NRCHS to issue layoff notices

• Image

Talk about it

LUVERNE — Nobles County administration and Nobles-Rock Community Health Services supervisors will meet this afternoon to identify public health employees to be laid off as a result of the state government shutdown.

During the NRCHS meeting Wednesday in Luverne, board members voted to send layoff notices to 4.6 full-time equivalent employees effective Aug. 1. The agency only has 13 full-time equivalent employees, but without state reimbursements for certain public health services, NRCHS stands to lose nearly $32,000 per month.

In late June, the agency identified staffing cuts in the event of an extended state government shutdown. At that time, board members were optimistic the state would solve its budget problems and layoffs wouldn’t need to be considered.

“Here we are — halfway into July — eating half of our $116,000 in staff costs already,” said Rock County Administrator Kyle Oldre. “I wouldn’t be inclined to wait another month (to layoff employees). It could very well go into January. We’d only be delaying an action we’re going to have to take.”

Oldre was quick to say the layoffs are not the fault of anyone on the public health board, but solely because of the state government’s actions — or inaction, as the case may be.

The 8.4 positions that will remain in place until the state budget problem is resolved include three full-time public health nurses in Nobles County, one full-time clerical support person, a two-fifth’s time public health nurse in Rock County, two full-time equivalent WIC (Women, Infants and Children) certifiers, a full-time WIC technician and a full-time health educator.

A combination of seniority, knowledge, skills and abilities will be considered in deciding which employees stay and who will be laid off.

Rock County Attorney Jeff Haubrich, working on behalf of NRCHS, said the layoff procedure requires a two-week notice be sent to those employees who are affected.

During the first 90 days of the layoff period, the employees will retain their accrued benefits, but if the layoff extends beyond 90 days, sick leave and paid time off would be paid to those employees.

The plan is to bring all employees back as soon as possible after the state departments are operating once again, but in the event of a public health outbreak, Oldre asked the board for assurances that employees could be called back immediately if necessary. Board members approved an immediate recall of employees for emergencies.

During the state government shutdown, NRCHS continues to receive reimbursement from the state for medical assistance and the WIC program, but public health nurse Barb Navara said cutting staff will mean cutting some services.

“There’s just not time to do it because we’re doing everything else,” Navara told the health board.

Priority services outlined by the board during the layoff period include disease prevention and control, public health preparedness and emergency response.

Public health nursing clinics and environmental health/public health nuisance issues were considered medium priority.

In other action, the board:

* Authorized NRCHS to send layoff notices to all employees by the end of this week, notifying them that their jobs are being eliminated on Dec. 31. As of Jan. 1, Rock County public health will be offered through Southwest Health and Human Services, while Nobles County will maintain its own public health and human services department.

* Approved a contract, pending some minor changes, with Southwest Health and Human Services to provide food, beverage and lodging services for NRCHS through the end of this year.

* Learned that the agency is treating 28 patients for latent tuberculosis, and four patients are on direct observational therapy for TB. There are possibly two new TB-positive cases in Luverne that the agency was recently made aware of.

Tags: rock county, nobles county, news, health, worthington, luverne