Post by ghartong on Mar 26, 2020 15:10:33 GMT -5
Wooten Employees –
The Board of Directors met this morning to discuss impacts from the COVID 19 and other associated matters. With regards to COVID 19:
1. The White House and US Senate negotiators reached a deal last night on a $2 trillion stimulus package. A vote in the Senate is planned for today, and House Democrats are expected to support the deal with a vote to follow. Details are slowly emerging -- the plan includes $500 billion for loans and assistance to companies, including $50 billion for loans to U.S. airlines, as well as state and local governments. It’s also reported to have over $350 billion to aid small businesses. For individuals, the package would provide direct payments to lower- and middle-income Americans of $1,200 for each adult, as well as $500 for each child. The bill would add $600 per person per week onto the base maximum unemployment benefit for four months. The bill includes $150 billion to ramp up health care capacity. State and local governments would receive $150 billion, with $8 billion set aside for tribal governments.
2. The NC DHHS has reported 504 cases statewide. The first death from COVID 19 has occurred in NC.
3. Winston Salem ordered a ‘stay at home’ order effective at 5 pm Friday through April 16.
4. Greenville issued a ‘stay at home’ order effective at 5 pm Thursday through April 10.
5. Durham residents have been ordered to ‘stay at home’ effective at 6 pm Thursday through April 30.
6. According to multiple media outlets, Wake County is expected to issue a similar order today to become effective on Thursday. (More details forthcoming.)
7. No statewide ‘stay at home’ mandate has been ordered for NC or SC. ACEC/NC is strongly advocating with the Governor and the State legislature to declare engineering an ‘essential service’ based on local jurisdiction ‘stay at home’ directives.
8. Under most ‘stay at home’ proclamations, only ‘essential businesses’ may remain open to support ‘essential operations’.
9. It is our current interpretation, based on Department of Homeland Security guidelines, that engineering consultants who support local governments operations/utilities and the construction industry qualify as an ‘essential business’.
a. Because we qualify as an ‘essential business’, employees may elect to continue visiting the office to perform work.
b. Employees continue to have the option to work from home.
c. If traveling to the office, employees should see their supervisor for a letter on TWC letterhead stating your function at TWC and the necessity for office visit. This letter should be carried with you in the event you are questioned by local law enforcement.
10. Regarding timesheets when working at the office or from home:
a. Our #1 goal is to remain productive while working from home. Especially in the consulting industry, we must continue to deliver our projects on a timely basis so we can invoice our clients. Subsequent timely payments from our clients allow us to sustain operations, and potentially grow, in this challenging work environment.
b. General time must be minimized to the greatest extent practical. Any GENOVHD must be clearly documented with number of appropriate hours explained. (You will notice this requirement the next time you login to Deltek Vision.)
c. Employees should only record the number of hours actually worked during each day. If < 8 hours, then employees may elect to use PTO as a supplement or take unpaid leave.
d. All employee healthcare/life/LTD benefits will be continued even if you can’t maintain a 40-hour work week. We are working closely with our benefit providers to ensure you have full access to all stated benefits.
e. It is recognized that some employees cannot perform their normal duties from home. We will address these situations on an individual employee level.
Thank you for your continued patience and hard work. This is a very fluid situation and we are making decisions as new information becomes available to protect both our firm and our employees. I assure you that we will come out on the other side, perhaps with a few bumps and bruises, stronger than we are today.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
GDH
The Board of Directors met this morning to discuss impacts from the COVID 19 and other associated matters. With regards to COVID 19:
1. The White House and US Senate negotiators reached a deal last night on a $2 trillion stimulus package. A vote in the Senate is planned for today, and House Democrats are expected to support the deal with a vote to follow. Details are slowly emerging -- the plan includes $500 billion for loans and assistance to companies, including $50 billion for loans to U.S. airlines, as well as state and local governments. It’s also reported to have over $350 billion to aid small businesses. For individuals, the package would provide direct payments to lower- and middle-income Americans of $1,200 for each adult, as well as $500 for each child. The bill would add $600 per person per week onto the base maximum unemployment benefit for four months. The bill includes $150 billion to ramp up health care capacity. State and local governments would receive $150 billion, with $8 billion set aside for tribal governments.
2. The NC DHHS has reported 504 cases statewide. The first death from COVID 19 has occurred in NC.
3. Winston Salem ordered a ‘stay at home’ order effective at 5 pm Friday through April 16.
4. Greenville issued a ‘stay at home’ order effective at 5 pm Thursday through April 10.
5. Durham residents have been ordered to ‘stay at home’ effective at 6 pm Thursday through April 30.
6. According to multiple media outlets, Wake County is expected to issue a similar order today to become effective on Thursday. (More details forthcoming.)
7. No statewide ‘stay at home’ mandate has been ordered for NC or SC. ACEC/NC is strongly advocating with the Governor and the State legislature to declare engineering an ‘essential service’ based on local jurisdiction ‘stay at home’ directives.
8. Under most ‘stay at home’ proclamations, only ‘essential businesses’ may remain open to support ‘essential operations’.
9. It is our current interpretation, based on Department of Homeland Security guidelines, that engineering consultants who support local governments operations/utilities and the construction industry qualify as an ‘essential business’.
a. Because we qualify as an ‘essential business’, employees may elect to continue visiting the office to perform work.
b. Employees continue to have the option to work from home.
c. If traveling to the office, employees should see their supervisor for a letter on TWC letterhead stating your function at TWC and the necessity for office visit. This letter should be carried with you in the event you are questioned by local law enforcement.
10. Regarding timesheets when working at the office or from home:
a. Our #1 goal is to remain productive while working from home. Especially in the consulting industry, we must continue to deliver our projects on a timely basis so we can invoice our clients. Subsequent timely payments from our clients allow us to sustain operations, and potentially grow, in this challenging work environment.
b. General time must be minimized to the greatest extent practical. Any GENOVHD must be clearly documented with number of appropriate hours explained. (You will notice this requirement the next time you login to Deltek Vision.)
c. Employees should only record the number of hours actually worked during each day. If < 8 hours, then employees may elect to use PTO as a supplement or take unpaid leave.
d. All employee healthcare/life/LTD benefits will be continued even if you can’t maintain a 40-hour work week. We are working closely with our benefit providers to ensure you have full access to all stated benefits.
e. It is recognized that some employees cannot perform their normal duties from home. We will address these situations on an individual employee level.
Thank you for your continued patience and hard work. This is a very fluid situation and we are making decisions as new information becomes available to protect both our firm and our employees. I assure you that we will come out on the other side, perhaps with a few bumps and bruises, stronger than we are today.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
GDH