COVID-19: Town hall, MSU workers concerned with going to work
BY JAIMIE JULIA WINTERS
winters@montclairlocal.news
Some township and Montclair State University employees are concerned with employees having to report to work during the COVID-19 epidemic, A both the town and the university remain in mental process.
Although township operations have non shut down, Montclair closed all assemblage offices to the state-supported today, March 17.
In a alphabetic character sent out to the town and Montclair Localized Monday, Border district 16, Montclair Township employees said they are concerned with the lack of reply from the town in regards to COVID-19. While state workers are now working from home, Montclair's municipal building is still open.
Other municipalities, especially in Bergen County where the highest number of COVID-19 patients have been reported, have announced town residence closures surgery remain open for appointments only.
Today, March 17, the town announced " physical public access to all municipal offices including but not limited to the Municipal Building, Police Department Headquarters, Fire Department Headquarters, Fire Stations, Department of Profession Services and Department of Utilities will be delayed effective at 4:30 pm today and until further notice."
Locally, South Orange town hall is closed, while West Orange, Bloomfield and Glen Ridge town halls are still visible. Towns that have closed have increased phone and email responses from assemblage staff to carry on operations.
"Municipal employees past their offices Friday afternoon with still no communication of any kind, up to now, from township administration, Human Resources, nor the health department regarding COVID-19 and have not been provided with some directives nor plans to assure the safety and health of the municipal workforce and the world-wide open," read the letter, which was sign-language "Concerned Domestic Employees Township of Montclair."
On Tues, Montclair officials did not respond to an email request if certain employees were allowed to work from home and what cleaning had been done.
According to the varsity letter signed by employees, with the exception of hand-washing signs and cognition flyers posted in the edifice, no steering along actions employees can take to protect themselves or the public either within the building or on leave policies was given. They claim the facilities have not received any additional cleanup services. There has been no coordinated distribution of manus sanitizer nor Clorox wipes inside the construction to municipal employees, they contend.
"With now [four] positive cases in Montclair, the closures of the Montclair Public Schools, the Montclair Public Library and the Montclair YMCA, the cancellation of many community of interests events, [closure] of bars and restaurants and the closure of all parks and recreation facilities, the lack of communicating by the Township Administration directs to the full municipal workforce is very concerning," the varsity letter read.
On Tuesday, the township declared it would not give up in-individual bill payments any longer; . Totally payments must be born off into the package located remote towards the front of the building, future to the U.S. Postal Service mailbox. No cash payments would be accepted. Fees for online payments would be waived.
In the case of an emergency requiring police, residents can call 9-1-1, operating theater 973-744-1234 for non emergencies. A patrol officer will live assigned to the window on the left inside the front vestibule of the entry doors located at 647 Leonard Bloomfield Boulevard. Constabulary personnel will screen your call and determine if it is appropriate to take the news report over the call or if law wish answer to take the write up personally.
MSU staffers seek consistent communicating
Although Montclair State University has extended spring break and will go to virtual learning when fall apart ends this Monday, March 23, the campus remains harsh, including dorms, some labs, the library and the cafeteria. A campus employee was the first Montclairite diagnosed with COVID-19.
But employees are advocating to forg remotely, said 1 administrator at the university who wanted to remain anonymous.
"Campus employees have advocated to work remotely in order to continue to support our students in a virtual capacity. Scarcely suchlike classrooms can go on in a appendage format, strange services such A academician advising, pupil support, counseling and psychological services, and customer overhaul appointments keister all continue to happen almost in order to help the State's mission of social distancing spell continued to support our students," she said. "While Gov. Murphy and the township of Montclair seem to embody taking steps to stop the spread, Montclair State's insistence of forcing staff and employees to continue working seems counterproductive to the greater missionary work of containing the computer virus and protecting the community," the employee said.
Apparently Murphy said in an address that Universities would be closing, only in his executive grade concerning university closures not all operations would induce to cease on campus.
Brian Abrams, VP for Internal Affairs for AFT Local 1904, which advocates for university employees said stave is receiving mixed messages. Professional staff, librarians and cafe workers are stillness reporting to work.
" Our professional staff and other employees want to do the right affair in the pastime of their have, their family's, and their community's health and safety, but we rich person found the University to be inconsistent in its electronic messaging about routine, across different areas and levels of administration ," he said.
Montclair State University President Susan A. Cole aforesaid in a letter Tuesday that Gov. Phil Murphy's executive order does non require Montclair State and other public universities to close.
"The actions taken aside the University to this point are consistent with the governor's order. The enforcement order requires institutions to shift instruction online, with identical limited and a few exceptions. The mansion halls are not closure. All students are welcome to stay or to check out," Cole said.
According to the Sexual unio as of Butt o 16, employees who had the capabilities could puzzle out from home. Additionally, any employee whose child's school was closed and is unable to work from rest home are permitted to go for sick time toward their absence.
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https://www.montclairlocal.news/2020/03/17/town-hall-msu-workers-concerned/
Source: https://www.montclairlocal.news/2020/03/17/town-hall-msu-workers-concerned/