12/21/2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HALL COUNTY, NEBRASKA RESOLUTION #21- D'/I/ A RESOLUTION FOR PREMIUM PAY TO LOW AND MODERATE INCOME EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED THROUGH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN 2020 AND TO REWARD EMPLOYEE RETENTION WHEREAS the American Rescue Plan Act("ARPA") provides for premium pay for eligible workers for performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency; and WHEREAS the funds for such premium budgeted to come from funds granted to Hall County by ARPA and not through locally collected tax dollars; and WHEREAS, under ARPA, "Eligible Workers" includes those workers needed to maintain continuity of operations of essential critical infrastructure sectors, such as work performed by employees of local county government; and WHEREAS, "essential work" (as defined by the US Treasury Interim Final Rule) is work that is 1) not performed while teleworking from a residence AND 2) involves either a) regular in-person interactions with the pubic or coworkers of the individual that is performing the work, or b) regular physical handling of items that were handled by, or are to be handled by the public or coworkers of the individual that is performing the work; and WHEREAS, County employees routinely performed and continue to perform such hands-on, in-person essential work; and WHEREAS, County employees have put(and continue to do so)their physical wellbeing at risk to meet the daily needs of their community placing their own health at risk; and WHEREAS, under the federal guidelines for use of ARPA funds, local governments are encouraged to recognize the efforts of essential workers since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and specifically authorizes monetary recognition of such efforts beginning January 27, 2020; and WHEREAS, premium pay is intended to assist eligible workers who are more likely to experience the negative impacts of the pandemic due to their ongoing, high volume of exposure to others and items handled by others; and WHEREAS, premium pay is intended to assist low to moderate income earning essential workers by focusing on those workers whose total pay is at or below 150 percent of Nebraska's average annual wage for all occupations or Hall County's annual wage (as defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics), whichever is higher, that being$75,379.20 for calendar year 2020; and WHEREAS,the unemployment rate of Nebraska is at historic lows and there is a need to encourage employees who provide essential work to continue employment by Hall County; and WHEREAS, Hall County recognizes the value of long-term employees and wants to encourage continued employment with Hall County;