>> WE ARE RECORDING.
>> OKAY. GOOD MORNING,
EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
FINANCE AND HOUSING COMMITTEE
MEETING. TODAY IS MARCH 15,
2023. THE TIME IS 9:35 A.M. I
TERESA MOSQUEDA, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> HERE. IS YOUR MICROPHONE
ON?, YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON? YORK
PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS? MADAM
CHAIR MOSQUEDA?
>> PRESENT.
>> THAT IS FOUR PRESENT AND
ONE ABSENT.
>> WE WILL BE SURE TO ANNOUNCE
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS WHEN HE
JOINS US. THANK YOU TO THE FOLK
WHO ARE HERE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY THIS MORNING:THIS IS
PROBABLY MOST PEOPLE I HAVE SEE
SINCE THREE YEARS AGO. WELCOME
TO THE CHAMBERS AND THANK YOU
FOR BEING ON THE LINE , AS WELL
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO HAVE
ABOUT SEVEN PEOPLE ONLINE .
LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE 10 PEOPLE
SIGNED UP. WE WILL MAKE SURE TO
HEAR FROM EVERYONE. WE DO
CONTINUE TO HAVE A VIRTUAL
MEETING AND ENCOURAGE ONLINE
PARTICIPATION. THERE WILL BE NO
PANELISTS SITTING AT THE TABLE.
WE ARE DOING VIRTUAL
PRESENTATIONS TO TRY TO LIMIT
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE
ROOM. THANK YOU FOR WEARING THE
MASK IF YOU ARE HERE IN PUBLIC.
I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO BRING
SOME ADDITIONAL MASKS IN CASE
FOLKS WOULD LIKE THOSE. WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE TO KEEP FOLKS SAFE
ESPECIALLY AS WE ARE HAVING A
CONVERSATION ABOUT SICK LEAVE
THIS IS A GREAT TOPICAL
INTRODUCTION TO OUR AGENDA
TODAY. OUR AGENDA DOES INCLUDED
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF LABOR STANDARD
AND REQUIRING PAID SICK TIME I
SEATTLE. TODAY WILL BE A
BRIEFING. WE ANTICIPATE THAT TH
VOTE WILL OCCUR NEXT WEEK BUT
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS
KNOW WE HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO
CONSIDER THAT. ORIGINALLY, THA
ITEM WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE FIRS
WEEK OF MARCH. I MYSELF WAS
TAKING SICK LEAVE. WE WILL GO
AHEAD AND HAVE ONE MEETING AS
PLANNED AND HOLD VOTES NEXT
MEETING NEXT WEEK. WE WILL HAVE
DISCUSSION ON THE 2023 GRANT
ACCEPTANCE. WE HAVE IT LISTED
FOR BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION OF
POSSIBLE VOTE. I AM HAPPY TO
ENTERTAIN VOTE NEXT WEEK, AS
WELL IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING ANY
AMENDMENTS OR NEED ADDITIONAL
TIME. THE THIRD ITEM ON OUR
AGENDA IS A BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION, AND NO VOTE. THIS
IS JUST FOR INFORMATIONAL
PURPOSES ON THE SEATTLE RESCUE
PLAN FOR 2022, THE YEAR-END
REPORT. WE WILL HAVE A BRIEFING
DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE VOTE O
THE DISCUSSION OF THE CHARTER
POSITION RELATED TO THE
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE. I WOULD
ENTERTAIN A VOTE ON THAT TODAY
IF POSSIBLE IF COLLEAGUES FEEL
COMFORTABLE ON THAT. THOSE ARE
THE AGENDA ITEMS. IF THERE IS N
OBJECTION, TODAY'S AGENDA WILL
BE ADOPTED. HEARING NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. I WANT TO WELCOME
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS. I SEE YOU
HAVE JOINED US. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THE RECORD
WOLFLIKE THAT WE HAVE A FULL
ATTENDANCE TODAY. I WILL OPEN
IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE SEE
TO MAKE SURE THERE IS PUBLIC
COMMENT AVAILABLE AT ALL OF OUR
MEETINGS. WE ARE ENCOURAGING
FOLKS TO MAKE SURE TO PRACTICE
SAFE PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICES
AND SOCIAL DISTANCING. THERE AR
A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ONLINE. WE
WILL START WITH THE FOLKS WHO
ARE REGISTERED ONLINE TO SPEAK
AND THEN GO THROUGH EVERYBODY
WHO IS LISTED IN THE ROOM BUT
THAT MAY GIVE FOLKS IN THE ROOM
TIME TO SIGN UP IF YOU HAVE NOT
ALREADY. FOLKS WILL BE GIVEN TW
MINUTES TO SPEAK. YOU WILL HEAR
A CHINE WHEN YOU HAVE 10 SECOND
LEFT. THAT IS YOUR INDICATION
THAT YOU NEED TO WRAP IT UP THA
IS BOTH FOR IN-PERSON AND
ONLINE. WHEN YOU ARE ONLINE, YO
NEED TO HIT STAR SIX ON MUTE AN
BEGIN SPEAKING. YOU CAN LISTEN
IN ON THE OTHER LISTENING
OPTIONS WHEN YOU HAVE HANGED
UP. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO SHINE
SIGN UP AS WE PROCEED HERE. I
GREATLY APPRECIATE THE INTEREST
AND PARTICIPATION HERE TODAY
FROM THE COMMUNITY.'S GO AHEAD
AND GET STARTED. MADAM CLERK,
CAN YOU READ THE NAMES OF THE
FOLKS WERE LISTED TO PROVIDE
PUBLIC COMMENT ONLINE?
>> WE HAVE GEORGIA. SHE IS NOT
CURRENTLY PRESENT. SO FIRST OFF
WE HAVE CRYSTAL. THAT WE HAVE
JAKE AND MICHAEL.
>> I ACTUALLY AN INTERPRETER. I
CAN INTERPRET AFTER SHE GETS
HER COMMENTS.
>> SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU.
>> I WILL INTERPRET . THANK
YOU.
>> THANKS.
>> JAKE, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE
UP NEXT. THAT IS FOLLOWED BY
MICHAEL.
>> HELLO, I JAKE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> I AM A PART-TIME DELIVERY
DRIVER AND GIG WORK UNION
ACTIVIST SINCE 2016. I SUPPORT
THE ENDEAVOR FOR A NEW SICK DAY
LAW. I HAVE BEEN NEGATIVELY
IMPACTED BY SOME OF THE OLDER
LAWS AND POLICIES THAT I
UNDERSTAND ARE STILL AND
PROPOSALS FOR THE NEW LAW. I AM
AGAINST TWO POLICIES HERE THAT
CREATE NEW RULES AND EXCEPTIONS
AROUND THE ACCRUAL AND USE OF
SICK DAY. I AM TALKING ABOUT TH
UNFAIR METHOD OF AWARDING ONE
PAY OUR MAXIMUM FOR 30 DAYS.
UNDER THESE PROPOSALS, COMPANIE
CAN DENY US OUR EARNED SICK DAY
IF WE HAVE NOT WORKED FOR THEM
IN 90 DAYS WE SHOULD ELIMINATE
THIS USE PROPOSAL IN FAVOR OF
LANGUAGE WHICH EXPLICITLY ALLOW
WORKERS TO USE SICK PAY HOURS
THAT THEY ACCRUED ANY TIME AFTE
30 HOURS WORK , AS IS THE CASE
WITH SEATTLE EMPLOYEES. WAS I
HAVE WORKED ANOTHER 30 DAYS FOR
THESE COMPANIES, IT DOES NOT
MATTER IF I WORK 70 HOURS A WEE
OR SEVEN. ALL I GET IS ONE HOUR
OF SICK DAY. I COMPENSATED FOR
THE SAME WORK SEATTLE EMPLOYEES
ARE ENTITLED TO. 'S FOR TAKATA
FISA WORLD WERE ALL OF OUR LABO
TIME ISN'T WORTH YOUR MONEY,
WHICH IS A DANGEROUS
EXPECTATION FOR LAWMAKERS AND
COMPANIES TO NORMALIZE FOR THE
WORKING CLASS. WE SHOULD INSTEA
CALCULATE SICK PAY LIKE WE DO
FOR OTHER LARGE EMPLOYERS, ONE
HOUR SICK PAY FOR EVERY 30 HOUR
WORK. MY SECOND STORY IS ABOUT
THE DIFFICULTY I HAVE RUN INTO
USING MY SICK PAY. THE OLD LAW
OF THIS DENIED MY USE OF SICK
DAY WHEN I WAS SICK. THEY DENIE
ME THE SICK PAY I HAD WORKED FO
BECAUSE I HAD NOT WORKED FOR
THEM FOR 90 DAYS, DESPITE
SENDING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
DELIVERY SINCE 2016. ALL EYES
SECURE WAS $65 FROM UBER EATS.
WE NEED LAWMAKERS TO STOP MAKIN
SPECIAL METHODS .
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JAKE.
PLEASE SEND THE REST OF YOUR
COUNCIL COMMENTS TO
SEATTLE.GOV. NEXT UP IS
MICHAEL. GOOD MORNING, MICHAEL.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR MOSQUED
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU ON
CB 120514. I AM THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF DRIVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD TO HELP MAKE SICK PAY
PERMANENT FOUR GIG WORKERS IN
SEATTLE. AT THE END OF THE DAY,
WE WILL SUPPORT THE FINAL
VERSION OF THE ORDINANCE TO MAK
THIS TIME PERMANENT. WE BELIEVE
THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAK
THIS SYSTEM BETTER BY CHANGING
THE ACCRUAL AND REDEMPTION FROM
A SYSTEM BASED ON DAYS OF WORK
TO A SYSTEM OF HOURS OF WORK AN
HOURS OF PAID SICK AND SAFE
TIME. YOU WILL CREATE A MORE
FLEXIBLE SYSTEM AND STREAMLINE
CITY REGULATIONS NOT ONLY ACROS
THE RIDESHARE AND DELIVERY
INDUSTRIES, BUT ALSO WITH THE
CURRENT STATE REGULATIONS
GOVERNING RIDESHARE. SIMPLICIT
AND UNIFORMITY IN GOVERNMENT
REGULATIONS WHILE ACHIEVING A
STATED POLICY GOAL IS ALWAYS
DESIRABLE FOR ANY LEGISLATIVE
BODY. THIS CHANGE WOULD PRESERV
THE FLEXIBILITY THAT IS HIGHLY
VALUED BY THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN
THIS TYPE OF WORK. THE
PRESERVATION OF FLEXIBILITY AND
INDEPENDENCE OF APP BASED WORK
HAS BEEN OUR DRIVING MISSION TO
WE HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER
MAKING THIS COMMONSENSE CHANGE
TO CB 120514. THANK YOU FOR
GIVING ME THE TIME TO SPEAK
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU AGAIN, MICHAEL.
NEXT WE HAVE THE FOLLOWED BY
TINA.
>> I DELIVER FOR UBER EATS AS
PRIMARY SOURCE OF INCOME. ALL
WORKERS, BOTH EMPLOYED AND
CONTRACTED, SHOULD BE ENTITLED
TO A BASIC SAFETY NET. I
GRATEFUL TO THE CITY COUNCIL FO
TAKING US UNDER CONSIDERATION.
>> EXCELLENT. DID YOU HAVE ANY
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. IF YOU
HAVE OTHERS AND YOU WOULD LIKE
US TO REVIEW THEM, PLEASE LET U
KNOW. TINA FOLLOWED BY SILVIA.
HELLO, TINA.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS
MY NAME IS TINA. ON BEHALF OF
THE 45,000 MEMBERS OF SEIU 775,
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR
SUPPORT FOR PERMANENT PAID AND
SICK TIME FOR APP-BASED
WORKERS. I WANT TO THANK THOS
WHO HAVE SUPPORTED US FOR THEIR
SUPPORT AND THE COUNCIL FOR TH
LEADERSHIP ON IMPLEMENTING
EQUITABLE POLICIES THAT
RECOGNIZE THE EVOLVING NATURE
OF WORK TODAY. SEATTLE CONTINUE
TO LEAD THE WAY TOWARDS
RECTIFYING OUTDATED LAWS FOR
WORKER PROTECTION. EVERY DAY,
WORKERS TRAVELED TO BUSINESSES
AND HOMES AND PLACES AROUND TH
CITY, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL
SERVICES. WITHOUT THIS, WHEN A
WORKER FALLS ILL, THEY MAY FACE
AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE BETWEEN
PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE OF
THEIR FAMILY AND STAYING HOME T
RECOVER. IT IS COMMON SENSE THA
APP-BASED WORKERS MUST BE ABLE
TO STOP WORKING AND TAKE MEDICA
TREATMENT WHEN THEY NEED IT.
THESE WORKERS DON'T NEED SICK
TIME ANY LESS THAN OTHER
WORKERS. AS WE HAVE LEARNED OVE
THE PASSED FEW YEARS, A
COMMUNITY IS SAFER AND HEALTHIE
WHEN EACH OF US CAN STAY HOME
WHEN WE ARE NOT WELL. MOREOVER,
THIS HAS PROVEN TO BE A GREAT
SUCCESS. THIS POLICY IS WORKING
WORKERS UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHT
. COMPANIES HAVE IMPLEMENTED
POLICIES TO COMPLY. AND WHEN
NECESSARY, THIS HAS RESULTED I
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS RECOVERED
FOR THOUSANDS OF WORKERS. THANK
YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR
CONTINUING TO PRIORITIZE WORKE
AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE LAS
SPEAKER WAS PRESENT IS SILVIA
WITH A TRANSLATOR FROM CRYSTAL.
WE WILL PUT FOUR MINUTES ON TH
CLOCK TOTAL WITH THE
ANTICIPATION THAT YOU CAN EITHE
DO SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION OR
YOU CAN WAIT TO WRAP IT UP AT
THE END, WHATEVER YOU PREFER.
TREND 36. PLEASE GO OFF OF
MUTE.
>> HELLO.
>> :.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ]
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS
I COPRESIDENT OF THE DOMESTIC
WORKERS STANDARDS BOARD, AS WEL
AS DOMESTIC WORKERS HERE IN
SEATTLE. THE PANDEMIC WAS HARD
ON ALL OF US. IT ALLOWED US TO
SEE THE INEQUALITIES THAT MANY
WORKERS FACE. IT ALSO HELPED US
UNDERSTAND THE REAL NEEDS OF
WORKERS, THAT ALL WORKERS
WITHOUT EXCEPTION NEED PAID SIC
DAYS. I AM HERE TO ASK FOR THE
TEMPORARY SICK TIME ORDINANCE
THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED DURING THE
PANDEMIC BECOME PERMANENT LAW.
WORKERS WILL NOT STOP GETTING
SICK OR STOP MAKING MEAL
DELIVERIES. IT IS TIME TO MAKE
CHANGES IN LABOR LAWS THAT
PROTECT ALL OF THESE WORKERS,
INCLUDING INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS AND DOMESTIC
WORKERS. WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS AN
WE ALSO GET SICK. I ASK THAT
THIS BECOME PERMANENT.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, SILVIA. WE WILL CONTINUE
WITH THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM IT
LOOKS LIKE GEORGINA IS NOT
PRESENT. IF YOU CAN HEAR ME,
PLEASE GO AHEAD AND DIAL BACK I
WITH THE NUMBER YOU USED FOR
YOUR REGISTRATION. IN THE ROOM,
WE HAVE JAMES, TERRY, AND JOEL
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
LET ME JUST MAKE SURE YOUR
MICROPHONE IS ON REALLY QUICK.
