Plan outlines how Minneapolis will ensure essential City services continue during a pandemic
The City of Minneapolis has emergency operations plans in place to ensure the City can cope with a disaster. Recently, the City’s Continuity of Operations Plan has been adapted to the special instances that a flu pandemic could pose. The updated plan outlines policies that will ensure the City can continue to provide essential services in the event that a large number of employees are not available for work due to illness.
In the event of a pandemic or employee absences so high that it threatens the City’s ability to provide essential City services, the Continuity of Operations Plan allows these steps to be taken:
- Reassigning some employees to new duties to ensure the continuance of essential City functions during the emergency. Employees can only be assigned to new duties that they are qualified for or have received training in.
- Adopting alternative work schedules or staggered work hours to enhance service delivery or meet a need posed by the health emergency.
- Sending home a City employee who reports contagious flu symptoms to reduce exposing customers and employees to the flu.
- Cancelling some City employees’ vacations in special circumstances.
- Allowing some City employees to work from home or an alternate work site.
- Designating the City Coordinator as the City’s Chief Administrator to ensure continuity of government authority.
Last updated Sep. 27, 2011