Human Resources along with the health committee was able to come to a mutual agreement on health insurance renewal options for all four levels of the City’s coverage- core, buy-up, buy-down and modified buy-down. Our renewal rates came in favorably and participants should see their renewal premiums decreasing starting in July. We are working through the
logistics of open enrollment and employee education sessions should they need to be done differently this year in accordance with ongoing social distancing requirements for health and safety purposes. We are working with our Section 125 vendor, American Fidelity, on the same logistics for enrollment (sign up or sign off) on those benefits as well. American Fidelity is able to offer a self-service online enrollment option this year so there will be no face-to-face meeting with a representative for those that do not require it.

TO:                             All Employees

DATE:                        April 13, 2020        

POSITION:               Supervisor, Wastewater Treatment Plant

DIVISION:               Wastewater Treatment Plant

POSTING PERIOD

Tuesday, April 14, 2020 through Monday, April 20, 2020 at 4:00 p.m.  

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

The duties and responsibilities as well as the qualifications are contained in the attached job description.  Must possess and maintain necessary state licenses required to perform job, including a State of Michigan Class B Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certification. Testing may be required.

RATE OF PAY

$30.33 per hour.  During probationary period, employee will receive 95% of the rate of pay for Supervisors.

TO APPLY

Any employee interested in this position should submit an application and resume to Human Resources by Monday, April 20, 2020.  Please take this notice down after 4:00 p.m. Monday, April 20, 2020.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Administrative Services

City Manager's Office

Community Development

Community Services

Public Works / Facilities & Maintenance

Financial Services

Fire Department

Municipal Utilities

Police Department

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network continue to take steps to help our customers and members during this international public health crisis. In March, BCBS announced to cover COVID-19 lab tests and waive cost share for medical telehealth visits. Now they are making additional changes for fully insured businesses to cover COVID-19 treatment and offer more telehealth services, including behavioral health.

Below you will find the changes made to date:

• Most common behavioral therapy services through telehealth with no copay through June 30th
• Coverage of COVID-19 treatment at no cost share through June 30th.
• Cover Evaluation for and administration of COVID test, such as doctor or hospital service to obtain test - at no cost share
• Cover COVID lab test with no copay

In compliance with the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) of 2020, the City of Marquette is required to provide employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.  This emergency sick leave is in addition to any existing paid leave.  These provisions will apply from the effective date of April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 and this memorandum serves as a temporary policy for all City of Marquette employees aside from Emergency Responders who will be excluded from eligibility for the leave provided under the Act.

Under the Act, employees will be provided:

• Two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave at the employee’s regular rate of pay where the employee is unable to work because the employee is quarantined and/or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis; or
• Two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay because the employee is unable to work because of a bona fide need to care for an individual subject to quarantine, or care for a child (under 18 years of age) whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19, and/or the employee is experiencing a substantially similar condition.

Similarly, under the Act, employees that have been employed with the City of Marquette for at least 30 days will be provided:

• Up to an additional 10 weeks of paid expanded family and medical leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay where an employee is unable to work due to a bona fide need for leave to care for a child whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19. 

Qualifying Reasons for Leave:

Under the FFCRA, an employee qualifies for paid sick time if the employee is unable to work (or unable to telework) due to a need for leave because the employee:

1. is subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19;
2. has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine related to COVID-19;
3. is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and is seeking a medical diagnosis;
4. is caring for an individual subject to an order described in (1) or self-quarantine as described in (2);
5. is caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed (or child care provider is unavailable) for reasons related to COVID-19; or
6. is experiencing any other substantially-similar condition specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor and Treasury.

Under the FFCRA, an employee qualifies for expanded family leave if the employee is caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed (or child care provider is unavailable) for reasons related to COVID-19.

Duration of Leave:

For reasons (1)-(4) and (6): A full-time employee is eligible for up to 80 hours of leave, and a part-time employee is eligible for the number of hours of leave that the employee works on average over a two-week period.

For reason (5): A full-time employee is eligible for up to 12 weeks of leave at 40 hours a week, and a part-time employee is eligible for leave for the number of hours that the employee is normally scheduled to work over that period.

Calculation of Pay:

For leave reasons (1), (2), or (3): employees taking leave shall be paid at either their regular rate or the applicable minimum wage, whichever is higher, up to $511 per day and $5,110 in the aggregate (over a 2-week period).