GREEN LIGHT? AWESOME. THANK
YOU.
>> JAMES. I AM NOT BIG ON
TITLES. I JUST HEAR TO AGREE
WITH YOU ON THE , I DON'T LIKE
THE WORD SICK, SO HEALTH DAY
PAY, IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA T
MAKE IT SIMPLE FOR EVERYONE
ACROSS THE BOARD. I DON'T NEED
TO TALK FAST, BECAUSE I DON'T
HAVE MUCH TO SAY.? I DRIVE
FORWARD DO SUPPORT IT AND HOPE
WE MAKE IT SIMPLE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ]
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
MARIA HERNANDEZ. WE NEED A
POLICY WHERE WE CAN LIVE WITH
MORE DIGNITY. I STARTED DOING
GIG WORK BECAUSE I NEEDED
FLEXIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF MY
DAUGHTERS I HAVE BEEN IN BREAST
CANCER TREATMENT FOR FIVE YEARS
WHEN I HAD MY SURGERY, MY DOCTO
RECOMMENDED THREE MONTHS WITHOU
WORK, RECUPERATING AND WITHOUT
STRESS. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO
SPEND LESS THAN ONE MONTH AT
HOME, BECAUSE I NEEDED MONEY TO
PAY FOR EVERYTHING. WE NEED SIC
TIME TO COVER ALL GIG WORKERS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. JOEL FOLLOWED B
THE NEXT PERSON. THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I
WAS VERY LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO
COME DOWN TODAY , AS MOST OF YO
USUALLY SEE ME ONLINE BECAUSE O
MY DISABILITIES AND MY HEALTH
ISSUES. AS SOMEONE WHO WAS
DIAGNOSED WITH MS IN MY JUNIOR
YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL AT 16 YEARS
OLD, HEALTH IS A HUGE THING FOR
ME. THIS WAS ONE OF THE FEW
THINGS I COULD DO DURING THE
PANDEMIC CONSIDERING THAT ALL O
MY WORK WAS BASICALLY GONE.
HOWEVER, WITH THIS LEGISLATION
THE LAST TIME WE WERE REALLY
FOUGHT HARD TO GET THIS, PEOPLE
LIKE ME WERE LEFT BEHIND I WORK
FOR ROVER. THAT TAKES OVER 30%
OF MY PAY. IT GIVES ME NO IDEA
HOW THEY ADVERTISE AND NO
PROTECTIONS AND ONLY MAKES THE
CLIENT GIVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS.
HAVE BEEN HARASSED. I HAVE LOST
JOBS ON THERE. ROVER DOES
NOTHING AND I HAVE NO
PROTECTIONS PLEASE DON'T LEAVE
US BEHIND A LOT OF YOU WILL NOT
BE HERE NEXT YEAR, WHICH I AM
SAD TO SAY, INCLUDING MY OWN
COUNCILMEMBER AND SOME OTHERS.
THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO HEL
US. PLEASE DON'T LEAVE US LOWE
WORKERS BEHIND. WE ARE ALWAYS
LEFT BEHIND. THIS IS YOUR
CHANCE. I APPRECIATE ALL OF
YOU. I AM SAD TO SEE SOME FACES
GO, BUT I KNOW THAT THIS COUNCI
CAN STILL BRING THIS WORK AND
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY.
HAPPY MS AWARENESS MONTH, AS
WELL. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.
SOME OF I HAVE BEEN A GOOD
WORKER IN SEATTLE FOR THREE
YEARS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME T
USE THIS SICK TIME IN THE EVEN
THAT I NEED TO BE THERE FOR THE
PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT AND NOT HAV
TO WORRY ABOUT THE NEXT BILLS
COMING OR TRY TO WORK A DOUBLE
SHIFT TO TRY TO MAKE IT UP.
THERE WAS SOME DIFFICULTY IN
USING THIS. I KNOW I HAVE IT
COMING. THAT MEANS A LOT. GIG
WORKERS IN SEATTLE ARE FACING
SERIOUS MATTER. THIS HELPS US
HAVE SOME RELIABIITY TO DEAL
WITH THE THINGS THAT MAY COME U
IN OUR LIVES. I APPRECIATE THE
CITY COUNCIL WORKING TO ADDRESS
THIS ISSUE. WE ARE LOOKING TO
YOU ALL AND COUNTING ON YOU ALL
TO MAKE THIS DECISION TO HELP
US. I WANT TO THANK THE OFFICE
OF LABOR STANDARDS. I WANT TO
THANK YOU ALL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE
APPRECIATE IT. KIMBERLY FOLLOWE
BY ANOTHER. HELLO, KIMBERLY.
>> I HAVE BEEN WITH THE PAY UP
CAMPAIGN FOR A LONG TIME NOW. I
AM GLAD TO SEE A PROGRESS. THAN
YOU SO MUCH, LISE , FOR BEING
IN THE TRENCHES WITH US FOR A
WHILE NOW. AND TERESA. YOU GUY
HAVE BEEN GREAT. I'M GLAD THAT
WE HAVE GOTTEN THIS FAR. WE NEE
TO GET A LITTLE BIT FARTHER.
HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HELP US DO
THAT. I HAVE GOT A LOT OF PEOPL
HERE WILL BE GIVING YOU
TESTIMONIES. I WILL SAY THAT
THIS IS A GOOD THING AND WE NEE
TO DO IT. THESE COMPANIES DURIN
THE EMERGENCY WERE SLACKING OF
OR NOT PAYING . I AM JUST GLAD
THAT WITH THIS LEGISLATION, IT
WILL BE ENHANCED WITH
ENFORCEMENT. THAT IS IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF
GIG WORKERS OUT THERE WHO NEED
ALL KINDS OF HELP. THIS IS JUS
ONE ASPECT OF THE WHOLE PACKAG
THAT WE HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING
FOR. IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT
PACKAGE. IF YOU CAN'T TAKE A
SICK DAY OFF, THEN YOUR WORK I
GOING TO SUFFER. YOUR LIFE IS
GOING TO SUFFER. HOMELESSNESS
RISES. PAY LOWERS. ALL THIS
KIND OF THING IF YOU CANNOT TAK
A DAY OR TWO OFF WHEN YOU NEED
IT. OUR FAMILIES HAVE SUFFERED,
TOO. THIS IS ACTUALLY HAVING A
FAR-REACHING EFFECT, JUST BEIN
ABLE TO GIVE SOMEBODY A SIMPLE
DAY OFF WHEN THEY NEED IT . I
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
EFFORTS ON OUR BEHALF. I HOPE
THEY WILL CONTINUE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
TIME TODAY. PETER FOLLOWED BY
MARGUERITE. GOOD MORNING,
PETER.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS. M
NAME IS PETER. I REPRESENT A
UNION OF DRIVERS ACROSS THE
WESTERN PORTION OF THE STATE.
GIG WORKERS DURING THE COVID
PANDEMIC , IT CHANGED THE LIVE
OF DRIVERS. THEY HAD TO KEEP
THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES
SAFE WITHOUT SACRIFICING THEIR
ABILITY TO PAY RENT AND PUT FOO
ON THE TABLE. THROUGH THE POWE
OF DRIVERS ORGANIZING TO FIGHT,
TOGETHER FOR ADJUST SYSTEM, W
SECURED THE RIGHT TO PAID SICK
TIME ACROSS WESTERN WASHINGTON
STATE IN 2022. I STAND BEFORE
YOU NOW URGING YOU TO ALLOW AL
WORKERS IN SEATTLE TO BENEFIT
THAT WE HAVE FOUGHT FOR AND WON
NO WORKER SHOULD BE FORCED TO
EXCHANGE THEIR LIVELIHOOD FOR
THEIR HEALTH. OUR ENTIRE
COMMUNITY IS MADE BETTER WHEN
WE DON'T REQUIRE THEM TO MAKE
CHOICE TO STAY HOME . SOMETIME
THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO
ANYTHING ELSE. I WILL URGE YOU
TO SUPPORT THESE DRIVERS ,
GIVING THEM BASIC TIME AND
PROTECTION. IT IS VERY
IMPORTANT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME AND YOUR WISDOM. YOU ARE
FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHTS OF
WORKERS IN SEATTLE AND KEEPING
OUR CITY SAFE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. MARGUERITE
FOLLOWED BY AZANI. GOOD
MORNING.
>> LIKE THE SONG SAID, STILL I
RISE, NEVER TO GIVE UP AND NEVE
TO GIVE IN. THAT IS THE KIND OF
SPIRIT I HAVE. MY NAME IS
MARGUERITE. BACK IN FRONT. I
AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT , THERE I
SOMETHING ON HERE ABOUT THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, OKAY? I
WILL CUT TO THE CHASE. IF YOU
DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT MONEY AND
RESOURCES TO DO ANYTHING ,
ACCORDING TO THIS ESTABLISHMENT
, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? THE
BIBLE IS CLEAR. MONEY ANSWERS
ALL THINGS . I HAVE ALREADY BEE
OFFENDED . HE SAID OFFENSES MAY
COME, BUT THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCES IS OVER THE
ESTABLISHMENT THAT HANDLES
SECURITY. OKAY? I MENTIONED
SECURITY BECAUSE I WENT UP
TODAY FOR THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION . YOU DON'T EVEN SHO
OUR FACES DOWN HERE ANYMORE.
THAT IS DISCRIMINATORY. WE HAV
TO SET UP HERE AND LOOK AT A
BOARD, BUT OTHER PEOPLE UP THER
ON THE SCREEN ARE BEING SEEN,
BUT NOT US. YOU ARE THE ONLY
ESTABLISHMENT THAT I KNOW OF
THAT PARTICIPATES IN THAT. AND
THE SUPREME COURT PROHIBITS
ARBITRARY, CAPRICIOUS ABUSE O
GOVERNMENTAL POWER. WE HAVE A
POWER HERE THAT NEEDS TO BE
ADDRESSED RIGHT NOW. NOT TO
SET NO CREDENCE FOR OUR PEOPL
TO BE AFRAID TO. AFRAID OF
WHAT? NO, YOU COME HERE AND
TESTIFY BECAUSE THEY ARE HUMAN
JUST LIKE WE ARE. WE ARE ALL
HUMAN BEINGS. AND YOU ARE
GETTING UP FROM OUT OF HERE,
SOME OF YOU, WHO HAVE NOT
ESTABLISHED THE FACT THAT WE
ARE ALL EQUAL. ALL MEN AND
WOMEN, SINCE THIS IS WOMEN'S
HISTORY MONTH , ARE CREATED
EQUAL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE
NEXT PERSON TO SPEAK IS MS.
SMITH FOLLOWED BY LYNN . IF
THERE IS ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO
SPEAK IN PERSON OR ONLINE, WE
WILL DO A LAST CALL. I WANTED T
MAKE SURE WE DID NOT MISS
ANYBODY. GOOD MORNING, MS.
SMITH.
>> HELLO. I AM SORRY. I COME
HERE A LOT WITH MY AUNT. I'M
JUST OVERHEARING A LOT OF
TESTIMONIES TODAY. THE SIMPLE
FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE HERE ,
FIGHTING FOR SICK PAY , IS
REALLY DISTURBING TO ME. I DON'
WORK, HONESTLY, BECAUSE I FEEL
SICK IN THE MIND SOMETIMES. I
FEEL SICK WITH SOCIETY. I FEEL
SICK ABOUT WHERE I POSITIONED
WITH MY LIFE. SOMETIMES PEOPLE
JUST NEED A BREAK MENTALLY.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST NEED A
BREAK FROM LIFE. SOMETIMES
PEOPLE JUST NEED A BREAK. YOU
KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST NEE
TO LIVE LIFE IS NOT JUST ABOUT
WORKING , GETTING UP EVERY DAY,
SITTING IN FRONT OF A DESK. I'M
PRETTY SURE YOU GUYS DON'T WANT
TO DO THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY OF
YOUR LIFE. SOMETIMES LIFE IS
ABOUT LIVING, SEEING THINGS,
SEEING PEOPLE, MEETING PEOPLE.
MAYBE THAT IS WHY WE ARE SICK.
MAYBE THAT IS WHY WE ARE SO
AFRAID OF SPEAKING UP, BECAUSE
WE ARE IN A SOCIETY WHERE WE
CAN'T EVEN MEET PEOPLE AND FEE
LIKE WE ARE DIFFERENT BECAUSE
OF OUR PAIN OR MAYBE WHAT WE GO
THROUGH. EVERYBODY IS TIRED.
I'M PRETTY SURE PEOPLE HERE ARE
TIRED. I PRETTY TIRED, EVEN
THOUGH I DON'T WORK. I'M PRETTY
SURE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING ON
APPS, PEOPLE ARE LIMITED TO
WORKING ON APPS. THAT IS SAD.
THAT IS SICKENING. AND THEN ON
TOP OF THAT, NOT BEING ABLE TO
SEE OUR FACES, YES, THAT IS NOT
RIGHT. ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HER
AND YOU SHOWED NONE OF THEIR
FACES. BUT YOU GUYS SHOW YOURS.
WE ARE ALL EQUAL IN THE EYES OF
GOD.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WHEN IS
OUR LAST SPEAKER SIGNED UP. AND
THAT I WILL MAKE SURE TO COME
BACK TO YOU. GO AHEAD, LYNN.
CAN I DOUBLE CHECK THAT YOUR
MICROPHONE IS WORKING? AND WE
WILL RESTART YOUR TIME. THAT IS
OKAY.
>> CAN I START OVER?
>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR HEARING US
TODAY. NOT ONLY AM I ACTIVE ON
GIG PLATFORMS INCLUDING
DELIVERY PLATFORMS LIKE UBER
EATS, DOORDASH, AND GRUBHUB,
BUT I AM A MEMBER OF DRIVE
FORWARD. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK
YOU FOR PUTTING THIS
LEGISLATION FORWARD TO MAKE
PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME
PERMANENT FOR GIG WORKERS LIKE
ME. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THA
WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT PAID
SICK TIME. DURING THE PANDEMIC,
WE LEARNED THAT IT IS CRUCIAL
FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME
KIND OF COMPENSATION WHEN WE
NEED TO TAKE THAT TIME OFF FOR
EITHER OURSELVES OR OUR
FAMILIES. I, HOWEVER, CONCERNED
ABOUT TWO THINGS IN THE PAID
SICK AND SAFE TIME BILL BEING
PRESENTED. THAT IS THE ACCRUAL
RATE. OUR MEMBERS HAVE GIVEN U
THIS FEEDBACK, ALSO. WE WOULD
REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE ACCRUAL
RATE THE ONE HOUR FOR 40 HOURS
WORKED , MIMICKING THE DRIVERS
LEGISLATION THAT WAS PUT
FORWARD. ALSO, RIGHT NOW IT IS
FORCING DRIVERS TO TAKE EIGH
HOURS AT A TIME OFF FOR A
ONE-HOUR DOCTOR APPOINTMENT AN
NOT BEING ABLE TO GO BACK TO
WORK ON THE PLATFORM THAT DAY.
WE ARE ASKING YOU TO MAYBE BUMP
THAT DOWN TO FOUR HOURS TO MIMI
THE PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME FO
THE DRIVERS. THAT WOULD MAKE A
HUGE IMPACT. I WOULD REALLY LIK
TO THANK YOU FOR HEARING US AND
HOPEFULLY ADOPTING THAT INTO TH
BILL . THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE
ONE LAST SPEAKER. COULD YOU
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND SIGN ON
THE LAST LINE ON THE PAPER? YOU
CAN DO THAT AFTERWARDS. WELCOME
AND GOOD MORNING.
