Guilford County Commissioner Skip Alston is asking his fellow commissioners to support a move to give something extra to the county’s emergency responders who are putting in so much time and effort during the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners called and held an emergency meeting and voted to exempt county emergency workers from some paid leave provisions provided in a federal bill related to virus relief. If not made exempt, county emergency workers could have received up to 12 weeks paid leave in some situations where a family member had the virus or a child needed to be looked after. However, county commissioners were worried that the move by the federal government could have left the county with a shortage of emergency workers.
Alston, who voted for that successful motion to exempt last week, proposed this week that the Guilford County Board of Commissioners grant all of the emergency responders affected by the resolution a 5 percent pay increase effective retroactively, from April 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020.
Alston noted that, at that emergency meeting, the board approved a motion to “authorize the exclusion of emergency responders as defined by the US Department of Labor from the emergency paid sick leave act, for the importance of maintaining critical staffing levels and emergency services to our citizens during this pandemic.”
“I personally voted for this resolution because I do think it is important for us to provide this level of protection for our citizens at this crucial time in our county,” Alston stated in his letter to the other eight commissioners and to top county staff. “However, after considering the effect that this resolution will have on our emergency responders and their families who are or possibly will be affected by this pandemic and who would also have to spend extra money to take care of their children who cannot go to school, through no fault of their own, I think that we need to do something special for our emergency responders to show our appreciation and support for them making this sacrifice on behalf of the citizens of this county.”
Alston asked for staff to prepare a cost estimate for the move and stated that he’s prepared to make a motion to adopt this increase at the Board of Commissioners’ next meeting on Thursday, April 16.
It’s not clear yet whether other commissioners will approve the move or not.
The pay increase was already planned to get emergency workers up to industry standard…as a former 1st responder this is a slap in the face that due to an election year the county commissioners are putting this out probably since they just shot down PAID leave for EMS if a family member was to get sick from Corona. Sir, could we shift the conversation to why EMS is not getting hazard pay? Could articles be researched on the pay disparity between first responders and also instead of the above article where the commissioners are trying to save face how about a news article highlighting the fact that Guilford County is not giving EMS hazard pay? Sir I worked with Guilford EMS so like I said HUGE SLAP IN THE FACE to publish this as if this was a new decision these commissioners made. Please look into that. My fellow brothers and sisters are going through hell and they can’t even get anything extra. Please dont publish articles that makes the Commissioners look like they made some valiant effort. What would be great would be the honest truth….
Who is this weirdo that’s running to media to try and force the hands of the Republican commissioners to give someone something.If protocol was in order he should have talked with his leaders to work out a pay increase for these people.Yet he wants show his Democratic side and try to get the media to do his bidding.I wish we had a chain of command that the capt of the submarine had a short while back When he went around them he was relieved of his duties.You all know who I am talking about,Skip Alston .He can’t understand that we have a group of Republicans in charge of the County.Suck it up Skip and get with the program,the Dems are not in control of the Commissioners as yet.I truly hope we can keep the majority for several more years .At least we can get things done without the tax increases the Dems have us year after year Thank you Republicans for showing the Dems how to manage a county and not have. those big boon doggles to Las Vegas and Hawaii that Skip orchastraded while he was Chairman of the county.
Government greed knows no limits, and is utterly shameless. Most of us in the Productive Sector have seen our incomes collapse, but those whom we support through the tax burden are not only privileged enough to enjoy continued work, but now they have us over a barrel they are drmanding a 50% – FIFTY PERCENT – pay increase.
They disgust me.
Just do your job, you public sector parasites.
Where did you get 50%?