Policy
The City of Minneapolis relies on dedicated, healthy, and safe employees to provide essential, critical, and important services for the community. The City of Minneapolis is committed to providing a healthy and safe workplace so that its elected officials, appointed officers, and employees can provide essential, critical, and important services and programs for the benefit of the community. The City shall comply with the requirements of any applicable federal and state laws and regulations and shall adhere to the guidance and expert advice of state and local public health officials in taking reasonable and appropriate measures to mitigate against the risk of
C0VID-19 transmission in the workplace.
The Chief Human Resources Officer or designee, in conjunction with the Commissioner of Health or designee and the Office of the City Attorney, is responsible for the development, establishment and maintenance of procedures to implement and support this policy, and to ensure the policy is in compliance with applicable laws, City ordinances, policies, and rules.
Purpose Statement
Since March 2020, the City of Minneapolis has maintained a declared local public health emergency in response to CoV-SARS-2, the novel virus that causes COVID-19. The City's response to that public health emergency has evolved in response to updated guidance from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Minnesota Department of Health, and the Minneapolis Health Department. Since the initial emergency declaration, the City's key public health risk indicators have steadily improved, particularly as a result of significant progress on the development, availability, and administration of vaccines and other COVID-19 treatments.
Nevertheless, despite such progress, new variants continue to be identified and it is not possible to predict the impact of these new and increasingly aggressive variants in terms of the City's key public health risk indicators. Accordingly, this COVID-19 Safe Workplace Policy is hereby adopted to provide the City of Minneapolis with a general approach that is intended to prioritize and protect the health of the City's workforce.
Roles and Responsibilities
| Role |
Responsibility |
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Mayor
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- Implement and enforce this policy.
- Take necessary action to ensure due diligence in providing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment.
- Advise the City Council on the effectiveness of the policy and recommend any changes to improve the City’s ability to achieve the expressed policy statement and goals.
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Health Department
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- Monitor data and guidance from state and federal public health agencies and other public health experts regarding the level and impacts of COVID-19 infection on the local community.
- Evaluate guidance from state and federal public health agencies and other public health experts regarding methods for preventing infection and minimizing transmission in the workplace of COVID-19.
- Provide recommendations to the mayor and the Human Resources Department regarding procedures to be implemented in furtherance of this policy
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Human Resource Department
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- Establish procedures, rules, and regulations to implement this policy consistent with applicable federal and state laws.
- Administer employee COVID-19 leave programs and benefits.
- Make determinations about the allowable use of such leave benefits within delegated authority.
- Communicate program updates or changes to the workforce.
- Provide reports on any changes impacting this policy to the Mayor and City Council.
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City Attorney’s Office
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- Provide legal analysis, advice, and guidance on the further development of this policy, its implementation and enforcement, as well as associated procedures, rules, regulations, etc.
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Finance & Property Services Department
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- Track and report on the use of COVID leaves as applicable and in accordance with this policy.
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Department Heads
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- Ensure this policy is implemented within their respective department.
- Communicate standards and expectations to employees and ensure employees are aware of and understand relevant policies, plans, procedures, etc.
- Model appropriate workplace health and safety conduct and compliance with applicable policies.
- Where appropriate, take corrective action to minimize or eliminate hazards/risks and address conduct within the scope of this policy and all associated procedures, plans, etc.
- Monitor the work environment to ensure acceptable standards of conduct are observed at all times.
- Produce reports about department activities when required.
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Employees
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- Comply with this policy and take reasonable actions to ensure a healthy workplace.
- Comply with any reasonable instructions to ensure the continuity of business within the respective departments.
- Report any incidents which may need to be addressed by appropriate management levels within the department, or to the Human Resources Department, which may conflict with this policy or any associated procedures, plans, regulations, etc.
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