AgdaPkt 2021.04.12 Joint SA PFA - Complete Agenda Packet

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From: - To: GRP -City Council Subject: City Council Public Comment: 8.A. - the urgency ordinance to require COVID-19 Hazard Pay Date: Monday, April 12, 20213:22:08 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside your organization. Exercise caution when opening attachments or clicking links, especially from unknown senders. Good afternoon, I am writing about agenda item 8.A. the urgency ordinance to require COVID-19 Hazard Pay for large grocery store and large drugstore workers. I strongly support this ordinance. Our essential workers are on the front lines of COVID-19 and they deserve extra pay and more. This ordinance is a great start, but we should also support the workers who are getting left out. For example, many workers will not receive hazard pay because of the employee limit in this ordinance, even though they are putting in the same amount of work and are exposing themselves to the same amount of risk. Workers who must take risks to provide essential services during this pandemic should be compensated for that risk, no matter who they happen to work for. In addition, I'd like to see restaurant workers included in this ordinance as well. Workers in this industry are facing an affordability crisis due to a lack of tips and are exposed to maskless individuals every day due to the nature of their work. During the pandemic, our essential workers have seen their pay stagnate even as theirjob duties have skyrocketed. We now expect essential workers to fix sanitation issues and practice conflict resolution skills when customers refuse to follow COVID protocols. The emergency hazard pay doesn't even begin to cover their new increased workload. Please expand the criteria to all essential workers, regardless of business size, and include restaurant workers. In addition, the pay must be retroactive to the beginning of the pandemic to truly be meaningful. Thank you, Emil Hanscom