County workers to keep COVID leave through February
During a regular meeting Monday afternoon, Howard County commissioners voted to extend the county's policy of paid leave for employees with COVID-19 through at least Feb. 28, with some provisos.
At the motion of Commissioner Craig Bailey (Precinct 2), the commissioners voted unanimously to allow leave for COVID-19 without the absence counting against an employee's accrued sick leave, if the employee has a verified doctor's diagnosis of COVID-19. The commissioners also approved the county paying for the tests.
“I'm not a huge fan of the fact that I can claim that I have been exposed to COVID. But I am a fan of maintaining some pay. As I've said, in the past I've bragged on our people repeatedly. When COVID was at its peak during its first year, our people didn't waver. They showed up to go to work every day, when it was the deadliest its been through this transition. There's some of these people who didn't get COVID who may be getting it now that were showing up at work every day and met the requests of the people of Howard County. I think we should honor that by continuing this, but I don't think we should pay based on hearsay.”
Bailey said he understands at-home COVID tests are not as accurate as those administered by a doctor.
“My recommendation would be that we extend this for three months,” he said. “If you have COVID, then you're required to get a doctor's test and not a home test. That would be my requirement.”
Commissioners ultimately agreed to extend the COVID leave for a shorter time that Bailey suggested, promising to re-evaluate the situation at a meeting in February.
The meeting started with public comment offered by Melanie Gambrell, local animal advocate.
Gambrell addressed the commissioners regarding changes coming up to dog tethering in Texas.
“There will be no more chaining,”