>> MY NAME IS JAMES.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN. I HAV
A LOT OF HEALTH ISSUES AT THE
MOMENT. BACK IN 1991 WHEN MY
LAST CHILD WAS BORN, SHE HAD
MAJOR HEALTH ISSUES. I RECEIVED
A BILL IN THE MAIL FROM THE JO
I WAS DOING. IT SAID $31,000
AFTER A 30 DAY STAY IN THE
HOSPITAL. ON THE BOTTOM, IT SAI
PAID IN FULL BECAUSE I WAS
SUPPORTED BY THE COMPANY I
WORKED FOR. THERE ARE BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS FLYING AROUND IN THE
GIG INDUSTRY FOR ALL OF THESE
COMPANIES. THEY HAVE BILLIONS
THAT THEY ARE POCKETING AND NOT
SHARING. THEY DON'T HAVE THE
RIGHT TO DO THAT. THEY ARE DOIN
IT. IN THIS SOCIETY, IN
AMERICA, THEY DON'T HAVE THE
RIGHT. THEY NEED TO SHARE THE
WEALTH. THEY ARE NOT SHARING TH
WEALTH. PEOPLE , IF THEY HAVE T
BE SICK AND GO TO WORK, THEY
WILL TAKE THOSE ILLNESSES BACK
TO THEIR FAMILIES. IT WILL BE
MORE DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR
CHILDREN WHO HAVE TO STAY HOME
FROM SCHOOL. WITH THAT BEING
SAID, WHEN I THINK IS THAT IT
ONLY TAKES THREE HOURS TO GO TO
A DOCTORS APPOINTMENT AT THE
MOST, EIGHT HOURS IF YOU'RE
GETTING A PROCEDURE THAT YOU
NEED TO BE PAID FOR. I ADVOCAT
FOR THREE HOURS FOR A DOCTORS
APPOINTMENT AND YOU ONLY NEED
WHOLE DAY IF YOU HAVE AN EXTRA
PROCEDURE TO BEGUN AND YOU NEE
TO GO HOME.
>> THAT CONCLUDES EVERYBODY WE
HAVE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT. I APPRECIATE ALL OF
THE INTEREST. JUST MAKING SURE
FOR THE FOLKS ONLINE, THERE IS
NOBODY ELSE WHO DIALED IN, IS
THERE?
>> NO, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> GREAT. WHAT'S THAT?
>> THERE ARE NO FURTHER PUBLIC
COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU. I WOULD ENCOURAG
FOLKS TO STAY IF YOU ARE ABLE
TO. I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE MULTIPLE
COMMITMENTS. THERE ARE A FEW
AREAS WHERE I THINK THAT THE
STATE POLICY AND THE LOCAL
POLICY THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO
EXTEND ARE GETTING A LITTLE
CROSSED UP. WE WILL HAVE KARIN
BULL FROM CENTRAL STAFF TO TALK
ABOUT SOME OF THE ACCRUAL ISSUE
THAT CAME UP AND MAKE SURE THAT
THEY ARE A LITTLE MORE CLEAR
AND STREAMLINED. I ALSO HAVE AL
OF THE SIGN-UPS WE CAN FOLLOW
UP INDIVIDUALLY, AS WELL, IF YO
DO HAVE TO LEAVE. THAT BRINGS U
TO THE AGENDA IN FRONT OF US.
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE REA
THE ITEM INTO THE RECORD?
>> CB 120514, AN ORDINANCE
RELATING TO APP-BASED WORKERS I
SEATTLE, ESTABLISHING THIS FOR
VOTE.
>> CAN FOLKS ON THE LINE HERE
THE CLERK AS WELL? I WANT TO
START WITH THE THANK YOU. ONE
PERSON WHO IS NOT ON THE PANEL
TODAY BUT IS VERY MUCH WATCHING
AND ACTIVELY LISTENING IS THE
CHIEF OF STAFF IN MY OFFICE.
THIS PERSON IS THE LEAD ON ALL
THINGS LABOR AND HAS BEEN FOR
THE LAST ALMOST 6 YEARS.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE SUCH GREAT
TEAM MEMBERS AND ADVISORS THAT
YOU JUST IMPLICITLY TRUST THAT
THE WORK THEY ARE DOING WILL BE
INCLUSIVE, EFFECTIVE, AND
THOUGHTFUL. SHE HAS DONE A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH KARINA BULL,
WHO HAS SPENT ENDLESS HOURS
WORKING ON THE POLICY THAT WE
HAVE IN FRONT OF US,
COMPLEMENTING THE WORK THAT SHE
DID IN 2020. WE WANT TO THANK
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, EXPLICITLY
BRIANNA THOMAS. THIS IS A JOIN
EFFORT. WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP
OF ALL THESE PEOPLE, WE WOULD
NOT HAVE SUCH A THOUGHTFUL AND
COMPLETE POLICY FOR OUR
CONSIDERATION TODAY. THIS
LEGISLATION WAS SCHEDULED FOR
DISCUSSION TWO WEEKS AGO. I
MYSELF HAD TO PAY , TAKE PAID
SICK LEAVE. WE WILL HAVE A BRIE
OVERVIEW OF HOW WE GOT HERE. W
WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM
THE LABOR LEAD WITHIN THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE, BRIANNA THOMAS
, COOL BE FOLLOWED BY A QUICK
OVERVIEW BY THE OFFICE OF LABO
STANDARDS AND THEN FINALLY
KARINA BULL. AS FOLKS KNOW,
SEATTLE PASSED AND IMPLEMENTED
PAID SICK LEAVE FOR EMPLOYEES
ABOUT 11 YEARS AGO, 2012. SOME
OF YOU WERE HERE. I THINK YOU
FOR YOUR LONG-TERM COMMITMENT T
MAKING SURE MORE WORKERS HAVE
ACCESS TO PAID SICK AND SAFE
LEAVE. THIS IS NOT JUST A LABOR
STANDARDS POLICY TO IMPROVE TH
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF
WORKERS. THIS IS TRULY A PUBLIC
HEALTH AND EQUITY ISSUE. WE ARE
MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
CONTINUING OUR COMMITMENT TO
EXPAND PAID SICK AND SAFE LEAVE
TO WORKERS WHO INTERACT WITH
MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC ,
THE SAME PRINCIPLES THAT LEAD U
TO PASSING THE ORDINANCE 11
YEARS AGO. WE WANT TO MAKE SUR
THAT WORKERS ARE NOT HAVING TO
CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR JOBS AND
FORGOING A PAYCHECK. WORRIED
ABOUT NOT HAVING A PAYCHECK TO
PAY FOR RENT AND GROCERIES AND
ALL THE THINGS THAT THEIR FAMIL
MIGHT NEED. WE WANT THEM TO STA
HOME WHEN THEY ARE ACTUALLY
SICK. THAT IS WHAT DOES IT THI
DOES, ENABLE PEOPLE TO STAY
HOME TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES
OR THEIR FAMILY OR TAKE SAFE
LEAVE IF THEY ARE EXPERIENCING
STOCKING, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
HAVE EXPERIENCED A SEXUAL
ASSAULT, OR IF THEIR PLACE OF
CARE FOR THEIR CUTER KIDS HAVE
CLOSED DUE TO A PUBLIC CRISIS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WORKERS
DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE
BETWEEN THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY
AND THAT PAYCHECK. THERE HAS
BEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WOR
BY KARINA BULL. WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO WORK OVER A 2 TO 3 MONT
PERIODS AND CRAFT LEGISLATION T
MAKE SURE WE HAD ROBUST
PROTECTIONS AROUND SAFE LEAVE
FOR FAMILIES WHO WERE WITHIN
THE NOTICE OF AN HOUR TO FIND
OUT THAT THEIR DAY CARE CENTER
WERE CLOSING REMEMBER MARCH
2020? WE WERE TRYING TO BE AS
RESPONSIBLE AS POSSIBLE TO THE
GROWING NEWS ABOUT THE PANDEMIC
THE USE OF SAFE LEAVE OR SICK
LEAVE WAS NOT AN ACTUAL
APPLICABLE LEAVE OF OUR POLICY.
WE EXPANDED THAT. WHEN THERE I
A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OR A
HAZARD, WE WILL CHANGE THE CODE
OF THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT SAFE
LEAVE IS AVAILABLE FOR PARENTS
OR CARETAKERS NEED TO USE THAT
TIME TO BE COMPENSATED FOR NOT
GOING TO WORK IF THEIR PLACE OF
CARE FOR THEIR LOVED ONES WAS
CLOSING THAT IS THE TYPE OF
QUICK RESPONSE WE DID IN EARLY
20 20. WE AMENDED IT TO MAKE
SURE THAT FRONTLINE WORKERS,
ESSENTIAL WORKERS GOT WHAT THEY
NEEDED. THEY COULD USE THAT FOR
PUBLIC HEALTH RELATED CLOSURES.
WE WORKED TOGETHER IN JUNE TO
PASS LEAVE FOR GIG WORKERS ,
RECOGNIZING SO MANY PEOPLE .
THEIR GROCERIES, FOOD, MANY
PEOPLE IN THE HOME. THEY WERE
USING APP-BASED APPLICATIONS
MORE THAN THEY HAD IN THE PASSE
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TO PROTECT
THE WORKERS OUT THERE ON THE
FRONT LINE. THAT LEGISLATION
CREATED TEMPORARY SICK LEAVE FO
GIG WORKERS. IT WAS PASSED
UNANIMOUSLY AND WAS SIGNED TO
THE MAYOR AT THE TIME. IT WAS
ALSO TEMPORARY LEGISLATION. THI
EMERGENCY LEGISLATION THAT WE
PASSED HAD AN EXTENSION ON IT
THAT NOTED THAT WHENEVER THE
MAYOR , WHENEVER THE EMERGENCY
ORDER WAS ENDED BY THE MAYOR, I
WOULD GIVE US A SIX-MONTH GRACE
PERIOD TO BEST ADDRESS THE
ONGOING NEEDS OF WORKERS AND TH
HEALTH OF THE PUBLIC. THAT
TEMPORARY MEASURE IS SET TO
EXPIRE IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR.
THAT IS WHY IT IS SO IMPERATIVE
THAT WE WORK TO GIVE OURSELVES
THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THIS
LEGISLATION THIS MONTH SO IT
CAN GO INTO EFFECT NEXT MONTH
AND NO WORKER IS LEFT WITHOUT
ACCESS TO PAID SICK AND SAFE
LEAVE. I AM REALLY GRATEFUL
AGAIN TO THE WORK OF SOME OF
OUR COLLEAGUES IN 2020. I WANT
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
WHO HAS NOT ONLY CHAMPIONED AND
SUPPORTED THIS ISSUE, BUT HAS
HER OWN LEGISLATION THAT WE
HAVE BUILT UPON WITH THE
ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF US. IN
2022 AND 2023, WE HAD THE
PARTNERSHIP AND THE
COLLABORATION WITH MAYOR HARREL
AND HIS OFFICE , EXPLICITLY
KARINA BULL, WHO IS WITH US
TODAY. WE WORKED TO MAKE SURE
THAT LONG-TERM PAID SICK LEAVE
WAS A POSSIBILITY FOR GIG
WORKERS AND WE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD ON THE
LEGISLATION FROM COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD AND COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS
WHO IS WITH US TODAY AS PART OF
OUR COMMITTEE. THESE TWO WORKED
IN THE LAST YEAR TO EXPAND
ACCESS TO LABOR STANDARDS FOR
GIG WORKERS UNDER THE PAY UP
LEGISLATION. WE HAVE A LOT TO
LEARN FROM, RIGHT? 2 1/2 YEARS
OF TEMPORARY SICK AND SAFE
LEAVE, AND THE LIVED EXPERIENC
OF WORKERS AND DRIVERS AND OUR
COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE
LEANED ON HEAVILY. OUR OFFICE
PRIDES ITSELF ON DEEP
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND HOW
EXISTING POLICY IS AFFECTING
FOLKS AND WHAT MIGHT NEED TO
CHANGE AS WE THINK ABOUT
APPLICATION FOR COMPANIES WHO
NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
SHARING THE RIGHTS AND
RESPONSIBILITIES OF WORKERS THA
THEY HAVE ON THEIR PLATFORMS. W
WORKED WITH WORKERS DIRECTLY,
WITH MEMBERS OF WORKING
WASHINGTON, TEAMSTERS 117, THE
CENTER FOR POPULAR DEMOCRACY
ACTION NATIONAL LEVEL, THE
CENTER FOR LAW AND SOCIAL POLIC
IN D.C., OUR NATIONAL POWERS ,
AND OTHER IMPACT. THAT INCLUDE
DOORDASH, UBER EATS,
POSTMATES, AND LYFT. SINCE
THEN, WE HAVE ALSO CONNECTED
WITH A FEW ADDITIONAL INDUSTRY
APPLICATIONS AND SAT DOWN WITH
WORKERS AT THE TABLE TO TALK
ABOUT HOW THIS COULD BE APPLIED
AND HOW WE CAN CONSTANTLY
IMPROVE PUBLIC POLICY. SINCE TH
PASSAGE OF THIS LEGISLATION,
THERE ARE FOUR MAJOR TAKEAWAYS
THAT WE HAVE INCORPORATED. I
WILL MAKE SURE TO TURN OVER TO
OUR COMMUNITY PANEL HERE IN A
SECOND. I WANTED OUR COLLEAGUES
TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT IS IN
FRONT OF US REFLECTS THE FACT
THAT, NUMBER ONE, THE GIG
ECONOMY IS GROWING. NUMBER TWO,
THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW
NEEDED TO BE CONSISTENT. NUMBER
THREE, THE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS
STILL PERSISTS. THE CRISES
STILL PERSIST. NUMBER FOUR, AS
NOTED , WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBERS
WHO HAVE EXPANDED AND EXTENDED
LABOR PROTECTIONS. WE HAVE A
CHANCE TO HARMONIZE DEFINITIONS
THOSE OF THE FOUR ISSUES WE
CENTERED ON IN THE LEGISLATION
AND HOW WE CAN EXTEND THESE
TEMPORARY MEASURES AND MAKE THE
PERMANENT. IN KARINA BULL'S MEM
RELATED TO THE FIRST ITEM, THE
GIG ECONOMY CONTINUES TO GROW.
STUDY BY MASTERCARD PROJECTED
DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH FOR THE GIG
ECONOMY OVER THE LAST FOUR YEAR
SALES FOR FOOD-BASED APP
DELIVERY SERVICES HAVE GROWN
SUBSTANTIALLY SINCE 2018.
