Modesto brings workers back full time after limiting hours because of pandemic
The city workers who trim trees, clear clogged sewer lines, fill potholes and do similar work are back on the job full time after Modesto had them work part time but at full pay as one of its efforts to keep employees safe during the pandemic.
Modesto put these workers on half-on, half-off schedules after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued his stay-at-home order March 19. The city brought them back to their normal schedules Tuesday while adding additional safety measures.
These employees work in public works and utilities, though some work in parks and recreation.
“We did this in order to minimize exposure and to do our part to help keep contact as low as possible,” Modesto Human Resources Director Christina Alger said in an interview. “But it is not a sustainable measure.”
Alger said that is because of the cost to the city and that the city would fall behind in providing essential services. The city had split these workers into groups that worked one week while taking the next week off. That meant workers responded only to the most pressing matters, such as filling a major pothole that was an imminent hazard to drivers.
Public Works Director Bill Sandhu and Utilities Director Will Wong said Modesto has provided these workers with masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and other personal protective equipment.
They said the city has taken other steps since bringing workers back full time, including providing them with vehicles so there is no more than one city employee in a car. So a two-man crew that cleans sewer lines now responds to a job site with one driving the sewer vacuum truck while the other follows in a car. The additional vehicles come from the city’s fleet as well as a small number of vehicles the city has rented.
Measures affect about 380 workers
The city’s other measures include sending employees their work schedules electronically instead of having them report into an office for their assignments and staggering their schedules to minimize contact.
Wong and Sandhu estimated they have about 380 employees between their two departments who perform these jobs. Wong acknowledged there are some tasks where maintaining social distancing is a challenge but said employees have masks and other equipment to protect them.
Wong said despite the new coronavirus pandemic, his department expects demand for water and sewer services will ramp up as it does every spring and summer. He said many essential businesses, such as the city’s food producers, continue to operate.
Modesto has about 1,200 full-time employees and many of them are working at home. For instance, Alger said before the pandemic about 19 employees worked in human resources. But she said now the office consists of herself and a couple of other workers, with the rest at home.
Modesto has extended its closure of City Hall and other city facilities to the public through May 3.
Alger said Police and Fire department employees have continued to work full schedules during the pandemic but with personal protective equipment and other safety measures.
Modesto advances sick leave
Alger said Modesto understands some employees cannot work during the pandemic. For instance, they need to look after children home from school.
She said the city has advanced full-time employees one year of sick time — 96 hours — they can use as well as any accrued vacation and other leave time they have.
Modesto also is following recent federal legislation that lets employees receive additional paid leave from their employers if the leave is related to the pandemic. That covers such absences as caring for a family member with symptoms or taking care of children whose schools are closed.
Alger said employees also can stay home if they don’t feel comfortable coming to work and can use their sick and other leave, though they would not qualify for paid leave through the federal legislation. But she said the city may require them to work if their services are needed.
Alger said she is not aware of any city employees with confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by new coronavirus.
She said as of Tuesday, seven employees had applied for the paid leave through the federal legislation. She said she was aware of a couple of employees who have stayed home because they are not comfortable coming to work. And Alger said the city has been able to find ways for employees who are high risk because of their age or health to work from home.
This story was originally published April 8, 2020 at 1:12 PM.
