CFI Local 39000 Letter Sent to All Courts re: COVID-19 Preparedness Response

 

RE:       COVID-19 Pandemic Protocols for CFI Local 39000 Members


Our Local is concerned with the health and safety of our membership. Our goal is to provide our membership — your employees — the most comprehensive safety and prevention measures. This must be done in an environment that encourages open and free communication without fear of reprisal or negative impacts on pay or continued employment.

To ensure that CFI Local 39000 is aware of the Court’s protocols in place to protect and prevent spread of the Coronavirus, the Local needs answers concerning the questions listed below. 

  1. What are the Court’s protocols in place?
  2. Are safety teams trained on the protocols?
  3. What specific safety measures are in place to prevent infection while at work?
  4. Is there a contact tracing process in place?
  5. Is there a symptom or exposure reporting protocol or process?
  6. Do you have a business/work contingency plan in case of a required closure, or partial closures of courts? Are furloughs a part of the plan?
  7. What safeguards are in place to protect interpreter employees who interface with prisoners and the public?
  8. How will wage payment to employees be handled in case of closures and people cannot fill out their online timecards from a dedicated court terminal?
  9. How will wage payment to employees be handled in case of employees with positive tests, or have confirmed exposure, or have been quarantined?
  10. How will attendance absences/occurrences be handled as a result of any of the incidents in #8 and #9 above? Will employees have an order of priority of accrued time to be used in case of illness, quarantine, or furlough? 
  11. How has the above information been communicated to employees?
  12. Do you have working wireless interpreter equipment and the accompanying sanitizing wipes available to all interpreter employees who may request to use them?

Can employees opt-out to any work assignments at locations identified as high risk without discipline?  Please provide the information by March 13, 2020. If any part of this request is denied or if any materials are unavailable, please state so in writing and provide the remaining items by the above date, which the Union will accept without prejudice to its position that it is entitled to all documents and information sought in this request. In the event that this inquiry should result in a grievance, which then goes to arbitration, the Union will oppose the introduction of any non-disclosed information. 

The Union remains available to discuss further issues or concerns that arise in the future regarding protocols or processes as events change. Thank you for your cooperation and prompt attention in advance.