March 27, 2020
A message from Local 685 President Hans Liang
COVID-19 Resources

This page is a resource for Local 685 members to have access to official memos from the County regarding COVID-19's impact on County operations and County employees. Please check here routinely for the latest update from the County and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Click here and visit daily!
Covid-19 Presents an Unprecedented Challenge –
Let’s Step Up and Do the Best We Can!
 
Even under the best-case planning and emergency preparedness, no one could have imagined or anticipated the unprecedented challenge that COVID-19 presents, not only to Los Angeles County, but to the world. The Governor’s Office reports that in the next few weeks this health pandemic will surge and the demand on hospitals, ventilators, and suppliers will spike as we battle to flatten the curve on this pandemic and protect residents and love ones.

Los Angeles County employees should follow the medical health guidance – provided for in the National Declaration of Emergency, Safe at Home Order, and other health directives and emergency declaration and orders from the Department of Public Health, Health Services and the Chief Executive Office. We have created a new page on our website with resources to help you and your families.

As first line responders, the work that we do to protect our clients, especially the juveniles in the Camps and Juvenile Halls, is critical. Our efforts go a long way to protecting the community and the safety and health of Local 685 bargaining unit members. 

The members of your Executive Board and I have been working tirelessly with Chief Leyva and Executive Management to address the impacts of this pandemic. As we all know, the Coronavirus pandemic is constantly evolving and has changed the protocols for Department operations. Programs and services we provide have to be maintained according to medical guidance from the CDC, Public Health Officer, and direction from the Board of Supervisors and Chief Executive Officer. 

In our daily joint-labor management conference calls, the Department has continued to work with us to address specific concerns our Union raised regarding staffing, work schedules, and getting much-needed sanitary supplies (gloves, masks, sanitizing sprays, etc.) to the Camps and Halls. We have brought to the Department’s attention high-risk employees age 65 and older, and employees of any age with underlying medical conditions, work restrictions, and employees on FMLA to address family situations. 
The Union is making the case that is in line with the current medical guidance and has strongly taken the position that our high risk members should be given immediate consideration for telework and other assignments to reduce their foot print in the Institutions and Area Offices and thereby reduce the risk of COVID penetration among staff. Additionally, protocols have been developed for mandatory quarantine for exposure to positively- tested juveniles, staff, and employees in close proximity. 

While working in partnership with Probation executive staff and managers, we were able to address particular employees needs and situations on a case-by-case basis, especially those that have a doctor’s note and medical slip documenting their risk of exposure. 

The Union will continue to work with the Department on a daily basis through our conference calls and forwarding specific concerns to executive management for review and resolution. 

For the next 3-4 weeks, the “new normal” will requires our members to be flexible and calm – we have to anticipate that changes will occur almost daily and that it will take time for the Department to develop plans, instructions, and guidelines to communicate how changes are to be implemented. Local 685 is collaborating with Probation Management and will continue to work together during this time of crisis. 

Thank you for your dedication and the work that you have done under these emergency circumstances. And thank you for your support of the Union Executive Board as we continue working to represent Local 685 members’ interests during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Be safe, Brothers and Sisters!

Hans Liang

President
AFSCME Local 685