SIMILAR GROWTH IS PROJECTED
THROUGH 2026. THIS IS AN
INDUSTRY THAT CONTINUES TO GROW
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE
WORKERS IN THIS INDUSTRY GET
ACCESS TO THOSE LABOR STANDARDS
THAT WE KNOW ARE SO GOOD FOR
THEM AND ALSO THE HEALTH OF THE
POPULATION. WE RECOGNIZE THAT
THIS IS SOMETIMES CONFLATED
WITH THE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
ISSUE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
FOLKS KNOW THIS LEGISLATION DOE
NOT OPINE ON THE STATUS OF
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, SIMILA
TO OUR PASSED EFFORTS. WE ARE
SAYING IF YOU WORK ON AN APP
PLATFORM, THAT YOU HAVE CERTAIN
PROTECTIONS FOR OUR COLLEAGUES
HAVE LED ON WAYS WE CAN MAKE
SURE THAT GREATER AWARENESS IS
PROVIDED TO FOLKS WHO WORK ON
THESE APP-BASED PLATFORMS. WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE T
EXTEND IT . IT IS IMPERATIVE FO
US TO RECOGNIZE THE GROWTH IN
THIS SECTOR AND THUS THE
INCREASED NEED FOR US TO EXTEN
LABOR PROTECTIONS AS WE SEE MOR
THAN HALF OF THE WORKERS ON
THESE APP-BASED PLATFORMS
EXPRESSING CONCERN ABOUT
CONTRACTING ILLNESS WHILE AT
WORK. THE SECOND ITEM WHERE WE
HAVE SEEN INCONSISTENCIES, PART
OF THE DOWNSIDE OF OUR PASSED
LEGISLATION IS THAT WE HEARD
FROM WORKERS THAT THERE WAS
INCONSISTENCIES WITH HOW THE
BENEFITS WERE BEING EXPLAINED
TO WORKERS AND HOW THE WORKERS
COULD ACCESS THE TEMPORARY
PROTECTIONS. WE RECOGNIZE IS
THAT SOME PLATFORMS OFFER PAID
SICK AND SAFE LEAVE, SOME DID
NOT. SOME OF THE BENEFITS WERE
BEING APPLIED INCONSISTENTLY.
THIS BECOMES PROBLEMATIC WHEN W
TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE GROWTH IN
THIS SECTOR 16% OF ALL
AMERICAN ADULTS EARN SOME FORM
OF INCOME ON APP-BASED
PLATFORMS. ABOUT A THIRD OF
THOSE WORKERS, THIS IS THEIR
MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME. OVER 50%
OF WORKERS WHO USE APP-BASED
PLATFORMS TO EARN THEIR INCOME,
THEY FEAR CONTRACTING SOME FORM
OF AN ILLNESS. THE NUMBERS EVEN
HIGHER FOR BIPOC WORKERS. WE
HAVE AN ECONOMIC JUSTICE
RESPONSIBILITY, A PUBLIC HEALTH
RESPONSIBILITY, AND A RACIAL
JUSTICE RESPONSIBILITY TO
ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. THE THIRD
THING IS THAT , WHILE THERE IS
MAYBE DISAGREEMENT OUT THERE
ABOUT FACTS AND DATA AND TRUT
DURING THE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS
THAT IS THE PANDEMIC , WHAT WE
KNOW IS THAT EVERYBODY NOW HAS
EXPERIENCED THE CONCERN ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE
CONTRACTING COVID, THE TICKLING
YOUR THROAT THAT STARTS, THE
WORRY THAT YOU HAVE SPREAD IT
TO YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND
NEIGHBORS, AND THE WORRY THAT
YOU HAVE CONTRACTED THE DISEAS
YOURSELF OR SHARED IT WITH YOUR
LOVED ONES. WE WANT TO TAKE
AWAY ANY OF THE POLITICS OF THI
AND RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS GOOD
FOR THE HEALTH OF THE PUBLIC TO
APPLY SICK AND SAFE LEAVE SO IF
SOMEBODY STARTS TO FEEL SICK,
THEY KNOW THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS
TO PAID LEAVE SO THEY DON'T HAV
TO GOING TO WORK SICK. THIS
LEGISLATION LIKE OUR STATE AND
CITY POLICIES BEFORE ALSO
INCLUDES PAID SAFE LEAVE. I
WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THIS, AS
WELL. ACCESS TO PAID SAFE LEAVE
IS A PUBLIC ISSUE, AS WELL. SAF
LEAVE IS AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS WH
MAY BE ARE EXPERIENCING
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HAVE
EXPERIENCED A SEXUAL ASSAULT,
AND ALSO INCLUDES SITUATIONS
WHERE PLACES OF CARE CLOSED
DOWN. IN THE LAST THREE YEARS,
THESE TYPES OF PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISES HAVE ALSO INCREASED .
INCREASE IN PERSONAL VIOLENCE I
COMPOUNDING THE EXISTING HEALTH
STRESSORS IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT
IS A CO-OCCURRING ISSUE DURING
THE PANDEMIC. IF PEOPLE NEED
ACCESS TO SAFE LEAVE, WE ARE
EXTENDING THAT PUBLIC POLICY TO
MORE WORKERS SO THAT NO ONE HAS
TO GO TO WORK WHEN THEY ARE IN
STATE OF TRAUMA AND THEY NEED T
GET ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES.
AM EXCITED THAT WE HAVE IN FRON
OF US THE LEGISLATION FOR US
TODAY. THREE YEARS AGO, WE HEAR
FROM A GRUBHUB DRIVER. I WANT T
USE HIS STORY. IT IS SIMILAR T
THE STORIES WE HAVE HEARD TODAY
HE SAID, NOW THAT THE PANDEMIC
IS HERE, PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY.
THEY ARE HIDING IN THEIR HOMES
FROM A VIRUS. SUDDENLY I AM
ESSENTIAL BUT I RISKING EXPOSUR
TO A HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS, POSSIBL
DEADLY VIRUS TO FETCH DINNER FO
PEOPLE. THAT IS WHY WE NEED SIC
LEAVE. I WAS SICK WITH EXTREME
FLULIKE SYMPTOMS THROUGH MARCH
2020. ALTHOUGH I WAS EXTREMELY
WEAK AND CONSTANTLY COUGHING AN
HAVING TROUBLE TAKING A FULL
BREATH, I TELL YOU THAT I KEPT
WORKING, BECAUSE IT WAS MY ONLY
SOURCE OF INCOME. AT TIMES, I
WAS TOO WEAK TO FINISH MY SHIFT
. I LOST MY OPPORTUNITY TO EARN
INCOME. GIG WORK IS MY ONLY
INCOME. I NOW BEHIND ON ALL OF
MY MONTHLY BILLS. I WORK AS MUC
IS POSSIBLE, BUT THERE ARE STIL
DAYS WHERE I DO NOT MAKE ENOUGH
TO GO ON FOR THE NEXT DAY, TO
PUT GAS IN THE CAR, OR GRAB A
FEW GROCERIES. I DO NOT LIVE
PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. I DO NOT
LIVE DAY-TO-DAY. I LIVE ORDER
TO ORDER. I DO NOT KNOW HOW I
WILL FINANCIALLY RECOVER. I AM
STILL EXPERIENCING WAVES OF
COVID-19 SYMPTOMS. AT TIMES, I
AM NOT ABLE TO WORK. WITH SICK
LEAVE, I WOULD NOT HAVE TRIED T
WORK WHEN I WAS SO VERY SICK AN
POSSIBLY SPREADING THE
CORONAVIRUS. I WOULD HAVE STAYE
HOME. WITH SICK LEAVE, I MAY
HAVE RECOVERED FASTER. THAT WAS
THE IMPETUS TO OUR WORK IN 2020
THAT IS WHY WE ARE SO EXCITED T
BE ABLE TO EXTEND THESE
PROTECTIONS ON AN ONGOING BASIS
I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND THE DEPARTMENT THAT
BEGAN WORKING WITH US IN THE
BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, JANUARY
MY OFFICE MET WITH THE MAYOR'
OFFICE AND WITH KARINA BULL FRO
CENTRAL STAFF. WE MET WITH
MEMBERS FROM OTHER COMPANIES.
THESE WORKERS WHO WORK FOR THIS
COMPANY'S SHARED HOW VALUABLE
THE PAID
>> LEGISLATION HAD BEEN. ONE
SHARED THAT IT WAS A LIFESAVER.
ANOTHER SHARED THAT ALLOWED FOR
THEM TO TAKE PAID TIME OFF AND
NOT PUSH PASSED THEIR LIMITS.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE DOING THIS
WORK SO QUICKLY HERE TODAY. I
WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEIN
OUR PANELISTS HERE TODAY. I WAN
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
AND COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS FOR
THEIR WORK IN DEFINING COVERAGE
FOR THIS NEW SEGMENT TO THEIR
LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED
EARLIER CALLED PAY UP. WE HAVE
DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN IN THIS
LEGISLATION AS WELL. THE FOURTH
ITEM I MENTIONED WAS TO
HARMONIZE DEFINITIONS WERE
POSSIBLE. I WILL TURN IT OVER T
OUR PANEL. I WILL START WITH
BRIANNA THOMAS FROM THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE. THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PARTNERSHIP IN GETTING THE BALL
ROLLING ON THIS LEGISLATION AND
FOR YOUR WORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS
WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE WORK
OF YOU AND THE ENTIRE EXECUTIVE
TEAM I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU
FIRST TO PROVIDE US WITH AN
OVERVIEW. THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR MOSQUEDA.
MORNING, EVERYONE. I KNOW I
PERSONALLY LOVE WATCHING
LEGISLATION BEING MADE. THIS
WILL BE A PARTICULARLY GOOD
PIECE OF THAT I COULD NOT AGREE
MORE THAT KEREM AND KARINA ARE
TREASURES. THIS BILL IS A GOOD
COMMON SENSE, GOOD VALUE
STATEMENT ABOUT THE FACT THAT
WE VALUE OUR WORKERS IN SEATTLE
AND THEY DESERVE TO HAVE PAID
SICK AND SAFE TIME SO THEY
DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN
THEIR BASIC NEEDS AND HAVING A
HEALTHY AND SAFE COMMUNITY.
SEVERAL PIECES OF LEGISLATION
WERE SET TO SUNSET. THIS IS ON
OF THEM. WE GOT TO WORK MAKING
SURE THAT THIS WAS A PERMANENT
PROTECTION FOR THE WORKERS HERE
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE. KEREM
DO QUITE A BIT OF WORK TO
HARMONIZE DEFINITIONS WITH
CHANGES WE HAD SEEN AT THE SAFE
LEVEL WITH THE BILL THAT WAS
SENT DOWN TO YOU. WE JUST WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT WOULDN'T THAT
SUNSET IT AT THE END OF APRIL,
WE WERE ALL READY TO GO TO
CONTINUE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION
BETWEEN THE TEMPORARY ORDINANCE
AND A PERMANENT LABOR STANDARD
HERE IN SEATTLE. I APPRECIATE
YOUR TIME IN COMMITTEE TODAY AN
YOUR CONSIDERATION BUT I
APPRECIATE THE PASSAGE OF THIS
BILL ON MONDAY SO WE CAN MAKE
SURE THERE IS NO GAP IN COVERAG
FOR WORKERS AND NO CHANGES THAT
ARE MAJOR AND NECESSARY FOR THE
PLATFORMS PROVIDING THIS BENEFI
THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THAT IS
WHAT I'VE GOT FOR YOU THIS
MORNING.
>> WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP, GETTING THE BALL
ROLLING ON THIS LEGISLATION. IT
HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO WORK WITH
ALL OF YOU TO EXTEND THIS
PROTECTION. KEREM, I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AS
WELL. THE TEAM FROM THE OFFICE
OF LABOR STANDARDS , AS THE
MEMO FROM CENTRAL STAFF CLEARLY
NOTES, BEEN VERY BUSY IN
HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEIR
RIGHTS UNDER THE ORDINANCE. CAN
YOU SHARE ABOUT THE WORK THAT
YOU HAVE HAD DURING THE
EMERGENCY LEGISLATION AND HOW
MUCH AND ANY OTHER COMMENTS YO
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ABOUT THE
LEGISLATION IN FRONT OF US,
INCLUDING IMPLEMENTATION ,
ENFORCEMENT, AND COSTS. WE WANT
TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THOSE
ISSUES AS WE SEEK TO MAKE SURE
THAT THOSE ISSUES ARE ELEVATED
MORE IN THE PUBLIC POLICY
COMMITTEES. IN MOURNING, KEREM.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR MOSQUEDA.
WILL KEEP MY COMMENTS BRIEF. I
WILL GO THROUGH A VERY QUICK
INTRODUCTION OF THE ISSUE AND
ADDRESS THINGS. AS WE HAVE
COVERED A LITTLE BIT, SO I WILL
KEEP IT BRIEF, THE CITY PASSED
PAID SICK LEAVE FOR EMPLOYEES
IN 2012. THAT POLICY HAS BEEN
SUCCESSFUL. OUR OFFICE HAS DONE
QUITE A BIT OF WORK ON IT. AS I
NOTED , IT APPLIES ONLY TO
EMPLOYEES. FOOD DELIVERY
NETWORK COMPANIES AND
TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANIE
THAT MAKE UP A LARGE PORTION OF
THE GIG ECONOMY LARGELY CLASSIF
THEIR WORKERS AS INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS. THEY DO NOT PROVID
PAID SICK LEAVE UNDER THE
EXISTING EMPLOYEE BASED SICK
AND WELLNESS ORDINANCE. AT THE
SAME TIME , DURING THE PANDEMIC
AS YOU NOTED, CHAIR MOSQUEDA,
THOSE WORKERS WERE THE BACKBONE
OF ESSENTIAL WORKERS, PROVIDIN
DELIVERY AND MEALS AND FOOD TO
FOLKS WHO WANTED TO SHELTER IN
PLACE AND TO REDUCE THE RISK OF
TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19.
RECOGNIZING THAT, COUNCIL
PASSED A TEMPORARY EMERGENCY
ORDINANCE THAT NOTED THAT
PROVISIONAL PAID SICK LEAVE
WOULD ALLEVIATE THE ECONOMIC
PRESSURES TO WORK WHEN
CONDITIONS ARE NOT SAFE AND
REDUCE THE RISK TO GIG WORKERS
FROM SPREADING ILLNESS. THAT
WENT INTO EFFECT IN JULY. THAT
WAS JULY 2020. WE ARE COMING U
ON THREE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE I
OUR OFFICE IN IMPLEMENTING IT .
AND FOR THE REGULATED ENTITIES,
THREE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
BUILDING THEIR COMPLIANCE
SYSTEMS, PROVIDING SICK LEAVE,
AND WORKING AND COMPLYING WITH
THE LAW. THOSE RIGHTS WILL
SUNSET ON APRIL 30. WE ARE
CERTAINLY ON A TIMELINE. AS
NOTED, THOSE LAWS APPLY TO FOO
DELIVERY NETWORK COMPANIES AND
TRANSPORTATION NETWORK
COMPANIES. THE LATTER HAS BEE
PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW. A FEW
QUICK HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT OUR
OFFICE HAS DONE TO IMPLEMENT
THAT TEMPORARY ORDINANCE. WE
HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF OUTREACH
AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES,
INCLUDING FACT SHEETS TRANSLATE
INTO NINE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES,
WEBINARS AVAILABLE ON OUR
WEBSITE, DOCUMENTS THAT GO
THROUGH ALL OF THE DETAILS OF
THIS ORDINANCE, BOTH FROM A
WORKER STANDPOINT AND FROM A
HIRING ENTITY STANDPOINT. WE
PROVIDED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT O
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE
PUBLIC. WE HAD A SOCIAL MEDIA
CAMPAIGN, NEWSLETTERS, AND
COORDINATED OUTREACH ACTIVITIE
CENTERED AROUND INTERNATIONAL
WORKERS DAY, AS WELL. WE TRAINE
OUR CONTRACTED PARTNERS. WE DID
OUTREACH IN THE COMMUNITY ON
THE ORDINANCE , PROVIDING THAT
SUPPORT ALSO TO OUR BUSINESS
PARTNERS, CREATING AN INDUSTRY
CLUSTER GROUP TO FOCUS ON THES
ISSUES AND PROVIDE INFORMATION
BACK TO OUR OFFICES. IN TERMS O
ENFORCEMENT, WE HAD ABOUT 215
WORKER INQUIRIES ON THIS
ORDINANCE. 11 LED TO
INVESTIGATIONS THAT AFFECTED
JUST SHY OF 21,000 WORKERS. THI
ORDINANCE HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE. I
IS CREATING BENEFITS FOR MANY,
MANY WORKERS. OUR OFFICE HAS
BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IT , TO
MOVE IT FORWARD SIGNIFICANTLY.