For leave reasons (4) or (6): employees taking leave shall be paid at 2/3 their regular rate up to $200 per day and $2,000 in the aggregate (over a 2-week period).

For leave reason (5): employees taking leave shall be paid at 2/3 their regular rate, up to $200 per day and $12,000 in the aggregate (over a 12-week period—two weeks of paid sick leave followed by up to 10 weeks of paid expanded family and medical leave).

Unused paid sick time will not be paid out for any reason or used for any reason other than what’s specified by the Act.  

How to Claim: To claim emergency sick time, please notify your supervisor as soon as reasonably possible.  To claim emergency family medical leave, contact Human Resources and explain (a) date leave begins, (b) date leave is expected to end, (c) whether the employee wants to apply existing paid vacation or sick time to the first unpaid 10 days of leave, and (d) arrange employee share of health insurance payments (if any).  Employee is obligated to contact Human Resources at least once a week during the leave with a status update to verify the continued need for leave.  The “Families First Coronavirus Response Act Paid Emergency Leave Request Form” will be filled out.  If necessary, required signatures will be obtained when reasonable and safe.

Beginning April 1, 2020, 44North’s claims system vendor, Wexhealth, is no longer providing access to the online claims portal.

What does this mean to employees? Explanation of Benefits (EOBs) will be mailed directly to employees beginning March 1, 2020. Those individuals with HRAs will no longer be able to submit claims through the portal; however, they can be emailed (claims@44N.com) or faxed (855-306-1098) to 44North. Balances can be obtained by calling 44North (855-306-1099) at any time or utilizing the balance statement provided 60 days before the end of the plan year. Account balances are also shown on the check stub or EFT notification provided with payments to employees.

Access to the portal will continue to be active until close of business March 31, 2020. Members who have elected the paperless EOB option should receive email notifications of this change encouraging them to reach out to 44North with any questions.

What you need to know:
Starting with the 2019 tax year, the individual mandate penalty no longer applies. As a result, individuals won’t be penalized for lacking medical coverage, and they no longer need to provide proof of insurance coverage when they file their federal tax return. Due to this change, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan won’t be mailing Form 1095-B to fully insured group members in 2020.

If members still want a Form 1095-B, they can access it through the bcbsm.com member site, or they may request the form in the following ways:
• Call the number on the back of their Blue Cross ID card.
• Send a letter to:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
600 E. Lafayette Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48226

As of Jan. 29, W-2 earnings statements have been distributed to employees. If you haven’t received your W-2, please contact Tim in Payroll at ext 8586.

PLEASE POST

NOTICE OF VACANCY

TO:                              Public Works Bargaining Unit

DATE:                         January 22, 2020

POSITION:                 Special Equipment Operator – Public Works

DEPARTMENT:         Public Works    

POSTING PERIOD

Thursday, January 23, 2020 through Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. 

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

The duties and responsibilities as well as the minimum qualifications are contained in the attached job description.  This position may include second and third shifts, and / or weekends.

RATE OF PAY  

Entry $20.63/hr., 6 months $21.88/hr., 1 yr. $23.06/hr., 2 yrs. $24.31/hr., 3 yrs. $25.53/hr.

TO APPLY

Employees interested in signing for this position posting must come to Human Resources to sign for the posting before 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 29, 2020.  Please take this posting down after 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 29, 2020.   MUST BE SIGNED IN INK.

 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

PLEASE POST

NOTICE OF VACANCY

TO:                             Public Works Bargaining Unit

DATE:                        January 22, 2020

POSITION:               Special Equipment Operator – Water Distribution

DEPARTMENT:      Public Works    

POSTING PERIOD

Thursday, January 23, 2020 through Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. 

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

The duties and responsibilities as well as the minimum qualifications are contained in the attached job description.  This position may include second and third shifts, and / or weekends.

RATE OF PAY  (Includes Hole Rate)

Entry $20.68/hr., 6 months $21.93/hr., 1 yr. $23.11/hr., 2 yrs. $24.36/hr., 3 yrs. $25.58/hr.

TO APPLY

Employees interested in signing for this position posting must come to Human Resources to sign for the posting before 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 29, 2020.  Please take this posting down after 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 29, 2020.   MUST BE SIGNED IN INK.

 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER