The Congress adopted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on March 27, 2020. The adopted bill is an improvement upon the initial bill proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Specifically, it provides $150 billion to state and local governments to fund response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This third infusion of needed support to communities and Americans impacted by the health crisis and economic fallout from COVID-19 is important, but Congress must still address the significant unmet needs created by COVID-19, especially fiscal issues that will soon confront governments at all levels as the economic effects of the pandemic are fully realized.
Among the additional needs Congress must address include:

• Significant increases in direct federal support for states and localities straining under increased demands for public services and huge reductions in revenues.
  
• Flexibility in the use of those funds to mitigate the severe economic impact of the coronavirus response on state and local government services.
  
• Addressing the shortage of personal protective equipment and medical supplies and the absence of an OSHA temporary emergency standard for infectious disease.
  

Click here to view AFSCME legislative fact sheet for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (H.R. 748)

A Message from Joanie Poore, Chief Executive Officer of Omaha Housing Authority
Omaha Housing Authority Families First Coronavirus Response Act Summary
Employee Rights
OHA Employee Pandemic Frequently Asked Questions
Pandemic Emergency Sick Leave Request Form


Good afternoon, everyone!
We are near the end of two weeks of modified operations and response to the COVID-19 pandemic and today I am reaching out with additional information and updates.  First, however, I would like to start by saying thank you to each and every one of you who works on the OHA team.  There isn’t a single position within OHA that hasn’t been affected by the necessary internal organization and community-wide response to COVID-19.  Your resilience, dedication, and care is seen… even if I or others don’t see each of you daily, your efforts are seen and you are highly valued.  Thank you.
 Second, a special thank you to each of you who has to be in the office or at a work-site to work.  I am grateful that we are able to provide opportunities to keep you working and earning pay during this uncertain time.  I am even more grateful that you continue to be present and deliver high-quality work in spite of fear, confusion, and likely exhaustion with our constantly changing world!  Our tenants appreciate you, your team members appreciate you, your managers and directors appreciate you, and I appreciate you.  Thank you. 
 As I was considering how I could help to share with all of you some inspirational, hopeful words, I considered one of my favorite leadership speakers, Cy Wakeman.  Cy says, “Your circumstances are not the reason you can’t succeed; they are the reality in which you must succeed.”  And, “If you can’t get out of something, go all in.”  Jumping in with both feet, having high personal and professional accountability, and constantly asking yourself, “What would great look like?” creates the opportunity to succeed in spite of the reality we are faced with.  I needed this guidance over the past two weeks more than I even realized until just this moment.  I truly believe that we are still called to deliver greatness in difficult circumstances and we are all in a position to be great, even when we are struggling.  Take care of yourself.  Take care of one another.  Give kindness and compassion.  And, remember that sometimes if you go all-in, you get so busy succeeding that you forget about trying to get out. 
 Last, the four attached documents included:
·       OHA COVID-19 Employee Follow-up 3-26-2020: Additional answers to questions asked over the last week and redistributing relevant questions from last week.
·       COVID-19 FFCRA PTO Narrative & Flow Chart:  Summary of the Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) benefits
·       FFCRA Poster – Department of Labor Poster regarding the FFCRA
·       Pandemic Emergency Sick Leave & FMLA Request Form: REVISED due to the FFCRA benefits.
We will continue to provide updates as we learn new information or as circumstances change.  As always, please reach out if you have any questions and share printed versions with those who do not regularly access email.
Thank you,
-Joanie

From Mandy Garrod, Benefits Manager for the City of Omaha
Click here to view a wonderful document on Managing Anxiety and Stress from our partner at CHI Health EAP.CHI EAP now has the ability to do telephonic sessions.  This is new for them, and they will require that you fax in the specific consent forms before the first sessions.  Depending on each situation, they may require that you still come visit in person, or at least visit them in person for the first session.
These sessions are valid for you, and your immediate family,  and each person in your family has their own set of visits.  If you have used EAP in the past, we encourage you to please use EAP again.
Please share with those who don't have email.
Wishing you all the best!
Mandy

Unions United Blood Drive Hosted by theOmaha Federation of Labor to Serve Our Community

Sat., March 28th   8:00 AM– 1:30 PMFire Fighters Union Hall6005 Grover St., Omaha

