As Yolo County Children’s Alliance (YCCA) continues to monitor the local, national and worldwide incidence of the coronavirus and the illness it causes, COVID‐19, staff members are asked to review the following workplace policies and guidance. Adjustments to this policy will be made as circumstances change. Questions concerning the policy may be directed to Human Resources at _____________.

YCCA’s priorities in setting these workplace policies are to:

• Maintain a safe and healthy workplace, including minimizing the transmission of contagious disease
• Sustain programs that are essential to our mission and
• Encourage an ethos of fairness, open communications and concern for the wellbeing of our staff, clients and broader community

IMPORTANT ACTIONS TO LIMIT COVID EXPOSURE

All staff are urged to take basic preventive measures to avoid exposure to or infection by the virus causing COVID‐19 including:

• Staying up to date on Covid vaccinations. YCCA will support COVID-19 vaccination for each employee by providing reasonable time and paid leave to each employee for vaccination and any side effects experienced following said vaccination
• Complete a temperature and daily symptoms check before coming to your worksite
• Maintain six feet of distance from others whenever possible
• Wear a mask at all times unless:
  • Alone in an office or workspace
  • While eating and drinking at the workplace, provided each employee is at least 6 feet away from any other person, or separated from other people by a physical barrier
  • When employees cannot wear facemasks due to a medical necessity, medical condition, or disability as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act or due to religious belief. Exceptions will be provided for a narrow subset of persons with a disability who cannot wear a facemask. The remaining portion of the subset who cannot wear a facemask may be exempted on a case-by-case basis as required by the Americans with Disability Act and other applicable laws. When an exception applies, YCCA will ensure that any such employee wears a face shield, if their condition or disability permits it

• Use discretion when socializing in large groups. Caps for attendance in such cases is based on mandates at the County, State or Federal level
• Washing your hands with regular frequency or using hand sanitizers throughout the day
• Personal protective equipment such as gloves, goggles, face shields, etc. should not be shared
• Items that employees come in regular physical contact with, such as phones, headsets, desks, keyboards, writing materials, instruments and tools must also not be shared, to the extent feasible or, at a minimum, disinfected between uses
• If you feel sick at all, stay at home and monitor your symptoms

For additional information on limiting exposure as well as reducing stress during these difficult times, please visit the links below:

• Helpful tips to deal with stress related to Covid-19
• How to prevent getting Covid-19

WORKPLACE POLICIES

YCCA continues to place the highest priority on the health, safety and wellbeing of staff, while protecting the continuity of programs and essential functions. Toward that end, YCCA’s workplace policies are being enhanced as follows. These policies will be revisited regularly as needed.

Changes to Sick Leave

These new policies affect employees who are unable to work or telework due to any of the reasons which qualify the employee for COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave.

• Employees may use Sick time days for self‐isolation or quarantine, even if they are not sick, when it is required or recommended by public health authorities/guidelines or by health care providers
• Employees may use Sick time to care for immediate family and household members who are not ill but need care due to any COVID‐19 related closures of schools or day care centers, or for other breakdowns in care arrangements. Employees may not bring affected children or elders to work with them, even if the children or elders are well
• Employees may use Covid-19 supplemental paid sick leave for COVID‐19 illness, to meet self‐isolation or quarantine requirements, or for the active care of family members with Covid-19 or to care for a child whose school or place of care is closed or otherwise unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19 on the premises per Governor Newsom’s recent passage of Assembly Bill No. 84 (detailed overview of bill can be found here). Important facts related to this bill include:
  • Employees are entitled to a maximum of 80 hours of COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave for the period between January 1, 2022, and September 30, 2022 broken down as follows:
    • 40 hours can be used if the employee tested positive for Covid-19, are getting tested for Covid-19 or were told by a healthcare provider to quarantine due to Covid-19
    • 40 hours can be used to care for family-members who tested positive for Covid-19, are getting tested for Covid-19 or were told by a healthcare provider to quarantine due to Covid-19
      • YCCA require that employees provide documentation of the family member’s test results before paying additional leave under this policy
  • YCCA may not require an employee to use any other paid or unpaid leave, paid time off, or vacation time before the employee uses COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave or in lieu of COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave
  • The requirement to provide COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave applies retroactively to January 1, 2022. YCCA requires employees who request retroactive payment to provide documentation of a positive COVID-19 diagnostic test during the relevant period
• For each vaccination or booster, YCCA limits the total leave an employee can take to 3 workdays or 24 hours unless the employee provides verification from a health care provider that the employee or their family member is continuing to experience symptoms related to the vaccine or booster. The 3-workday or 24-hour limitation includes the time used to get the vaccine or booster