EVEN THOUGH THIS ORDINANCE
SERVED US IN A PANDEMIC CONTEXT
, WHICH IS WHAT HIGHLIGHTED THE
ISSUE, THE NEED FOR IT EXTENDE
BEYOND THE PANDEMIC CONTEXT FO
THE REASONS THAT YOU ADDRESSED,
CHAIR MOSQUEDA. IT IS THE
SIMPLE FACT THAT ALL WORKERS
SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO PAID SICK
LEAVE FOR NUMEROUS REASONS. IN
FACT, RESEARCHERS HAVE
PREVIOUSLY HIGHLIGHTED THIS IN
THEIR FINDINGS. SICK LEAVE
POLICIES REDUCED THE RATE OF
ILLNESSES. I WANTED TO PULL OU
ONE FINDING IN THE INTRODUCED
LEGISLATION THAT SUMS UP THE
INTERSECTIONAL POLICIES THAT
THIS ADDRESSES. THAT IS THAT
PROVIDING PAID SICK LEAVE
CREATES MORE STABLE AND
PRODUCTIVE WORKFORCES, ENHANCES
PUBLIC HEALTH, IMPROVES
ECONOMIC SECURITY WITH BENEFITS
TO WORKERS, THEIR FAMILIES,
NETWORK COMPANIES, AND THE
COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THAT IS
THE BULK OF WHAT I WANTED TO
ADDRESS. TO YOUR POINT ABOUT TH
IMPLEMENTATION COSTS, I WILL
HIGHLIGHT THOSE QUICKLY. WITH
ANY NEW LABOR STANDARDS
LEGISLATION THAT OUR OFFICE
IMPLEMENTS, THERE ARE TYPICALLY
ONE-TIME COSTS TO GET IT OUT TH
DOOR, SO TO SPEAK, IN TERMS OF
CREATING OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
MATERIALS, CREATING NOTICES
AROUND ADMINISTRATIVE
RULEMAKING. THEN THERE ARE
ONGOING COSTS. THE ONE-TIME COS
IN THIS INSTANCE IS ABOUT
$45,000 PER ONGOING COSTS ARE
FAR LESS, CLOSER TO $10,000. WE
TEND TO ASSESSED THAT WE HAVE
A NEED FOR ONE ADDITIONAL STAFF
MEMBER TO IMPLEMENT THIS. I KNO
KARINA WILL ADDRESS THE SCOPE
IN MORE DETAIL. WE HAVE A SINGL
STAFF MEMBER REQUEST, AS WELL.
THAT WOULD BE FOR HALF OF THE
YEAR FOR THIS YEAR AND THEN A
FULL STAFF MEMBER GOING FORWARD
THAT IS ALL I HAVE . I AM HAPPY
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. LET'S
HAVE KARINA WALK US THROUGH THE
PRESENTATION. WE WILL TAKE
QUESTIONS. KEREM, IF YOU ARE
AVAILABLE TO STAY IF THERE ARE
QUESTIONS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
BRIANNA, THE SAME EXTENDS TO
YOU, TOO, IF YOU HAVE THE
AVAILABILITY TO STAY. I WANT TO
TURN IT TO KARINA . DO YOU HAV
THE CAPABILITY TO BRING UP
YOUR PRESENTATION?
>> I HOPE TO DO IT.
>> GREAT. LET ME JUST SAY THAN
YOU ONCE AGAIN TO 3.39.035 --
KARINA BULL . I SHOULD NOTE
THAT MY CHIEF OF STAFF SHARED
WITH ME THAT KARINA BULL HAD
NOTED THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE
MOST DETAILED AND TIME
INTENSIVE PIECES OF LEGISLATION
THAT YOU HAVE WORKED ON. I
APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS
LEGISLATION AND IN 2020. I KNO
WE HAD A FEW PUBLIC COMMENTERS
ON THIS LEGISLATION WERE
BRINGING UP ISSUES RELATED TO
APPLICATIONS -- EXCUSE ME, THE
ACCRUAL AND HOW TO ACCESS THOSE
BENEFITS. I THINK YOUR
PRESENTATION WILL BE VERY
HELPFUL IN CLARIFYING WAYS IN
WHICH THE POLICY CAN BE APPLIED
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE KIND
WORDS. GOOD MORNING TO ALL THE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I WILL CLIC
THE BUTTON TO SHARE MY
PRESENTATION.
>> OKAY. GREAT. IT IS WORKING.
MAYBE JUST PRESENTATION MODE.
>> EXCELLENT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THIS IS QUITE A COMPREHENSIV
POLICY. IT IS A LOT TO GO OVER
IN A SHORT PRESENTATION. REST
ASSURED THAT THIS PRESENTATION
ALONG WITH THE MEMO AND THE
COMPARISON CHARTS ARE ALL
AVAILABLE ON THE AGENDA FOR
FUTURE REFERENCE, AS WELL. TO
BEGIN, THIS BILL WOULD
ESSENTIALLY MAKE PERMANENT WHAT
WAS TEMPORARY. WE HAVE HEARD
THAT FOR MANY FOLKS THIS MORNIN
NETWORK COMPANIES WOULD PROVIDE
APP-BASED WORKERS WITH PAID SIC
AND SAFE TIME TO CARE FOR THEIR
PERSONAL AND FAMILY MEMBERS
HEALTH NEEDS. THERE WOULD BE NO
DISRUPTION IN COVERAGE OF THOSE
TWO DELIVERY NETWORK COMPANY
WORKERS WHO ARE ALREADY COVERED
BY THE TEMPORARY ORDINANCE. JUS
A QUICK REFRESHER ON THE
TIMELINE. WE HAVE HEARD IT
VERBALLY. HERE IT IS IN RIDEN
FORM, THAT THE TEMPORARY
ORDINANCE WENT INTO EFFECT IN
JULY 2020. AT THE END OF THIS
MONTH, THOSE BENEFITS WILL
EXPIRE. THIS LEGISLATION IS
READY TO BECOME EFFECTIVE ON MA
1. ON JANUARY 13, 2024, THAT IS
THE DATE THAT THE MINIMUM
PAYMENT ORDINANCE WILL GO INTO
EFFECT, AND THAT IS A PIVOTAL
DATE FOR MANY OF THE PROVISIONS
IN THIS ORDINANCE. ONE OF THEM
WHICH I WILL GO INTO SOON, THAT
IS THE DATE WHEN THIS EXPANDED
NETWORK COMPANY COVERAGE WILL G
INTO EFFECT. THAT IS
MID-JANUARY. PAID SICK AND SAV
TIME, IT IS FOR APP-BASED
WORKERS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR
FAMILY MEMBERS. IT COVERS HEALT
CONDITIONS. IT ALSO COVERS SAVE
TIME NEEDS. THIS ORDINANCE, AS
I SAID, IS LARGELY THE SAME AS
THE TEMPORARY ONE. THERE ARE
SOME SUBSTANTIVE REVISIONS
REGARDING COVERAGE AND PAY . AN
THEN THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF
OTHER REVISIONS, AS WELL. FOR
COVERAGE, THE WORKERS AND THE
COMPANIES THAT WOULD BE COVERED
ARE EXPANDED FROM FOOD DELIVERY
NETWORK COMPANIES TO ALL
APP-BASED WORKERS THAT ARE ALS
COVERED BY THAT MINIMUM PAYMEN
ORDINANCE. SOME ARE NOT COVERE
BECAUSE THEY ARE EXEMPTED BY
THAT STATE LAW. AS FAR AS THE
UNIVERSE OF WHAT THESE TYPES OF
COMPANIES ARE, THEY ARE GOING T
BE ALL OF THE ON-DEMAND
DELIVERY COMPANIES, WHETHER THE
ARE DELIVERING FOOD, LAUNDRY,
ON DEMAND CARWASHES, ET CETERA.
ALL OF THOSE SORTS OF COMPANIE
WILL BE COVERED. THERE ARE ALSO
SOME NETWORK COMPANIES THAT
FACILITATE PRESCHEDULED OFFERS
THAT WILL BE COVERED. THESE AR
NOT MARKETPLACE NETWORK
COMPANIES, WHICH I WILL GET TO
IN A MINUTE. THESE ARE COMPANIE
THAT ARE IN THAT AREA IN BETWEE
ON DEMAND AND MARKETPLACE
NETWORK COMPANIES THAT STILL
EXERT A FAIR AMOUNT OF CONTROL
OVER THE WORKERS THAT ARE
ACCEPTING THEIR OFFERS. FOR
EXAMPLE, TWO DELIVERY AND
ON-DEMAND DELIVERY IS EASY TO
UNDERSTAND THE CUSTOMER REPLACE
AN ORDER FOR A RESTAURANT ITEM
OR LAUNDRY AND THEN THE WORKER
GOES AND PICKS IT UP AND BRINGS
IT TO THE LOCATION OF THE
CUSTOMER. THERE ARE SOME NETWOR
COMPANIES THAT ARE OFFERING
SHIFTS OR JOBS TO WORKERS THAT
THE WORKERS CHOOSE THE CUSTOME
HAS PLACED AN ORDER FOR IT
SEPARATELY. THAT COULD BE A
WORKER THAT IS LOOKING AT A
LARGE RIGHTY OF THINGS THAT THE
COULD EXCEPT. FOR EXAMPLE,
PUTTING TOGETHER A DISHWASHER
FOR TWO HOURS WOULD PAY A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY. OR
PUTTING TOGETHER A FURNITURE FO
THREE HOURS WOULD PAY A CERTAI
AMOUNT OF MONEY. OR TAKE A SHIF
AT A RESTAURANT THAT THEY DON'T
TYPICALLY WORK AT. FOR THOSE
SORTS OF NETWORK COMPANIES, THE
WOULD BE COVERED BY THIS. I
HESITATE TO NAME A COMPANY
WITHOUT DOING THE FULL DEEP
DIVES RESEARCH, BUT ONE THAT
MIGHT BE COVERED COULD BE HANDY
AS A TOUCHSTONE. MARKETPLACE
NETWORK COMPANIES WOULD NOT BE
COVERED BY THIS ORDINANCE. THEY
ARE ALSO NOT COVERED BY THAT PA
A MINIMUM PAYMENT ORDINANCE, AS
WELL. THESE COMPANIES LET
CUSTOMERS AND THE WORKERS
WHERE THE CUSTOMER CHOOSES THE
WORKER AND THEY WORK OUT THE
DETAILS OF THE KIND OF JOB THAT
THE WORKERS GOING TO PERFORM. M
ANALYSIS IS THAT ROVER WOULD BE
A MARKETPLACE NETWORK COMPANY
THAT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY
THIS LEGISLATION. AS WE ALREADY
MENTIONED, TRANSPORTATION
NETWORK COMPANIES WOULD NOT BE
COVERED, AS WELL. ACCORDING TO
MY ANALYSIS, AND THIS IS NOT
COMPREHENSIVE AT ALL , I WAS
ABLE TO IDENTIFY AT LEAST 12
FOOD DELIVERY NETWORK COMPANIES
THAT WOULD BE COVERED BY THE
TEMPORARY ORDINANCE.
IMMEDIATELY, I COULD ALREADY
IDENTIFY AT LEAST DOUBLE THAT
AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE COVERED B
THE APP-BASED WORKER MINIMUM
PAYMENT ORDINANCE, WHICH WOULD
BE THE FULL BREADTH OF COVERAGE
GOING INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY. I
IMAGINE THERE ARE MANY MORE .
THIS IS A GROWING INDUSTRY BUT
IMAGINE THAT THERE WILL BE MORE
MORE COMPANIES COVERED BY THE
LEGISLATION AS TIME GOES BY.
COVERAGE DATE WOULD BE MAY 1.
WORKERS WOULD EXPERIENCE NO
DISRUPTION IN THEIR BENEFITS. I
MID-JANUARY, THAT IS WHEN ALL
THE APP-BASED WORKERS WOULD BE
COVERED BY THIS LEGISLATION.
ACCRUAL AND USE, ACCRUAL WOULD
BE ONE HOUR FOR EVERY 30 DAYS
WORKED OF SICK AND SAFE TIME.
IF THERE IS A DRIVER WHO
PERHAPS EXCEPTS AN ORDER WHEN
THEY ARE IN ONE PLACE AND THEN
DRIVES INTO SEATTLE TO GO TO A
RESTAURANT TO RESTORE AND THEN
DELIVERS IT IN SEATTLE, THAT
ENTIRE DAY WOULD COUNT TOWARDS
THEIR PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME
ACCRUAL. IT IS A VERY SIMPLE AN
LOW BARRIER WAY OF ACCRUING TH
TIME AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE
TIME IS. IF THAT WORKER
ACCEPTED THE ORDER AND DROVE
INTO THE CITY TO GO TO THE STOR
TO PICK IT UP AND THEN DELIVERE
IT BACK , THAT THEY WOULD HAVE
ONE WORK-RELATED STOP IN
SEATTLE. IT WOULD STILL COUNT A
A DAY THAT WOULD TRIGGER PSST
ACCRUAL.
>> I WILL LET YOU FINISH AND
THEN WE WILL TAKE A QUESTION.
THREE THE LAST POINT ON THIS
SLIDE IS HOW WORKERS COULD USE
THEIR ACCRUED LEAVE THEY COULD
USE IT IN 24 HOUR INCREMENTS.
THE WORKER WOULD CONTACT THE
NETWORK COMPANY AND THEY WOULD
BE PAID FOR A FULL DAY, WHICH I
WILL GET INTO IN A MOMENT. THEY
WERE COULD REQUEST IT FOR
CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF USE, AS
WELL. THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO
USE THE PAID LEAVE IF THEY HAD
WORKED IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN
SEATTLE IN THE PREVIOUS 90
CALENDAR DAYS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, YOU
ARE UP IN THE QUEUE NEXT. CAN W
DO THIS SLIDE NEXT BECAUSE IT
DOVETAILS INTO THE DISCUSSION?
I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT ACCRUAL,
BUT I CAN HOLD MY QUESTION.
>> LET'S DO THAT JUST MAKE SURE
THAT WE SORT OF SEE THESE TWO
SLIDES IN TANDEM. DO YOU MIND
DOING PAYMENT? THEN WE WILL HEA
FROM COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> A PAYMENT IS AVERAGE DAILY
COMPENSATION. IT IS A SIMILAR
IDEA AS THE TEMPORARY
ORDINANCE. THE PARAMETERS OF IT
HAVE CHANGED FOR THIS PERMANEN
VERSION OF THE PAID SICK AND
SAFE TIME REQUIREMENTS. IT WOUL
BE THE DAILY AVERAGE OF
COMPENSATION FOR EACH DAY WORKE
IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN SEATTLE
IN THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS. THAT
COUNTS EVERY DAY THAT THE WORKE
HAS WORKED FOR THE NETWORK
COMPANY, EVEN IF THERE WAS NO
TOUCH POINTE IN SEATTLE. THE
IDEA IS TO INCENTIVIZE WORKERS
TO USE THEIR PAID SICK AND SAFE
TIME, NOT TO HAVE TO DO THE
COMPLICATED ROUND OF MATH TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT DAYS MAY HAVE
BEEN COVERED, WITH THEIR
PAYMENTS ARE GOING TO BE. IT IS
ANY DAY , THE AVERAGE OF ANY DA
WORKING IN THE PRECEDING 12
MONTHS. IT WOULD INCLUDE
EARNINGS INSIDE OF SEATTLE AND
OUTSIDE OF SEATTLE. AS OF
MID-JANUARY WHEN THAT MINIMUM
PAYMENT STANDARD GOES INTO
EFFECT FOR THESE WORKERS, TIPS
WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THAT
AVERAGE DAILY COMPENSATION. FOR
THE EIGHT MONTHS IN BETWEEN, MA
THROUGH MID-JANUARY, TIPS WOULD
BE INCLUDED ON THE PREMISE THAT
IN THAT TIME PERIODS, THE FOOD
DELIVERY NETWORK COMPANY WORKER
DON'T HAVE A MINIMUM PAY
STANDARD. THEY WILL BE INCLUDED
TO MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT WHA
THEY ARE LEARNING AND TO BUMP U
THEIR INCENTIVE TO USE THE PAID
LEAVE. THE RATE OF AVERAGE DAIL
COMPENSATION WOULD BE
RECALCULATED EVERY CALENDAR
MONTH. THAT WAY, WORKERS WOULD
HAVE A STATIC AMOUNT OF PAID
SICK AND SAFE TIME PAY THAT THE
CAN RELY ON AND NO FOR A FULL
CALENDAR MONTH IF THEY USE IT.