 Call for an appointment! 1-800-RED-CROSSor CLICK HERE.  Due to the Coronavirus, we’re in a CRITICAL NEED for blood donations. Nationwide, we’ve lost 170,000 units promised to hospitals due to cancelled drives. Please bring family and friends to donate on Saturday and help us to save lives.Click Here to View Flyer

To all members,
The safety of our employees is of utmost importance to us.We have asked that all staff work at home to the extent they can. Should you need to reach staff, email will likely be the best method, our office phone lines will still be active and we will monitor messages and responding accordingly. We will be back in the office on the 30th.
Email address are as follows;
Tony@local251.org
Kelcy@local251.org
Patty@local251.org
Solidarity, 
Tony Burkhalter 
President
Nebraska Public Employees Local 251
6910 Pacific St. Suite 450
Omaha, Ne 68106
(402) 346-4011

This months Members Union has been canceled. If you have any questions please contact our office at (402) 346-4011 or at local251@local251.org.

Communication from Joanie Poore, Chief Executive Officer for Omaha Housing Authority
Please see the attached documents that provide additional guidance based upon questions asked over the last few days.  The “Employee Follow-up” document includes general information and the “Employee Pay & Benefits” document addresses specific pay and benefit questions.  Additionally, these documents provide guidance based upon changing conditions.  Please fully review both documents and print for employees who do not regularly access email.  Please continue to use PandemicQuestions@ohauthority.org if you have additional questions.
Thank you!
-Joanie
OHA EMPLOYEE PANDEMIC FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSOHA EMPLOYEE PAY/ BENEFITS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Today the Omaha City Council approved Mayor Jean Stothert’s Emergency Ordinance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ordinance will provide full time employees with up to eighty (80) hours of paid administrative leave and part time employees a prorated amount of paid administrative leave for COVID-19 related absences.
The Ordinance permits use of this leave with approval of an employee’s supervisor,

• For instances when a work site is closed and the employee cannot telecommute,
  
• In the event of a quarantine,
  
• If the employees need to care for a family member
  
• If the employee needs to care for a child due to school closure
  
• Or other COVID-19 related reason
  

The Ordinance does provide the Mayor discretion to grant additional paid administrative leave during this time period for the purposes of protecting City employees from unnecessary hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE MAYOR’S EMAIL TO EMPLOYEES If you have any questions you can contact the Human Resources Department at (402) 444-5300

A message from Many Garrod, Benefits Manager for The City of Omaha
Attention all Employees enrolled in Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
Attached you will find instructions to enroll in mail order pharmacy if it interests you.
The easiest way to get started is to call the mail order pharmacy and ask them to transfer your current prescriptions, and to work with your doctor to increase the prescription to a 90 day refill as available.
Call 877-.357-7463
Open 24/7 to create an account or to transfer your current prescriptions. 
Please have your member ID card, prescription information and your doctor’s contact information ready.
Click Here to View Instructions

This message is to remind you that EAP Services are still available to you and your families!
You can contact the CHI EAP Health Team at 402-398-5566 or 888-847-4975 to schedule an appointment.
The following is a message from EAP and attached are two documents for our EAP team to help you navigate the uncertainty happening here at home and across the world!
Please share with those who don't have email.
PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID
RE: COVID-19
 The concerns of getting or passing on COVID-19 are real for all of us. As members of CHI Health EAP, we are here to serve and we want to be safe. Here are a few psychological tips to help you and/or your staff cope with the fear and anxiety that is understandable during stressful times like this:
  Encourage self-care for self and others through:

• Deep breathing
  
• Getting some exercise (walking, yoga, stretching)
  
• Drinking plenty of water
  
• Listening to music you love
  
• Eating healthy foods
  
• Getting proper amount of sleep and rest
  
• Giving yourself time to unwind at the end of your shift
  
• Staying connected with family, friends and co-workers
  
• Doing what you can to remain hopeful and positive
  
• Avoiding alcohol or street drugs to manage your stress
  
• Avoiding over-reliance on social media for information
  

Sourcing more accurate information from:
·        www.chihealth.com (take the Coronavirus quiz)
·        www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019
·        www.douglascountyhealth.com/infectious-disease/diseases-and-conditions/2019-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov
EAP can be contacted at (402) 398-5566 OR (888) 847-4975 for scheduling of appointments.