County Reviews COVID-19 Response Act
April 10, 2020
By JESSICA WETZLER
Daily News-Record 4/10/20
The Rockingham County Board of Supervisors discussed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to bring awareness for those facing a leave of absence due to COVID-19 at its meeting Wednesday.
The federal law requires certain employers to provide employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for reasons related to COVID-19, and it applies for anytime from April 1 to Dec. 31.
Jennifer Mongold, director of human resources for the county, said the law applies to the county, and Wednesday’s presentation was to make the board and staff aware of the conditions.
“We want to really try and help people and be as flexible as we can,” she said.
Employers covered under the act are required to provide up to two weeks, or 80 hours, of paid sick leave. Part- time employees are also eligible for leave, but only for the number of hours they are normally scheduled to work.
To qualify for leave related to COVID-19, an employee must be unable to work or telework due to being quarantined or isolated, advised by health care provider to self- quarantine, experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, caring for an individual who is self-quarantined, caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed due to COVID-19-related reasons or experiencing any other conditions specified by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Mongold said those who are furloughed would not be eligible.
Mongold also said the county would be following the act to its entirety starting Sunday.
Other items on Wednesday’s agenda were the approval of three street additions as requested by the Virginia Department of Transportation and accepting bids for the purchase of medical oxygen for the Rockingham County Fire and Rescue Department and two trucks for the utilities department.
Both bids were accepted unanimously.
Supervisor Sallie Wolfe-Garrison later informed the board that the Harrisonburg- Rockingham Chamber of Commerce has received requests for funding totaling $400,000 through its Harrisonburg- Rockingham COVID-19 Business Support Task Force. The task force, which launched the Small Business Grant Program on March 27, had funding from F&M Bank of $50,000, among other donations.
Daily News-Record 4/10/20
The Rockingham County Board of Supervisors discussed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to bring awareness for those facing a leave of absence due to COVID-19 at its meeting Wednesday.
The federal law requires certain employers to provide employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for reasons related to COVID-19, and it applies for anytime from April 1 to Dec. 31.
Jennifer Mongold, director of human resources for the county, said the law applies to the county, and Wednesday’s presentation was to make the board and staff aware of the conditions.
“We want to really try and help people and be as flexible as we can,” she said.
Employers covered under the act are required to provide up to two weeks, or 80 hours, of paid sick leave. Part- time employees are also eligible for leave, but only for the number of hours they are normally scheduled to work.
To qualify for leave related to COVID-19, an employee must be unable to work or telework due to being quarantined or isolated, advised by health care provider to self- quarantine, experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, caring for an individual who is self-quarantined, caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed due to COVID-19-related reasons or experiencing any other conditions specified by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Mongold said those who are furloughed would not be eligible.
Mongold also said the county would be following the act to its entirety starting Sunday.
Other items on Wednesday’s agenda were the approval of three street additions as requested by the Virginia Department of Transportation and accepting bids for the purchase of medical oxygen for the Rockingham County Fire and Rescue Department and two trucks for the utilities department.
Both bids were accepted unanimously.
Supervisor Sallie Wolfe-Garrison later informed the board that the Harrisonburg- Rockingham Chamber of Commerce has received requests for funding totaling $400,000 through its Harrisonburg- Rockingham COVID-19 Business Support Task Force. The task force, which launched the Small Business Grant Program on March 27, had funding from F&M Bank of $50,000, among other donations.