>> THANK YOU. LET'S GO BACK ONE
SLIDE. COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD,
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I
APPRECIATE THAT THERE APPEARS T
BE A TIERED PHASING IN OF
THESE REQUIREMENTS . I THINK I
UNDERSTAND THE BASIS OF THAT
PHASE FOR THE F AND SEES. THE
ISSUE IS THAT THIS IS A BENEFIT
THAT UNDER THE COVID ERA
ORDINANCE , FOLKS WERE ALREADY
RECEIVING FOR THAT GROUP. AND
SO WE WOULD WANT TO OFFER
SEAMLESS COVERAGE AND THAT SOR
OF INFRASTRUCTURE ALREADY EXIST
FOR THAT GROUP OF WORKERS IN A
WAY THAT IT DOES NOT FOR THE
OTHER APP-BASED WORKERS. ONE
THING I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT
RELATED TO THE ACCRUAL RATE,
WILL TWO, ONE , MY RECOLLECTIO
OF THE COVID ORDINANCE WAS
THAT THERE WASN'T AN ACCRUAL
RATE. THERE WAS A BANK OF SICK
TIME. THERE WASN'T A NEED TO
KEEP TRACK OF ACCRUAL. PEOPLE
MAY HAVE NEEDED TO TAKE LEAVE
SOONER THAN THERE WAS A TIME T
ACCRUAL. INSTEAD THERE WAS A
BANK OF TIME OR TIME WAS JUST
GRANTED I AM NOT QUITE SURE I
UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKED THEN.
HOW DID IT WORK THEN? TWO, HO
DID WE COME TO THIS ACCRUAL RAT
FOR THIS ORDINANCE? I DID HEAR
FOLKS IN PUBLIC COMMENT HAVING
QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAME TO
THE ACCRUAL RATE. THREE, IF
THERE WASN'T AN ACCRUAL PROCESS
FOR THE OLD ORDINANCE THAT IS
BEING REPLACED WITH THIS ONE,
DO THE APP-BASED COMPANIES HAVE
THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO
BEGIN TO TRACK ACCRUAL MOVING
FORWARD?
>> THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE
QUESTIONS. I HAVE RIDEN THEM
DOWN. FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED
TO THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING
THE REASON FOR THE DELAYED
EFFECTIVE DATE FOR THE FULL
BREADTH OF APP-BASED WORKERS
BEYOND JUST FOOD DELIVERY
NETWORK COMPANY WORKERS UNTIL
MID-JANUARY. IT IS EXACTLY FOR
THE REASONS THAT YOU STATED,
GETTING PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME
UP AND RUNNING IN 30 DAYS
HAPPENED WHEN THIS WAS , DURING
THE EARLY DAYS OF THE COVID
EMERGENCY BUT NOW THERE IS SOME
MORE TIME. THE CITY CAN GRANT
MORE TIME TO THE COMPANIES TO
GET THE SYSTEMS INTO PLACE. THE
WOULD HAVE AROUND EIGHT MONTHS
TO DO THAT. NEXT, I THINK WHAT
YOU ARE REFERRING TO ABOUT THE
BANK OF LEAVE IS THE TEMPORARY
ORDINANCES FOR LOADING
REQUIREMENTS. COMPANIES WERE
REQUIRED TO CHOOSE A ROUTE, AN
ACCRUAL METHOD. IN ADDITION TO
THAT, THEY ACCRUE ONE DAY FOR
EVERY 30 DAYS WORKED, AS WELL.
THIS HAPPENED IN THE EARLY DAYS
OF THE PANDEMIC. THE POLICY
DECISION WAS THAT WORKERS NEEDE
PAID SICK LEAVE IMMEDIATELY.
THEY COULD NOT WAIT 30 DAYS TO
ACCRUE TIME. THEY NEEDED IT
RIGHT THEN AND THERE. COMPANIES
CAN EITHER CHOOSE TO FRONTLOAD
FIVE DAYS INTO THE SICK LEAVE
BANK THAT THEY WOULD GET TO
KEEP IN ADDITION TO WHATEVER
THEY ACCRUED IN REAL TIME. OR
THE COMPANIES COULD CHOOSE A
FRONT LOADING METHOD WHERE THEY
WOULD GO BACK TO OCTOBER 2019
AND BASE IT ON THE ACTUAL NUMBE
OF DAYS WORKED SO THAT IS WHAT
I THINK YOU ARE REFERRING TO.
THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS
LEGISLATION. FD&C WORKERS WOUL
GET TO KEEP WHATEVER THEY HAD
PREVIOUSLY ACCRUED. AND HE
APP-BASED WORKERS NEWLY COVERED
IN JANUARY WOULD BEGIN FROM
ZERO, EACH IS MORE SIMILAR TO
THE POLICIES FOR EMPLOYEES WHO
ARE BEGINNING A NEW JOB. THEY
BEGAN FROM ZERO UNLESS THE
COMPANIES WANT TO FRONTLOAD THA
TIME. HERE COMPANIES CAN CHOOSE
TO FRONTLOAD IF THEY CHOOSE, AS
WELL.
>> HOW DID WE GET TO THIS
ACCRUAL RATE? MANY ASPECTS OF
THIS PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME
POLICY ARE BASED ON REQUIREMENT
FOR LARGE EMPLOYERS UNDER THE
PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME
ORDINANCE FOR EMPLOYEES. AS A
REFRESHER FOR FOLKS, THAT PAID
SICK AND SAFE TIME ORDINANCE FO
EMPLOYEES OF PORTIONS THE AMOUN
OF PAID LEAVE THAT WORKERS
ACCRUE AND HOW MUCH THEY GET TO
RETAIN FROM YEAR TO YEAR BASED
ON THE SIZE OF THE EMPLOYER.
SMALL, MEDIUM, AND LARGE
EMPLOYERS. IT IS ON THE PREMISE
THAT A SMALL EMPLOYER DID NOT
HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE
THE SAME AMOUNT OF SICK LEAVE
AS A LARGE EMPLOYER OF A LARGE
EMPLOYERS DEFINED AS 250 OR MOR
EMPLOYEES WORLDWIDE. A LARGE
EMPLOYERS ARE REQUIRED TO ALLOW
ONE HOUR FOR EVERY 30 HOURS
WORKED, CARRIED OVER TO 72
HOURS, WHICH IS NINE DAYS. A
NETWORK COMPANY IS CONSIDERED A
LARGE EMPLOYER. THAT IS WHY
THERE IS CARRYOVER UP TO NINE
DAYS. THAT IS WHY ONE DAY FOR
EVERY 30 DAYS, IT WORKS OUT TO
ROUGHLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF
NUMBER OF DAYS OF ACCRUAL AS A
EMPLOYEE. FOR EXAMPLE, IF AN
EMPLOYEE WORKED FULL-TIME, THEY
WOULD ACCRUE ABOUT 8.6 CALENDA
DAYS OR 72 HOURS OF SICK LEAVE
UNDER THIS LEGISLATION, IF AN
APP-BASED WORKER WORKED EVERY
WEEK DAY OF THE YEAR, 52 WEEKS
IN A YEAR, THEY WOULD ACCRUE
AROUND 8.6 CALENDAR DAYS OF
SICK LEAVE. THEY WOULD BE USING
IT IN A DAILY INCREMENT RATHER
THAN AN HOUR. IT IS ROUGHLY THE
SAME. THAT IS HOW WE GOT TO THI
ACCRUAL RATE.
>> THANK YOU. JUST TO SAY IT OU
LOUD, IT SIMPLIFIES IT FOR ME
THAT IT IS BASED ON THE SAME
ACCRUAL RATE FOR REGULAR
EMPLOYEES UNDER THE 2012 PSST
FOR LARGE EMPLOYERS.
>> CORRECT. ON THE QUESTION O
USE, DOES THE PSST FOR
REGULAR EMPLOYEES ALLOW
PARTIAL -- NOT FULL-DAY USE?
>> IT DOES.
>> LIKE FOR A FOUR HOUR DAY?
IT DOES?
>> YES, IT DOES. EMPLOYEES CAN
USE IT, I BELIEVE -- TAPPING
INTO MY MEMORY BANKS -- IN THE
SMALLEST INCREMENT OF TIME THAT
AN EMPLOYER TRACKS TIME IT CAN
BE USED DOWN TO A VERY SHORT
PIER IT OF TIME.
>> I AM JUST WONDERING. THAT IS
NOT , WE ARE NOT REPLICATING
THAT MODEL IN THIS PROPOSED
BILL ?
>> CORRECT. THIS PROPOSED BILL
IS A FULL 24 HOURS. IT IS DAILY
USE BECAUSE IT IS ACCRUED IN A
DAILY AMOUNT. THE POLITY SEE
DECISION WAS TO ACQUAINT TODAY
WITH 24 HOURS. I WANTED TO
POINT OUT THAT THE REASON WHY
ACCRUAL IS NOT BASED ON HOURS
WORKED IS BECAUSE IT IS MUCH
MORE DIFFICULT TO TRACK THE
HOURS WORKED BY THESE APP-BASED
WORKERS, EVEN WITH THE ENGAGED
TIME DEFINITION THAT IS USED
FOR THE MINIMUM PAYMENT
ORDINANCE BUT EVEN THAT AMOUNT
OF TIME DOES NOT FULLY CAPTURE
THE AMOUNT OF HOURS THAT THESE
WORKERS ARE SPENDING TO GET
THEIR JOB DONE. DOES NOT INCLUD
THE WAITING TIME, DELIVERY
DRIVERS WAITING TO ACCEPT AN
OFFER DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL THE
TIME THAT A WORKER WORKS OUTSID
OF SEATTLE. I THINK THAT IS
HELPFUL TO THINK ABOUT, AS WELL
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD. THANKS, KARINA, FOR
ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS. I WANTE
TO CIRCLE BACK TO THE LAST POIN
THAT WAS RAISED AND INVITE OLS
IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL
TO ADD. THE WAY THAT I THOUGHT
THAT I UNDERSTOOD THE ACCRUAL
IS THAT IF WE WERE TO DO THIS
SORT OF CALCULATION AS
REQUESTED OR AS DISCUSSED THIS
MORNING, IT WOULD FEEL THAT
IT WOULD HAVE LESS MONEY IN TH
POCKETS OF WORKERS. CAN YOU TAL
ABOUT THE CALCULATION AND
WHETHER THE TWO EXAMPLES EVER
GIVEN, 30 OR 40 HOURS, WOULD
YIELD MORE MONEY IN THE POCKETS
OF WORKERS OR LESS?
>> I CAN START ON THAT. JUST
THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE
PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE
EARLIER, A FEW THOUGHTS TO OFFE
THERE. I THINK IF THIS POLICY
WAS BEING DESIGNED FROM THE GET
GO AS A NEW POLICY , THINKING
CREATIVELY ABOUT DIFFERENT
ACCRUAL METHODS WOULD REALLY
MAKE A LOT OF SENSE. THAT IS NO
EXACTLY THE CONTEXT WE ARE IN.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE HAS BEEN A
TEMPORARY ORDINANCE THAT HAS
BEEN IN EFFECT FOR ALMOST 3
YEARS MANY COMPANIES ARE
COMPLYING WITH IT ALREADY. I
WILL GET TO YOUR SPECIFIC
QUESTION IN JUST A MINUTE. I
WANT TO RAISE THAT ALIGNING WIT
THE STATE, STATEWIDE SICK LEAVE
FOR TNC DRIVERS ON THE SURFAC
MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. AS FAR AS
I'M AWARE, THERE IS ONLY ONE
COMPANY THAT WOULD BE COVERED B
BOTH POLICIES. AGAIN, IT WOULD
MAKE SENSE IN THAT CONTEXT
HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY
COMPANIES THAT HAVE BEEN
COMPLYING WITH THE TEMPORARY
POLICY FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS. OUR
SENSES THAT A SWITCH AND
ACCRUAL METHOD WOULD REQUIRE A
SWITCH IN THEIR COMPLIANCE
MECHANISMS , PROBABLY A STAFF
AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENT FOR
THEM. WITH ANY NEW LABOR
STANDARD, THERE IS OFTEN
COMPLIANCE FAILURES, WHICH MEAN
THAT WORKERS DON'T GET BELIEVE
THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO OR TH
BENEFITS THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED
TO. IT ALSO RESULTS IN INCREASE
INTAKES AND ENFORCEMENT ACTION
AND INTENTIONAL INVESTIGATIONS
BY OUR OFFICE. THERE IS A
HEIGHTENED CASELOAD GOING TO
US. THE FLIP OF THAT IS WE HAV
TO ADJUST TO A NEW ACCRUAL
METHOD AND CALCULATIONS. WE HAV
THAT SPIN OUT TIME, AS WELL. I
JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE
KINDS OF DIFFERENCES. IN TERMS
OF THE ALIGNMENT AND THE ACCRUA
WITH SICK LEAVE, WHAT IS
INTERESTING IS THE STATE SICK
LEAVE ACCRUAL METHOD IS BASED O
-- I AM SORRY, LET ME BACK UP
JUST ONE MINUTE. ANY HOURS WORK
ACCRUAL METHOD, WHICH IS WHAT
THE STATE ACCRUAL METHOD IS
BASED ON, YOU HAVE TO THINK
CAREFULLY ABOUT WHAT IS DEFINED
AS WORKING TIME, WHAT IS HOURS
WORKED. IN THE STATE SICK LEAVE
BILL, WORKING TIME IS TIME
DRIVING A PASSENGER TO THEIR
LOCATION. THE ENGAGED TIME
DEFINITION THAT IS USED IN
PAYOUT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT
FOLKS MAY BE INTERESTED IN THAT
YEAR, IS NOT EQUIVALENT TO THAT
IT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE STAT
PROPOSAL. THERE IS A LARGER
AMOUNT OF TIME FOR WHEN A
WORKER IS DISPATCHED TO A
RESTAURANT, PICKS UP THE FOOD,
AND GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE
LOCATION OF THE CUSTOMER.
BECAUSE THAT IS A LARGER AMOUNT
OF TIME THAT IS COVERED AND YO
TAKE THE TOTAL COMPENSATION
DIVIDED BY THE TIME TO GET THE
PAYOUT, YOU END UP
THE DECISION ABOUT WHAT IS TH
APPROPRIATE AMOUNT, I DON'T WAN
TO OPINE ON THAT, I JUST WANT
TO POINT OUT THAT DIFFERENCE.
