City continues preparations for H1N1 flu; changes sick leave policies

SEATTLE – Mayor Greg Nickels today commended the City Council for unanimously passing his proposal to change the city's personnel policies on sick leave.

If local health officers or the Washington State Secretary of Health declares a pandemic flu emergency, city employees would be allowed to use paid sick leave to take care of a well child when a school or daycare closes.  Employees would have to provide documentation of the closure should a department request it.

In addition, during a declared pandemic flu, the ordinance waives the requirement that an employee get a doctor's note to receive paid sick leave for more than four days. This will help relieve the patient load of physicians treating flu.

"We want to make it a little easier for city employees to take care of their children and themselves during a flu emergency," said Nickels. "In a time of crisis, the entire community needs to pull together."  

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Office of the Mayor