By John Estridge
COVID-19 has hit Liberty Town Council members, officials and town employees during the pandemic.
Council has moved its twice monthly meeting place from the commissioners meeting room in the courthouse to the Liberty Volunteer Fire Department firehouse in order to give more room for better social distancing.
LVFD member and LTC president Matt Barnhizer said if the meeting becomes crowded for some reason, another truck will be moved outside to allow the crowd room to sit and still remain the required six foot apart from each other.
Part of the Monday night, December 7, meeting included discussion and action on creating an 80-hour pool for town employees to use during COVID-19 situations.
Clerk/Treasurer Melissa Shepler gave examples how it could be used. She called the town’s Indianapolis attorney used for human resource matters, and he gave her some suggestions.
She said if an employee calls her and say they have been exposed, they must stay off work until they are tested and receive the results of that test, which in many instances could be three to five days after the test. The town will reimburse the employee for the cost of testing.
Her question was how to pay the employee. Up to this time, the employees have been using sick days, vacation time or compensatory time.
The attorney said how the employees are to be paid for time off due to COVID-19 reasons is up to council members. Many governmental entities have been using an 80-hour pool, meaning the employees can have up to 80 hours paid off due to COVID-19 reasons before they have to dip into the other sources such as the aforementioned vacation and personal days.
Council member Ross Keasling, who is a fire marshal for the state, said he had the virus in November. At the time, he was off 50 hours. During that time, he used his personal time after he was exposed and while he was off due to the ensuing sickness that was involved with it. The state has reimbursed him for that by giving back his personal and vacation days.
Barnhizer said he also had the virus. He was given a rapid test. While his symptoms were more like a sinus infection, he had to be quarantined for 14 days. Keasling said even if a rapid test showed negative, the employee could easily burn up a half day just getting tested. Also, most people do not have access to the rapid test.
Council member Derek Tipton said anyone could be exposed almost every day once they leave their home.
Once an employee has expended the 80 hours, then the employee must fall back on his or her personal time for getting paid while off or take the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
According to Shepler, she will be able to track the situation through her payroll software and allot time needed for COVID-19-related reasons to the 80-hour pool.
In the end, it was decided to go to the 80-hour pool. Shepler will get the wording into resolution form by the next meeting, Monday, December 21. Shepler said it would be almost impossible to go back and award the 80-hour pool to those who have already missed work for COVID-19 reasons. Thus, the pool will not be retroactive.