ONE TO EVALUATE THE DIFFERENCE
AND TO TO EVALUATE THE ALIGNING
WHICH I UNDERSTAND MAY NOT BE
ACHIEVED BY THIS CONCEPT. SO
THE EFFICIENCIES I THINK WERE
PERHAPS PART OF THE POLICY
RATIONALE AND MAY NOT BE THE
SAME AS CONCEIVED OF.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. WE MAY HAVE
MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT GOIN
FORWARD. I WANT TO KEEP US GOIN
ON THE PRESENTATION AND ALSO
THANK THE CITY BUDGET OFFICE
AND THEIR TEAMS. WE WILL HAVE
THE RESCUE PLAN A PORT OUT FOR
2022 AT OUR MEETING ON MONDAY,
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
FLEXIBILITY THERE, BECAUSE THIS
IS GOING A LITTLE BIT LONGER
AND WE WANT TO GET INTO THE
DETAILS. LET'S CONTINUE WITH
YOUR PRESENTATION, KEREM.
>> THANK YOU. THE NEXT PART OF
THE POLICY IS WHAT IS REFERRED
TO IN THE LEGISLATION AS AN
ACCESSIBLE SYSTEM. THIS IS
SOMETHING ALREADY REQUIRED IN
THE TEMPORARY ORDINANCE AND HAS
BEEN BUILT OUT IN THIS PROPOSED
VERSION. WORKERS SHARED THAT
THEY HAD A REALLY HARD TIME
KNOWING HOW MUCH PAID SICK TIM
THEY HAD AVAILABLE TO THEM, HOW
TO REQUEST IT. HOW TO TRUST
AND/OR VERIFY THAT THE AMOUNTS
OF LEAVE THAT THE COMPANY WAS
SHOWING TO THEM AND THE PAY
THAT WOULD BE OWED TO THEM FOR
USING THE LEAVE WAS ACCURATE. S
IN THIS LEGISLATION, THE OLS
DIRECTOR WOULD BE AUTHORIZED TO
ISSUE RULES DEFINING THE
REASONABLE CRITERIA REQUIREMENT
OF AN ACCESSIBLE SYSTEM THAT
WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO WORKERS
WITH A SMART PHONE OR AN ONLINE
WEB PORTAL. AGAIN, THERE WAS
ALREADY A REQUIREMENT FOR THE
SYSTEM AND SMART PHONE FOR THE
ONLINE WEB PORTAL. IN THIS
LEGISLATION, THE DIRECTOR MAY
DISCRETION NARROWLY DECIDE TO
BUILD IT OUT. FOR EXAMPLE,
REASONABLE CRITERIA COULD
INCLUDE REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE
NOTICE OF RIGHTS IN THE
ACCESSIBLE SYSTEM. IT COULD
REQUIRE TIMELY RESPONSES TO A
REQUEST TO USE SICK LEAVE. THER
WERE REPORTS OF WORKERS SENDIN
A REQUEST TO THE NETWORK COMPAN
TO USE THEIR SICK LEAVE AND
THEN NOT HEARING ANYTHING, EVER
SO IT WAS UNCLEAR TO THAT
WORKER, COULD THEY STOP WORKIN
FOR 24 HOURS AND STILL GET PAID
DID ANYONE RECEIVE THE MESSAGE
DID THEY NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE
ELSE? SO THEY CAN DEFINE THE
GUIDELINES FOR A TIMELY
RESPONSE. TRANSPARENT
INFORMATION SO THE WORKER CAN
CHECK BACK WITH THE RECEIPTS
THEY WOULD BE OWED UNDER THE
MINIMUM PAYMENT ORDINANCE THAT
SHOWS HOW MUCH THEY EARNED AND
WHAT DAYS THEY WORKED AND ANY
RULES DEFINING THE SUCCESSFUL
SYSTEM WOULD GO INTO EFFECT NO
EARLIER THAN MID-JANUARY, GIVIN
COMPANIES TIME TO DEVELOP THE
SOFTWARE, THE SYSTEMS, TO
PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION AND
AGAIN ALIGNING WITH THE
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THAT PAYMENT
ORDINANCE. OTHER REQUIREMENTS
ARE AT LEAST MONTHLY
NOTIFICATION OF THE ACCRUED,
USED, AND AVAILABLE AMOUNT OF
PAID, SICK, AND SAVED TIME
AVAILABLE TO WORKERS. WHAT THE
AVERAGE DAILY COMPENSATION IS,
AGAIN HELPING THE WORKER WITH
WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW TO
UNDERSTAND THEIR PSST RIGHTS AN
HOW TO USE IT. CARRYOVER, THERE
WILL BE WORKERS WHO HAVE
ACCRUED AND UNUSED PAID LEAVE A
THE END OF THE YEAR AND THIS
REQUIREMENT WOULD REQUIRE
COMPANIES TO CARRYOVER NO LESS
THAN NINE DAYS OF THE UNUSED
LEAVE TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
SEPARATIONS FROM WORK AGAIN,
THESE ARE ALL INCLUDED IN THE
PSST ORDINANCE FOR EMPLOYEES, A
WELL. WORKERS WHO LEFT THE
APP-BASED ECONOMY FOR A YEAR FO
THAT PARTICULAR NETWORK COMPANY
COULD COME BACK TO WORK A YEAR
LATER AND STILL HAVE ALL OF
THEIR PSST ACCRUED, IN THEIR
BANK AVAILABLE FOR USE. IF THEY
WERE DEACTIVATED THEY COULD COM
BACK TO WORK AND THEIR SICK
LEAVE WOULD STILL BE THERE.
CONSISTENT WITH OTHER STANDARDS
NETWORK COMPANIES WOULD BE
REQUIRED TO PROVIDE WORKERS
WITH A NOTICE OF RIGHTS. THEY
WOULD BE REQUIRED TO RETAIN
RECORDS FOR THREE YEARS AND THE
WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO
RETALIATE AGAINST WORKERS FOR
EXERCISING THEIR RIGHTS. FOR
EXAMPLE, ASKING ABOUT THE PSST.
PERHAPS REPORTING THAT THE
SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING. ALL OF
THAT, WORKERS WOULD BE ABLE TO
DO WITHOUT RETALIATION. WORKER
WOULD BE ABLE TO CANCEL A SHIFT
OR CANCEL A JOB IF THEY GOT SIC
IN THE MIDDLE OF IT AND WITHOUT
THE COMPANY'S IMPOSING A FEE
FOR THAT OR MAYBE REDUCING THE
NUMBER OF OFFERS GIVEN TO THE
WORKER. ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE
OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS. AS W
KNOW, THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE
FOR RULEMAKING, OUTREACH,
COMPANYWIDE INVESTIGATIONS,
REMEDIES. THREE TIMES THE
AMOUNT OWED AND THEY HAVE SHARE
WITH US THE COST FOR
IMPLEMENTATION. WORKERS WOULD
ALSO HAVE A RIGHT TO BRING A
LAWSUIT INDIVIDUALLY OR ON A
CLASS BASIS. AS FAR AS NEXT
STEPS, THIS WILL DEFINITELY GO
TO NEXT MONDAY. I THINK THE
SALIENT POINT TO KNOW IS THAT
COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO CONSIDER
AND VOTE ON THE LEGISLATION ON
MARCH 21 OR 28 TO GET IT INTO
EFFECT BY MAY 1, SO THE BENEFIT
THAT WORKERS HAVE WILL NOT BE
DISRUPTED. AND THAT CONCLUDES
MY PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU. OKAY, COLLEAGUES.
LET'S SEE SOME HANDS. WE WILL
TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN FIRST.
>> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU,
CHAIR MOSQUEDA. I APPRECIATE YO
SETTING THE GROUNDWORK FOR US
TODAY AND NOTING THE
COLLABORATION WITH THE HARRELL
ADMINISTRATION TO GET THIS TO U
IN A TIMELY MANNER. MY
QUESTION, I THINK, MIGHT BE FOR
CENTRAL STAFF AND YOU CAN GET
BACK TO US LATER IF YOU WANT,
BUT I AM CURIOUS. I AM GENERALL
SUPPORTIVE OF THIS. I JUST WANT
TO LEARN MORE INFORMATION. WHIC
SEATTLE-BASED EMPLOYERS WOULD
BE IMPACTED BY THIS LEGISLATION
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
AM NOT AWARE OF WHICH
SEATTLE-BASED NETWORK COMPANIES
WOULD BE COVERED BY THIS. I
THINK WE KNOW THROUGH THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PAYOUT
POLICY THAT ROVER IS A LOCALLY
BASED NETWORK COMPANY THAT IS
CONSIDERED A MARKETPLACE
NETWORK COMPANY THAT WOULD NOT
BE COVERED BY THIS, BECAUSE IT
DOES NOT COVER MARKETPLACE
NETWORK COMPANIES. BUT I AM NOT
FAMILIAR WITH SEATTLE-BASED
APPS THAT MIGHT BE COVERED. THA
MIGHT BE SOMETHING OLS KNOWS
ABOUT. KEREM OR BRIANNA, WOULD
YOU BE FAMILIAR WITH ANY
COMPANIES COVERED BY THIS
LEGISLATION?
>> I THINK WE WILL HAVE TO GET
BACK TO YOU ON THAT. WE THOUGHT
ABOUT WHAT COMPANIES ARE
COVERED, BUT HAVING DONE THE
ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS OF WHICH
ONES ARE FOUNDED OR BASED HERE
>> IT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT
TO ME AND CERTAINLY MAYBE THAT
WAS ALREADY DONE. BUT NOT
KNOWING THEY ARE PHYSICALLY
BASED HERE. WHAT WE ARE DOING T
IMPACT OUR OWN SEATTLE-BASED
COMPANIES WOULD BE IMPORTANT
FOR ME TO KNOW. SO, THANK YOU.
>> ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS? YES, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> I JUST WANT TO SIGNAL MY
INTEREST AND I BELIEVE YOU
SHARE IT, MUCH LIKE WE DID IN
PAY UP, MAKING SOME COMMITMENTS
TO OUR MARKETPLACE WORKERS.
MARKETPLACE APP WORKERS. SO
THAT THEY ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND
AND MUCH LIKE PAY UP AND MINIMU
COMPENSATION, WHEN THE
MARKETPLACE APPS WERE STRIPPED
FROM THE LEGISLATION THERE WAS
A COMMITMENT OFFERED TO MAKE A
COMMITMENT TO WORK WITH
STAKEHOLDERS AND WORKERS. IN
THAT AREA TO EXTEND MINIMUM
PAYMENT TO THEM. I WOULD
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
EXPRESS A FUTURE COMMITMENT TO
DO SO IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, VICE CHAIR. I WILL COME
BACK TO THAT AS I TALK ABOUT
NEXT STEPS WITH THE POSSIBLE
AMENDMENTS ON THE HORIZON, BUT
APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP
INCLUDING THE MARKETPLACE
WORKERS AND LET'S CONTINUE TO
HAVE THAT QUICKLY BEFORE THIS
COMES OUT OF COMMITTEE.
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON, PLEASE GO
AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU. I GENERALLY HAVE
RESERVATIONS ABOUT TAKING
TEMPORARY EMERGENCY LEGISLATION
AND MAKING IT PERMANENT ON AN
EXPEDITED TIMELINE. WHEN THIS
IS REALLY A DOUBLING OF
COVERAGE. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE
WERE 12 AND NOW DOUBLE THAT
THAT WILL BE COVERED BY THIS.
SO WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT TH
DETAILS HERE AND I WANTED TO
KNOW, WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CON
FOR WORKERS USING A DAILY
ACCRUAL METHOD INSTEAD OF AN
HOURLY ACCRUAL METHOD? BECAUSE
THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED
LAWS COVERING AN HOURLY ACCRUA
METHOD AND WE HAVE HEARD FROM
DRIVERS THAT USE MULTIPLE
PLATFORMS, THAT THIS WOULD BE
EASIER FOR THEM. AND I HAD NOT
EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT THE ISSUE O
PARTIAL DAYS, FOUR HOURS VERSUS
EIGHT HOURS OR WHATEVER. SO I
JUST WANTED TO KNOW AND I ASKED
THIS IN OUR BRIEFING IF THERE
WERE ANY CALCULATIONS, BECAUSE
ALSO GETTING TO YOUR POINT,
CHAIR MOSQUEDA, THIS PUTS MORE
MONEY IN THE POCKETS OF WORKERS
WHICH IS GREAT. I WILL NOTE
THAT NETWORK COMPANIES
THEMSELVES ARE SUPPORTIVE OF
THIS AND I JUST WANT TO
UNDERSTAND WHY HOURLY INSTEAD
OF DAILY? WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR
THE WORKERS? DO YOU HAVE ANY
DATA ABOUT THAT?
>> SURE, IS THAT QUESTION FOR
ME?
>> IT IS PROMPTED BY YOUR
STATEMENT, BUT I JUST WONDER -
>> RATE.
>> WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS I
WE ARE DOING HOURLY HERE, BUT
AT THE STATE LEVEL -- I MEAN,
DAILY HERE, BUT AT THE STATE
LEVEL IT IS AN HOURLY
REQUIREMENT.
>> I HEARD YOUR QUESTION AND I
THINK IT IS SIMILAR TO THE
QUESTION THAT I TEED UP AS WELL
AND THAT BRIANNA AND KEREM
SPOKE TO. BEFORE I ADD TO THAT,
DID YOU WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE
POINTS THAT YOU MADE ABOUT THE
PROS OR CONS OF THE ACCRUAL
MECHANISM AS OPPOSED TO THE
STATE, AS YOU DESCRIBED?
>> I HAVE WHAT I GUESS I WILL
CALL HEADLINES OF SOME
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
AND I AM GLAD TO GO INTO A DEEP
DIVE. I UNDERSTAND THAT KEREM
HAS DONE CALCULATIONS FOR THE
DAY OR THE TIME. HE IS ON THE
MAP. PERHAPS YOU COULD SHARE
WITH US. AS FAR AS THE
CHALLENGES OF ADOPTING THE
ACCRUAL AND COMPENSATION METHOD
UNDER THE STATE SYSTEM FOR
DRIVERS IS THAT IT WOULD BE A
SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWER ACCRUAL,
BECAUSE IT WOULD BE BASED ON
ENGAGED TIME, WHICH IS MORE
RESTRICTIVE THAN WHAT IS
COVERED BY THE LEGISLATION.
THERE WOULD BE LESS CARRYOVER.
LARGE NETWORK COMPANIES WOULD
BE TREATED LIKE SMALL EMPLOYER
BECAUSE THE REQUIREMENTS ADOPT
THOSE FOR SMALL EMPLOYERS. SO
IT IS ONE HOUR ACCRUED FOR EVER
40 HOURS WORK, WHEREAS FOR LARG
EMPLOYERS IT IS ONE HOUR FOR
EVERY 30 HOURS WORK. LESS
CARRYOVER. IT WOULD BE FIVE DAY
INSTEAD OF NINE DAYS TO THE NEX
CALENDAR YEAR. MORE WORK FOR TH
FOOD DELIVERY NETWORK COMPANIE
THAT ARE NOT ALREADY COVERED BY
THAT STATE SYSTEM. I BELIEVE
ONLY ONE NETWORK COMPANY WOULD
BE COVERED. MORE WORK FOR
WORKERS TO RELEARN THE ACCRUAL
AND COMPENSATION METHOD AND MOR
WORK FOR THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS AND THEIR ENFORCEMENT
AND OUTREACH. HAVING SAID THAT,
I DO SEE SOME OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE WOULD BE MORE FLEXIBILITY
FOR WORKERS USING PAID SICK AND
SAVE TIME, BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT
REQUIRE A FULL 24 HOURS OF NOT
WORKING. IF A WORKER HAD A TWO
HOUR OR FOUR HOUR DOCTOR
APPOINTMENT, THEY COULD USE SIC
LEAVE AND GO BACK TO WORK FOR
THE REST OF THE DAY. SO I SEE
THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY. AND OLS
COULD HAVE MORE OF A CHANCE TO
COMBINE THEIR OUTREACH AND
ENFORCEMENT, BECAUSE IT COULD B
BASED ON ENGAGED TIME. SO THER
WOULD BE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO
COALESCE THAT. THAT IS MY
HEADLINE ASSESSMENT OF THE TWO.
