Special to The Dallas Examiner
Mayor creates two ad hoc committees to address COVID-19 recovery efforts
Mayor Eric Johnson announced March 19 the creation of the Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Economic Recovery and Assistance and the Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Human and Social Recovery and Assistance.
Both of the new committees will recommend strategies to help the city mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and to recover from effects of the disease’s spread.
“As policymakers, we must rise to meet the unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19’s spread,” Johnson said. “These committees will enable the Dallas City Council to consider concrete steps that will help mitigate any negative effects of our painful but necessary emergency measures on our economy and our society. Additionally, our city council members will work through these committees to start preparing now for Dallas’ recovery.”
Each committee will have seven members and two co-chairs.
City council members Paula Blackmon and Casey Thomas will co-chair the Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Economic Recovery and Assistance. The committee’s members are city council members Tennell Atkins, Adam Bazaldua, Lee Kleinman, Chad West and Mayor Pro Tem Adam Medrano.
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Adam McGough and city Council member Cara Mendelsohn will co-chair the Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Human and Social Recovery and Assistance. The committee’s members are city council members Carolyn King Arnold, David Blewett, Jennifer Staubach Gates, Omar Narvaez and Jaime Resendez.
Dallas City Council meetings to be held via teleconference
Several upcoming Dallas City Council Committee meetings will be held via teleconference.
The public may register in advance to listen to the meetings at https://tthm.wufoo.com/forms/city-of-dallas-teletownhall-registration-form/. By registering in advance you will receive a telephone call that will connect you to the teleconference when it begins. Most of the sessions will also be available in Spanish using a simulcast.
Those who did not register in advance may still listen by dialing 1-888-410-3427.
The Dallas City Council Agenda Meeting scheduled at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays will not have advance registration. Public speakers must come in person to Dallas City Hall.
Note that the city secretary’s office hosts a webpage that shows posted meetings and their agendas. The page updates daily and indicates if the meeting will be held via teleconference. More information about those meetings can be found at https://dallascityhall.com/government/citysecretary/Pages/Public-Meetings.aspx.
All meetings will be streamed on Spectrum Cable Channel 95 and bit.ly/cityofdallastv.
Dallas begins paid sick leave enforcement
Starting April 1, Dallas will enforce the ordinance for employers with six or more employees. No part of the ordinance goes into effect for employers with five or fewer employees until Aug. 1, 2021. The city of Dallas’ Earned Paid Sick Time Ordinance was adopted by the Dallas City Council April 24, 2019, and went into effect on Aug. 1, 2019.
Employers in Dallas city limits must provide paid sick time for employees who work at least 80 hours of compensable work within the last 12 months. Earned paid sick time is paid time off work for:
- An employee’s physical or mental illness, physical injury, preventative medical or health care, or health condition.
- An employee’s need to care for a family member’s physical or mental illness, physical injury, preventative medical or health care, or health condition.
- An employee’s or family member’s need to seek medical attention, seek relocation, obtain services of victim services organization, participate in legal or court-ordered action related to an incident of victimization from domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.
- Employees earn 1 hour of earned paid sick time for every 30 hours worked in the City of Dallas, up to 48 hours for employers with 15 or fewer employees and 64 hours for employers with 16 or more employees.
An employer may not transfer, demote, discharge, suspend, reduce hours, or directly threaten such actions against an employee because that employee requests or uses earned paid sick time.
The city as has created employer posters, information sessions, rules and regulations, FAQs, and an employer checklist. Those tools can be found at http://www.dallascityhall.com/paid-sick-leave. For additional information or to file a complaint, email paidsickleave@dallascityhall.com or call 214-412-670-FAIR (3247).