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RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING EARNED SICK AND SAFE TIME TASK FORCE.
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BY PRESIDENT FILIPOVICH AND COUNCILOR HANSEN:
WHEREAS, since the recession in 2008 there has been a growing concern over the plight of working families and the number of families facing financial and occupational instability;
WHEREAS, currently there is a national conversation about the best practices in employer-employee relations and how the relationship can and should evolve in the future;
WHEREAS, employees’ access to sick leave and family leave benefits is an important part of that conversation;
WHEREAS, city leaders and citizens alike should be informed about this important topic and have the opportunity to provide information and feedback;
WHEREAS, paid sick time gives adult children and family members the time to care for elderly, disabled, and medically fragile relatives. This care reduces health expenditures by preventing and reducing the need for paid care at home or in nursing facilities, that might otherwise be financed by Medicaid or Medicare;
WHEREAS, paid sick time allows people to take time away from work for medical appointments, rather than waiting until after work hours, when they are more likely to use hospital emergency services. Analysis of data from the National Health Interview Survey shows that workers with paid sick time are less likely than other workers to use hospital emergency departments, even after accounting for variables such as age, income, education, and health insurance access;
WHEREAS, those who don't have the benefit of earned sick and safe time are concentrated in low-paid occupations and are disproportionately workers of color and indigenous workers;
WHEREAS, according to recent research, among all workers in Duluth, 54 percent have access to paid sick time, and 46 percent, or about 19,500 workers, lack access and across the broad spectrum of occupations in Duluth, access to paid sick time varies from a high of 76 percent for management, business, financial, computer, engineering, and science occupations, to only 30 percent for those employed in service occupations; and
WHEREAS, in order to thoroughly understand the impact on local families, businesses, and the community at large, it is important to fully study and consider the impact of any local legislation concerning earned sick and safe time.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the city council shall establish an earned sick and safe time (ESST) task force for the purpose of gathering information, collecting public input, proposing the best options for implementing ESST policies and bringing forward policy recommendations.
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the ESST task force shall do its work in the following three phases:
1. Phase One: Research and compile information and present findings to the city council.
Phase One will include:
a. Gathering information as to how local employers currently handle sick and safe leave issues.
b. Researching how other communities have addressed sick and safe leave policies;
c. Studying enforcement strategies, evaluating the positive and negative impacts of different enforcement strategies;
d. Evaluating the cost of different strategies to local businesses, the city, and to working families.
2. Phase Two: Hold public hearings and present potential options.
Phase Two will include:
a. Public Hearings. At least thirty days after the ESST task force findings have been made public and presented to the city council, the ESST task force will conduct public hearings on those findings from Phase One;
b. Options Proposal. ESST task force will create and present options to the city council based on public hearing data and findings;
3. Phase Three: Hold public hearings and present potential policy recommendations.
Phase Three will include:
a. Public Hearings. At least thirty days after the ESST task force options have been made public and presented to the city council, the ESST task force will conduct public hearings on those options presented in Phase Two;
b. Recommendations. Draft and present policy recommendations to the city council based on public hearing data and findings.
RESOLVED FURTHER, that all meetings of the ESST task force will be open to the public.
RESOLVED FURTHER, that a representative of the ESST task force will come before the city council and present a written summary of the progress made by the ESST task force to date no later than 2 months after the task force’s first meeting.
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the ESST taskforce shall complete Phase One and Phase Two concurrently and report its findings to the city council no later than 6 months after the task force’s first meeting.
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the city council will review the Phase Three findings and policy recommendations of the ESST Task Force no later than 12 months after the task force’s first meeting.
RESOLVED FURTHER, the council president, if asked for, by the ESST task force may grant extensions of time to perform tasks. Findings and reports shall be delivered to the council by way of the city clerk. The members of the ESST task force will serve without compensation. Reasonable expenses, approved by the council president and finance director, within the existing budget, shall be paid.
RESOLVED FURTHER, the ESST task force shall consist of eleven diverse members with representation of women and people of color including:
1. Citizen-at-large (2 members);
2. Labor organization;
3. Hospitality industry;
4 Public health professional;
5. Economic development organization;
6. Human resources professional;
7. Organization assisting working families;
8. Domestic violence or sexual assault advocacy professional; and
9. Business community (2 members)
The council president shall appoint all eleven members and name two co-chairs of the ESST task force in a timely fashion with approval of the city council. One of the co-chairs will be appointed to communicate with city staff.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution establishes a balanced earned sick and safe time task force to provide the city council with information and potential options as to earned sick and safe time policies in the city of Duluth.
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