Title
Labor Policy relating to an onsite and in-person worksite policy for King County employees.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. In March 2020 and in response to the COVID 19 pandemic, King County was one of the first jurisdictions in the nation to implement work from home policies for King County employees whenever possible.
2. On August 5, 2024, the King County executive, mayor of the city of Seattle, and the chief executive officer of Sound Transit, announced the beginning of return-to-office policy changes.
3. Currently, city of Seattle executive branch employees are expected to work onsite and in-person three days per week, city of Seattle legislative branch employees are expected to work onsite and in-person four days per week, and Sound Transit employes are expected to work two or three days onsite and in-person per week.
4. On August 5, 2024, the King County executive committed to transition to onsite and in-person work at least three days a week, beginning with executive branch department directors in November 2024, and to develop a plan by January 2025 for an increased onsite and in-person schedule and strategy for King County employees working primarily from remote locations.
5. A return of onsite and in-person work for the King County workforce will inherently create the need for policies and procedures for engagement in the workplace, provisions of equipment and facilities, adaptations for compliance with an individual's accommodations, and other support services necessary to ensure employees are productive and satisfied.
6. The county executive has not published a countywide plan for a return to onsite and in-person work.
FOR THE FOREGOING REASONS THE FOLLOWING NEW LABOR POLICIES ARE ADOPTED:
NEW SECTION. SECTION 1. There is hereby added to the Labor Policies a new section LAB 1-070 to read as follows:
LAB 1-070. Primarily On-site and In-person Worksite Policies.
A. To promote employee collaboration, engagement and accountability, it shall be the policy of King County that an employee’s workplace shall be primarily onsite and in-person work for the majority of the work week.
B. The King County executive shall establish and maintain policies and procedures and provide the infrastructure to support a primarily in-person workforce and the transition all county employees to a primary onsite and in-person work schedule by July 31, 2026.
C. These policies shall include the immediate planning and implementation of a return to onsite and in-person work policies for King County employees, including all necessary actions to support employees at King County offices and facilities. These policies should require primarily onsite and in-person work requirements of at least three onsite workdays a week for all county employees with the exception of legally required accommodations or specific business needs related directly to specific positions.
D. The executive shall engage with all King County agencies to ensure that employees' onsite needs are met and that barriers to the transition back to onsite work are met. These agencies include, but are not limited to:
1. King County department of human resources,
2. King County department of information technology,
3. King County facilities management division of the department of executive services, and
4. Any other King County department or division the executive deems necessary to provide for the needs of employees return to in-person work at King County offices and facilities.
E. The bargaining agent is directed to request that organized labor representative open negotiations to implement this policy for each bargaining unit. The bargaining agent shall brief the labor policy committee on the progress on the development of the policies requested in this labor policy within sixty days of the effective date of this labor policy.
F. The executive shall provide quarterly reports on the number of employees working in onsite at county offices and facilities, full time, three days a week, and the number of employees working remote at least three days a week, as well as electronic key card data and other relative metrics. The reports should be filed in the form of an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain an electronic copy and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff, and the lead staff for the committee of the whole, or its successor.