Union Officials met with the County Executive and his staff on March 6th to discuss initial steps toward protecting Employees, Members and the Community. After conference with CSEA, multiple other Unions and consultation with the State and County Health Departments, the County Executive, effective immediately, implemented the following temporary adjustments to sick leave policies and procedures:
- The requirement of a physician’s statement verifying an employee’s
or family member’s illness after 3 consecutive work days of absence will
be extended to 5 consecutive work days of absence. This only applies to
those displaying symptoms typically associated with a cold, flu, or
seasonal illness which present similarly to COVID-19. For all other
medical absences (ex. previously known chronic illness, injuries to body
parts, etc.), Department Heads may still require verification after 3
consecutive work days of absence.
- If you need to stay home due to your own illness or a family
member’s illness as described in #1 above, and do not have enough sick
leave accruals standing to your credit at the time of illness to cover
the absence, you will be allowed to borrow sick time from future earned
sick leave accruals. Your sick leave balance will be allowed to go
negative, will be tracked in Kronos by your Payroll Clerk, and this
negative balance will be reduced as you accrue sick time upon your
return to work. This will allow you to continue receiving pay by
utilizing future sick leave accruals and not have to take an unpaid
leave.
- However, if you choose to take an unpaid leave instead of borrowing
from future sick accruals, you may do so only with the approval of your
Department Head.
- Lastly, as is currently available now, you may still use other paid leave time (vacation, personal, comp) in lieu of sick to avoid borrowing from future sick accruals. This can be done without Department Head approval.
The express purpose of these adjustments is to provide employees with
the reassurance that, if you are ill, you can stay home without the
worry of loss of pay or of having to immediately obtain a note from your
physician to justify your absence(s). These temporary adjustments to
the County’s sick leave time administration are being put into effect
retroactive to Saturday, March 7, 2020 and will continue for up to 60
calendar days. The adjustments will be closely monitored by County
Executive’s office and the Personnel Department, and if modifications
are necessary they will be communicated to you immediately.
(As taken from the statement issued by J. Ryan McMahon III, Onondaga County Executive March 10, 2020)