Name: State employees union asks Ricketts to send more home to work
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State employees union asks Ricketts to send more home to work

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Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Please subscribe to keep reading. You can cancel at any time.Loading&amp;hellp;{{title}}{{description}}{{banner}}(renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax){{tagline}}{{special_title}}{{html}}You have permission to edit this article.© 2022 Lee EnterprisesShare ThisState employees union asks Ricketts to send more home to workShare thisThe state employees labor union is asking Gov. Pete Ricketts to allow more people to work at home and to give hazard pay to those who can't.&nbsp;"We believe any employee who needs to report in person to work should receive an immediate $2/hour shift differential as hazard pay until this emergency passes,"&nbsp;union executive director Justin Hubly said in a letter to Ricketts.Nebraska Association of Public Employees, which represents more than 8,000 workers, sent a letter to Ricketts on Thursday saying that while its members were proud to ensure Nebraskans have essential services during the coronavirus pandemic, they must be protected to continue those services.Hubly said all state employees who can should be sent home to work immediately. And all local offices should be closed for face-to-face interaction with the public.A disturbing number of state employees are still required to report to offices and work locations even though they are capable of working from home, according to the letter from Hubly."This is in direct contrast with your 'stay home, stay healthy' message," he said.Ricketts said at a news briefing Wednesday that state workers who can work at home are being encouraged to do so, and in state office buildings they are distancing the employees."We're also doing additional sanitation and janitorial services to be able to help keep things clean," he said.The key is having no more than 10 people in a group, he said. In a big building, workers can be safely spaced and "they're going to be just fine."State workers process unemployment benefits and economic assistance applications, and serve Nebraskans in 24-hour facilities such as veterans homes, state regional centers and youth rehabilitation and treatment centers. And they work on state roads.Hubly said many local offices such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of Labor are still open to the public."While the services provided at these offices are important, there is no reason that these services can't be provided over the phone, or delayed until the crisis passes," Hubly said. "Encouraging the public to travel in person to a local office for service puts us all at unnecessary risk and will extend this crisis to more Nebraska families and communities."Hubly said the $2 per hour differential is a small ask for the front-line workers putting their lives on the line to deliver critical services to the state.On Thursday, when asked what he thought of the request for differential pay, Ricketts reemphasized the state has to continue to provide essential services."We also all know every organization in the state is going through challenging times. Everybody is trying to figure out how they work with fewer people, how they work with people at home. But also how they continue to serve the public," he said.&nbsp;"If you're talking about differential pay, everybody's working hard. ... We're all in this together."&nbsp;Reach the writer at 402-473-7228 or&nbsp;.&nbsp;On Twitter&nbsp;Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter."They have a lot of things in place that are totally compatible with what everyone else is doing," Dr. Anthony Fauci said of rules in place in Nebraska.{{title}}{{summary}}You don't have any notifications.Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.Topics

Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Please subscribe to keep reading. You can cancel at any time.Loading&amp;hellp;{{title}}{{description}}{{banner}}(renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax){{tagline}}{{special_title}}{{html}}You have permission to edit this article.© 2022 Lee EnterprisesShare ThisState employees union asks Ricketts to send more home to workShare thisThe state employees labor union is asking Gov. Pete Ricketts to allow more people to work at home and to give hazard pay to...

State employees union asks Ricketts to send more home to work

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