Title
Resolution in Support of Federal Employees Affected by the Current Government Shutdown
Staff
Prepared by: Tom Crawford, CFO
Reviewed by: Betsy Blake, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Body
Whereas, The United States federal government shutdown on December 22, 2018 (“Shutdown”), because Congress and the President could not agree on a funding bill or a continuing resolution to extend the deadline to pass a funding bill;
Whereas, The Shutdown has affected approximately 800,000 federal employees;
Whereas, Such employees are being required to work without receiving a paycheck and others have been furloughed without a paycheck (“Affected Employees”);
Whereas, The Shutdown is causing an undue hardship on the Affected Employees as they are not receiving paychecks;
Whereas, On January 16, 2019, the “Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019” was signed into law, which ensures that, at the end of the Shutdown, the Affected Employees will be compensated for wages lost during the Shutdown; and
Whereas, As of January 22, 2019 (32 days), the Shutdown has not been resolved;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council recognizes the undue hardship the Shutdown has caused to Affected Employees and desires to accommodate these individuals with amounts owed to the City of Ann Arbor, which accrue during the Shutdown, to the extent legally permissible;
RESOLVED, That the City Council directs the City Administrator to evaluate and implement all legally permissible means to assist Affected Employees in deferring payments due the City, which accrue during the Shutdown, for at least sixty (60) days after the Shutdown ends; and
RESOLVED, That any such deferment shall only be given upon receipt of documentation that the City Administrator deems sufficient to establish the individual is an “Affected Employee” pursuant to this Resolution.
Sponsored by: Mayor Taylor and Council Members Ramlawi, Grand, Eaton, Griswold, Lumm, Ackerman and Bannister