Well Employees

Staff who are well are expected at work as usual, even if they have been in contact with or caring for someone who is ill with an ordinary respiratory illness (in which case, typical preventive measures are recommended for them as care givers). Well employees are expected at work unless they have been:

• Caring for someone with a confirmed case of COVID‐ 19, in which case they are required to self‐isolate
• Instructed to refrain from attending work by public health officials
• instructed to refrain from physical attending work by YCCA due to the closure of the offices. If this situation occurs, staff members will be asked to telecommute/work from home

Sick Employees- Non Covid Related

Staff who have symptoms of respiratory illness must stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever‐reducing or other symptom‐altering medicines (e.g., cough suppressants). A fever is defined as a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit taken by an oral thermometer. Those with concerns or questions about their illness or seeking advice about whether to come to work are invited to email their Supervisor or Manager.

Actions to Take If an Employee Tests Positive for Covid

If an employee tests positive for COVID‐19 and experienced symptoms, they are required to self‐quarantine and not come into the office until the following has occurred:

• At least 24 hours have passed since a fever of 100.4 or higher has resolved without the use of fever-reducing medications
• COVID-19 symptoms have improved
• At least 10 days have passed since COVID-19 symptoms first appeared

Actions to Take If an Employee Tests Positive for Covid Without Experiencing Symptoms

If an employee tests positive for COVID‐19 but never developed COVID-19 symptoms, they can not return to work until a minimum of 10 days have passed since the date of specimen collection of their first positive COVID-19 test.

If an order to isolate or quarantine an employee is issued by a local or state health official, the employee will not return to work until the period of isolation or quarantine is completed or the order is lifted. If no period was specified, then the period will be 10 days from the time the order to isolate was effective, or 14 days from the time the order to quarantine was effective.

For more information on Covid-related symptoms please click on the links below:

• Frequently asked questions about Covid-19
• CDC list of symptoms associated with COVID-19
• What to do if you are sick with Covid-19
• Click here for Covid-19 testing options

Return to Work

A full listing of CDC guidelines for returning to work after a Covid related illness, above and beyond items listed above, can be found here. In general, written medical clearance will not be required for return to work. This is being done to avoid overtaxing health care resources.

Workers at Higher Risk

Employees who are at increased risk for complications from COVID‐19 due to underlying health conditions are urged to consult their physician about steps they can take to protect their health. These may include requesting a temporary change in hours, assignment or duties, or implementation of additional protective measures to reduce their exposure to others or chances of being infected.

If an employee at risk for complications from COVID‐19 and their physician agree that increased social distancing in the workplace is prudent, the employee should contact Human Resources to formally request a temporary change. HR will confidentially evaluate the request, explore alternatives, and attempt to appropriately address the employee’s health concerns while maintaining YCCA’s operations. A doctor’s note may be required.

Except for employees who formally request a change in job circumstances due to underlying health conditions, employees will generally not be reassigned to new duties or roles or be provided with paid sick/release time solely to address concerns about the potential for COVID19 infection.

Reporting Possible Exposure or Positive Covid Test

If an employee suspects they have COVID-19 or if they have been in close contact to someone with Covid, they are not to report to a worksite and must contact their manager immediately.

An investigation will be conducted to determine if any other employees may have been exposed. All employees who have been within 6 feet of that employee for 15 minutes or more within a 24-hour period will be notified and follow all appropriate guidelines from the CDC, CalOSHA and any other required guidelines. For privacy reasons, notifications will not include the name, contact information, or occupation of the COVID-19 positive person. 

Please Note: Close contact means being within 6 feet of the person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during the person’s potential transmission period. The potential transmission period runs from 2 days before the person felt sick (or, if not showing symptoms, 2 days before testing) until the time the person is isolated.

Anti-Retaliation

Employees have a right to the protections required by OSHA’s COVID-19 ETS, and as such YCCA will not discharge or in any manner discriminate against any employee for exercising their right to those protections.

Preparing for Increased Telework/Remote Work if Needed

If public health conditions change or worsen, and/or YCCA institutes stronger social distancing measures, some employees may be asked, given the option, or required to telecommute.

POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL POLICY CHANGES

If public health conditions worsen or change at any point in time, YCCA’s workplace policies may be further amended. This would be done to address the effects of more widespread illness or absences, more frequent needs for self‐isolation or quarantine, disruption of care arrangements or YCCA’s priorities for pay continuity. Staff will be notified in writing via email as necessary of such changes.