Paid employee leave approved for fire-related absences

One of the items added to the October 24 San Diego County Board of Supervisors agenda following the fires was the adoption of an ordinance providing compensation to employees who were asked not to report to work during the fires and providing a leave of absence for employees whose homes were destroyed or damaged by the fires.

A 5-0 vote added the off-docket item to the October 24 agenda, and a second unanimous vote approved the employee ordinance.

It was adopted as an urgency ordinance, allowing it to take effect immediately rather than 30 days after a second reading. The clause allows employees who were absent to be paid for the pay period beginning October 22.

After the fires began to spread October 22, all nonessential county employees were requested not to report to work as scheduled. That absence relieved the county’s roads and highways and allowed emergency vehicles and evacuating residents to use those roads and highways if necessary.

Additionally, the air quality during the early part of the week was deemed “very hazardous” and posed a risk to employees.

The paid leave provision allows affected county employees up to 80 hours of paid absence, which must be taken by April 24, 2008. Eligible employees do not need to exhaust other paid leave, and the paid leave hours are not eligible for cash payouts or terminal payoff.

The paid leave is for addressing restoration needs, which often must take place during business hours, and an employee must request the leave in writing with a brief description of why the time off is necessary.

The paid absence provision for employees asked to remain home does not apply to any employee who had been on authorized paid leave (including vacation, sick leave, or compensatory time off) which had been authorized prior to the fires, nor will it apply to employees who were on authorized unpaid leave for the period.