The Solution is Simple: More Sick Leave

Dear OCEA member,

A safe workplace is the value that drives all other needs. COVID-19 has put public servants directly in harm's way. Further, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has increased the number of positive cases exponentially. For those reasons we have requested that the County provide an additional 80 hours of COVID-19 sick leave for all OCEA-represented workers in the County. This is not an unusual request. Local public jurisdictions such as the Orange County Superior Court, the City of Anaheim, and the University of California chose to extend their internal leave programs.

You can read our request letter here.

Entering 2022 we are re-committing ourselves to the core values we have been leading with since the COVID-19 pandemic began: safety, security, and stability. Safety at work for OCEA members and their families, security at work to continue serving the public, and creating stability so we can return to normal. These three values have been the north star of our advocacy for OCEA members and their families throughout this crisis.

We will let you know when we receive a response from the County on this simple request. If you would like to get more involved with issues like workplace safety and other important worker issues, consider becoming a workplace leader by going to www.ocea.org/getinvolved.

In Solidarity,

Charles Barfield

OCEA General Manager

Publication Date: January 4, 2022