid leave to local government employees under the FFCRA expired December 31, 2020 and were not renewed by the United States Congress; and

WHEREAS, employees of the City of Kansas City continue to require to quarantine by the City’s Health Department due to exposure to COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, employees of the City continue to require to quarantine due to experiencing symptoms or testing positive for COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, employees of the City need to care for family members with whom they reside when that family member is required to quarantine due to COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, employees of the City may not be able to telework if their work is not conducive to telework, or due to symptoms of COVID-19 or need to care for a family member with COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, Council wishes to provide paid leave for City employees required to quarantine who have not already utilized the leave previously provided under the FFCRA; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

Section 1. That a total of eighty hours of paid leave be available to employees of the City of Kansas City who have not exhausted the Emergency Paid Sick Leave provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Pub. L. No. 116-127, who are required to quarantine by the City of Kansas City Health Department because the employee was exposed to COVID-19, tests positive or experiences symptoms of COVID-19, or must care for a family member with whom they reside because the family member is required to quarantine due to COVID-19, and who are unable to telework.

Section 2. That employees will be eligible for a maximum of eighty hours paid leave, offset by the number of Emergency Paid Sick Leave hours utilized under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Section 3. That this leave will be available retroactive to January 1, 2021, and remain available as long as the Mayor’s Twelfth Amended Emergency Order, or any subsequent Emergency Order made pursuant to any amendment of the Mayor’s March 12, 2020 Proclamation of a State of Emergency, shall remain in effect.

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Approved as to form and legality:

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Saskia Jacobse

Assistant City Attorney