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CHARLOTTE – Mecklenburg County is changing its requirements for weekly COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated employees, according to an email obtained by Channel 9 reporter Joe Bruno.
Last week, the county suspended 598 workers – representing 13.5% of the workforce – for failing to upload their weekly COVID-19 test. The county requires employees to be tested for COVID-19 every week if they are not fully immunized.
After the suspensions, Channel 9 heard from many employees who felt the testing procedures were too difficult to follow. In addition, some employees said they followed the rules and were suspended anyway.
County commissioners said they heard similar concerns, but in Tuesday night’s meeting, county manager Dena Diorio insisted no employees were wrongly suspended.
“Employees who are in this situation are getting on with it,” said Diorio.
Diorio said employees who feel they have been wrongly suspended can file a grievance through human resources.
[PAST COVERAGE: Meck County issues mask mandate, weekly testing for unvaccinated workers]
Mecklenburg County’s original policy required employees to submit their weekly test results every week, but with increasing demand for testing in the community, test turnaround times can sometimes be 48 to 72 hours.
The county is now changing its policy to require proof of testing every week. This means that as long as employees prove they have been tested for COVID-19, they meet weekly testing requirements.
Mecklenburg County will only require employees to upload their test results if they are positive.
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The county will also provide more flexibility for employees to get tested. Pending supervisor approval, exempt and non-exempt employees can take a COVID-19 test during their regular hours – such as their lunch break – if the test does not interfere with their duties.
At a town hall of employees last month, non-exempt employees were asked to get tested after hours or on weekends.
The county will now change its testing period from Sunday to Saturday. This means that unvaccinated employees can submit proof of testing on any date during the testing period from Sunday to Saturday, as long as proof of testing is submitted once in each seven-day period. This decision will give employees more flexibility to submit tests.
[PAST COVERAGE: Meck County suspends unvaccinated workers for not uploading weekly COVID tests]
The county of Mecklenburg is in partnership with star to expand COVID-19 testing options. Starting Monday, September 27, the Northwest Health Department at 2845 Beatties Ford Road will offer testing from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Starting October 2, StarMed will be hosting a new weekly clinic on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Kuralt parking lot at 311 Billingsley Road.
According to Diorio, 86 employees remain suspended for not submitting any documents by September 21. Of these 86 employees, 67 work in the parks and recreation department. Seventeen are full-time and two employees are part-time but work in departments other than Parks and Recreation.
Diorio said the 86 employees were at risk of being made redundant if they did not comply with the county’s weekly testing requirements.
Some commissioners said they feared losing a large number of employees.
“We cannot afford to lose parks and recreation workers and I am sorry to hear that figure,” said Commissioner Laura Meier.
“I hate suspensions,” said Commissioner Leigh Altman. “I hate the loss of manpower in Parks and Rec and DSS, but we have to have a firm policy or we’re not going to turn a corner.”
No additional COVID-19 testing is required until September 26, when changes to the county’s testing requirements will take effect.
(Watch the video below: Meck County suspends unvaccinated workers for failing to upload weekly COVID tests)
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