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SUBSTITUTE TO FILE 16-3730
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
Sponsored by: LARRY SUFFREDIN, County Commissioner
REQUESTING A HEARING OF THE LEGISLATION AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS THE IMPACT OF THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT ON STAFFING
WHEREAS, the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (“FMLA”) requires Cook County to provide its employees job-protected and unpaid leave for qualified medical and family reasons; and
WHEREAS, in a study by the Society for Human Resource Management entitled “FMLA and Its Impact on Organizations,” found that there has been a greater number of requests to take FMLA leave in recent years and that there is a financial cost for such leave; and
WHEREAS, an increase in the number of employees taking FMLA leave would have an impact on the minimum staffing levels needed to maintain core operations at critical County facilities including the Cook County Jail, the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center and the Cook County Health and Hospitals System, among others; and
WHEREAS, overtime spending is effected by employees taking FMLA leave; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby request that a meeting of the Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee be convened to discuss the impact of Cook County employees taking leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act on maintaining minimum staffing levels; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Director of the Bureau of Human Resources and the Human Resources Directors for all independently elected officials and the Cook County Health and Hospital System, the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center and the Cook County Sheriff appear before the Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee and be prepared to update the Committee on the effect of the Family and Medical Leave Act on Cook County’s staffing.
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