KEREM, DID YOU WANT TO TALK
ABOUT SOME OF THE CALCULATIONS
YOU DEVELOPED?
>> I WILL DO A QUICK HEADLINE
RECAP AS WELL AND I THINK THE
MAIN POINT IS THAT THE IDEA OF
AN HOURLY ACCRUAL METHOD I THIN
IN ISOLATION IS SOMETHING WORTH
LOOKING INTO AND THINKING ABOUT
IN THE CURRENT CONTEXT WHERE W
HAVE A TEMPORARY ORDINANCE THAT
MANY COMPANIES HAVE BEEN
COMPLYING WITH AND USING A DAIL
ACCRUAL METHOD, THAT I THINK
CHANGES THE CONTEXT AND DO
SOMETHING FOR THE COMMITTEE TO
CONSIDER. AND THEN I THINK YOU
MENTIONED THIS, BUT MY
UNDERSTANDING OF THE POLICY
RATIONALE FOR A DAILY IS THAT
THE HOURLY METHOD REALLY DEPEND
ON WHAT IS WORKING TIME AND
WITH THIS SECTOR THAT IS NOT A
SIMPLE AS EMPLOYEES WHO SHOW UP
AT WORK, WORKING TIME WHEN YOU
ARTWORK AND IT ENDS WHEN YOU
LEAVE. FOLKS ARE GOING IN AND
OUT OF WORK RELATIONSHIPS VERY
QUICKLY IN SUCCESSION. IN
BETWEEN THEY MAY NOT BE
DELIVERING, BUT THEY ARE DOING
SOMETHING TIED TO THEIR WORK.
THERE IS A MYRIAD OF ISSUES
THERE, WHICH THE DAILY ACCRUAL
METHOD EFFECTIVELY AVOIDS. YOU
HAVE A WAY TO PROVIDE SICK LEAV
WITHOUT KIND OF GETTING MIRED
IN THOSE ISSUES. AS FOR THE
CALCULATIONS AND HOW IT WORKS
OUT FOR WORKERS, I DO WANT TO
PREFACE THAT VERY EXACT
CALCULATIONS ARE VERY DIFFICULT
BECAUSE THE DATA FOR HOW MUCH
FOLKS ARE WORKING IN THESE
DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS IS NOT
PUBLIC. THE COMPANIES WHO ARE
REGULATED HAVE MUCH OF THAT DAT
AND IT IS GENERALLY NOT SHARED.
IT IS REALLY HARD TO HAVE VERY
PRECISE AND THOROUGH ANALYSIS O
THIS. AS A HIGH-LEVEL
CALCULATION, THE WAY THE STATE
SICK LEAVE IS CONSTRUCTED, IT
TAKES TOTAL COMPENSATION AND
DIVIDES IT BY WHAT THEY DEFINE
AS HOURS WORKED. BECAUSE
ENGAGED TIME IS A DIFFERENT
AMOUNT OF TIME. IT IS NOT JUST
TIME DELIVERING THE SANDWICH O
WHATEVER IT IS, THE GROCERY
ORDER. IT IS ALSO TIME TRAVELIN
TO THAT LOCATION. THAT IS A
LARGER AMOUNT OF TIME. IT WILL
TAKE TOTAL COMPENSATION AND
DIVIDE IT BY THAT. THAT
DEFINITION WILL GET A LOWER
PAYOUT FOR WORKERS. SO, WHAT
KEREM IS REFERRING TO,I CLICKED
UP AN EXAMPLE. UNDER THE
STATEWIDE METHOD, 10 HOURS A
PASSENGER TIME, UNDER THE
STATEMENT THAT YOU GET A $20
PAYOUT. LET'S ASSUME THERE IS
FOUR HOURS OF ADDITIONAL TIME
GETTING TO THE PICKUP LOCATION
SO 14 HOURS OF WORKING TIME,
$200 OF COMPENSATION DIVIDED B
14 WOULD RESULT IN A LOWER
PAYOUT OF $14.29. THAT IS JUST
AN EXAMPLE TO ILLUSTRATE THERE
IS A DIFFERENT WORKING TIME
DEFINITION. WHEN YOU DIVIDE BY
DIFFERENT WORKING TIME
DEFINITIONS, YOU GET DIFFERENT
PAYOUTS. EXACTLY HOW IT WILL
WORK DEPENDS ON A MUCH MORE
DETAILED DATA ANALYSIS, WHICH I
NOT PUBLIC INFORMATION. YOU
CAN'T REALLY ANALYZE IT.
>> OKAY AND I ASK, JUST TO
FOLLOW UP IF I MAY. WHEN MY
STAFF AND I WERE BRIEFED ON
THIS, IT APPEARED THAT THERE
WOULD NOT BE A DIFFERENCE,
BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF TIME
WORKED WOULD BE AVERAGED OUT
OVER THE MONTH. SO IT DID NOT
REALLY MATTER IF IT WAS A FULL
DAY OR HOURLY, BECAUSE IT WOUL
BE BASED , THE PAYOUT, WOULD BE
BASED ON THE TIME ACTUALLY
SPENT WORKING FOR A DAY. AND
THAT COUNTS AS A DAY. SO I
UNDERSTOOD THERE WOULD NOT BE A
DIFFERENCE. ANYWAY, GO ON.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> I'M SORRY. WELL, THERE WOULD
BE A DIFFERENCE. I GUESS THER
ARE TWO THINGS OR MAYBE THREE
THINGS. WHAT WOULD THE PAY BE
IF APP-BASED WORKERS AT THE
SAME COMPENSATION METHOD AS A
STATE DRIVER? APP-BASED WORKER
WOULD MAKE LESS THAN WHAT A
TNC DRIVER WOULD MAKE. THE WAY
THAT AVERAGE DAILY COMPENSATIO
IS CALCULATED WOULD ALMOST
ALWAYS RESULT IN MORE PAY THAN
AVERAGE HOURLY COMPENSATION
BECAUSE OF THE MORE RESTRICTIVE
DEFINITION OF ENGAGED TIME. IT
COVERS ANY WORK THAT THE WORKE
DID IN THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS,
REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY DID IT
FOR ANY OF THOSE DAYS TO BE
COVERED. I THINK MAYBE WHAT YO
ARE REFERRING TO IN THE AVERAGE
DAILY COMPENSATION IS THAT
UNDER THAT CALCULATION METHOD,
IF A WORKER ONLY WORKED A COUPL
OF HOURS AND THEN WANTED TO US
A FULL DAY OF SICK LEAVE, THER
PAY WOULD REFLECT THAT THEY
ONLY WORKED A COUPLE OF HOURS.
IF THEY ONLY WORKED A COUPLE OF
HOURS EVERY DAY, THAT WOULD BE
REFLECTED IN THE AVERAGE DAILY
COMPENSATION. THEY WOULD NOT BE
BE PAID $240 FOR A TYPICAL
EIGHT HOUR DAY. INSTEAD THE
AVERAGE DAILY WOULD BE LIKE AL
RIGHT, EVERY DAY THEY MAKE ABOU
$60, BECAUSE THEY WORK TWO
HOURS A DAY AND THAT IS WHAT
THEY WOULD GET PAID OUT FOR THE
PAID , SICK, AND SAFE TIME. DOE
THAT HELP CLARIFY?
>> YEAH, MY THINKING IS THIS.
IF IT IS A WASH, EITHER METHOD,
THEN WHAT IS EASIER FOR WORKER
WHO USE MULTIPLE PLATFORMS OR
ARE NEGOTIATING STATE VERSUS
CITY? IF IT DOES NOT MATTER,
THE ACTUAL PAYOUT AMOUNT.
ANYWAY, THAT IS WHAT I WAS
DRIVING AT. SO, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU AND I MIGHT ASK FO
A FEW SCENARIOS TO BE CIRCULATE
TO THE COMMITTEE. I DON'T THINK
IT IS A WASH. UNDER THE STATE
POLICY THERE WAS ACTUALLY JUST
ONE PLATFORM THAT THE POLICY
COVERS VERSUS ALL OF THE KINDS
OF PLATFORMS COVERED BY OUR
ORDINANCE. IF YOU THINK ABOUT I
FROM THE HIRING ENTITY
PERSPECTIVE, THERE ARE MORE APP
OMPLYING WITH THE SEATTLE
ORDINANCE CURRENTLY UNDER THE
TEMPORARY ORDINANCE THEN THERE
ARE APPS COMPLYING WITH THE
STATE POLICY REGARDING TNC
DRIVERS. THE SECOND THING IS
FROM THE APPLICATION OR HIRING
ENTITY'S PERSPECTIVES, THEY ARE
ALREADY COMPLYING WITH THE
TEMPORARY ORDINANCE. WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THERE ARE GREATER APP
FEES IN APPLYING THE POLICIES
AND DIRECTIVE FOR THE DRIVERS
AND WORKERS ON THESE PLATFORMS.
TO ME THAT WAS A COMPELLING
MESSAGE. I THINK THAT IS
HELPFUL TO LOOK AT SCENARIOS
THAT WERE EXPLAINED IF POSSIBLE
BECAUSE I THINK THEY ARE VALID
QUESTIONS AND THAT WILL HELP US
SEE THE APPLES TO APPLES SORT O
COMPARISON, BECAUSE I DON'T
THINK IT IS A WASH. THE SECOND
THING I WOULD SAY, AND I KNOW W
HAVE TO MOVE ON WITH THEIR
PROGRAMMING HERE, BUT THERE IS
-- IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE IS
DOUBLING OF WHO WAS COVERED. I
JUST WANT TO CLARIFY AS WELL.
UNDER THIS ORDINANCE WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT EXTENDING THE
TEMPORARY POLICY, ESPECIALLY FO
FOOD-BASED DELIVERY DRIVERS, SO
THEY DON'T MISS A DAY OF SICK
LEAVE BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THE
TEMPORARY ORDINANCE EXPIRES AT
THE END OF APRIL. SO BETWEEN
APRIL AND MID JANUARY OF NEXT
YEAR, THE APPLICATION OF THIS
POLICY WOULD ONLY BE FOR THE
FOOD-BASED DRIVERS AND THEN WE
TAKE THE DEFINITION OF WORKERS
ON APP-BASED PLATFORMS OR GIG
WORKERS THAT WAS USED IN THE
LEGISLATION AND WE HARMONIZE T
EXPAND PAID SICK LEAVE TO THAT
DEFINITION OF WORKERS UNDER THA
ORDINANCE. THAT IS WHERE I WAS
TALKING ABOUT HARMONIZING WHO I
COVERED AND THERE WOULD BE MORE
PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKERS ON
APP-BASED PLATFORMS COVERED, BU
IT IS ALREADY A POLICY DECISION
THAT THE COUNCIL HAS MADE TO
EXTEND WORKER PROTECTIONS TO
THAT SECTOR AND A BROADER SECTO
UNDER THE MINIMUM COMPENSATION
STANDARD THAT HAS BEEN APPLIED
THROUGH THE ORDINANCE PASSED
INTO POLICY ALREADY. SO IT IS
TWO PARTS. FIRST, MAKING SURE
THAT THE FOOD-BASED DRIVERS
DON'T MISS A DAY AND STARTING I
APRIL THAT THAT WORK OR COVERAG
CONTINUES AND STARTING IN
JANUARY NEXT YEAR, THEN WE
EXPAND SICK LEAVE TO THE SAME
CATEGORIES OF WORKERS TO USE AP
BASED PLATFORMS THAT THE
LEGISLATION ALREADY EXTENDED
COVERAGE TOO. I JUST WANTED TO
WRAP US UP AND LET FOLKS KNOW
THAT IF YOU DO HAVE AMENDMENTS
AS NOTED AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT
OVER THE LAST, NOW THREE WEEKS
WITH THIS LEGISLATION, WE ARE
HOPING THAT YOU SEND THOSE OVER
BY THE END OF THE DAY. SHE CAN
WORK WITH YOU, OBVIOUSLY, ON TH
CONCEPT, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THOSE CONCEPTS GET TO HER
BY THE END OF THE DAY. WE ALSO
WANT TO MAKE SURE FOLKS HAVE ON
THEIR RADAR, PARTICIPATING ON
MONDAY. IT IS A 9:30 MEETING, A
SPECIAL MEETING TO MAKE UP FOR
THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH AND WE
WILL CONSIDER THE AMENDMENTS AN
LEGISLATION AT THAT TIME. I WIL
BE FOLLOWING UP WITH COLLEAGUES
BECAUSE I AM VERY INTERESTED, A
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD IS AS
WELL, IN CONTINUING TO EXPAND
THE WAYS WE COULD CONTEMPLATE
COVERING ADDITIONAL WORKERS
THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE
MARKETPLACE. AS SHE NOTED, SHE
AND I WERE BOTH SUPPORTIVE OF
INCLUDING WORKERS ON
MARKETPLACE PLATFORMS IN THE
MINIMUM COMPENSATION ORDINANCE.
ULTIMATELY THAT DID NOT GET
INCLUDED. I WOULD BE INTERESTE
IN WORKING TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF
ANALYSIS COULD BE DONE SO WE CA
TEE UP FUTURE POLICY AND
INCLUDE FOLKS LIKE THE WORKER
WHO TESTIFIED THIS MORNING. THA
IS SOMETHING I WILL BE LOOKING
INTO AND HAPPY TO SHARE THAT IN
ADVANCE AND WORK WITH YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, ON THAT.
SO AGAIN WE LOOK FORWARD TO
HAVING THIS DISCUSSION NEXT WEE
AND WE WILL HAVE A DISCUSSION
AND POSSIBLE VOTE. THANK YOU TO
EVERYONE. BRIANNA THOMAS FROM
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. KEREM AND
YOUR WHOLE TEAM AT THE OFFICE
OF LABOR STANDARDS. AND CENTRAL
STAFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ONGOING WORK ON THIS. I SEE THA
CENTRAL STAFF IS WITH US FOR
THE SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA
AND WE WILL MOVE INTO THAT. I
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SEN
A MESSAGE AS WELL TO MAKE SURE
THAT SHE KNEW WE WERE GOING INT
THIS -- OH, HELLO, TEAM. I SEE
FOLKS ON THE LINE. BECAUSE WE
MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE FOLK
WITHIN THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION. EXCUSE ME,
WRONG DEPARTMENT. SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WE TALK
ABOUT SOME OF THE GRANTS IN
FRNT OF US TODAY. I ALSO WANTED
TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES HOW MUCH
TIME YOU HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR,
BECAUSE I THINK IN THE STAFF
MEETING WE NOTED THAT THIS MIGH
GO LONG, BUT HOW MUCH TIME DO
YOU HAVE ON YOUR CALENDARS?
THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH US.
WHILE THEY LOOK, MADAM CLERK,
WOULD YOU PLEASE READ ITEM
NUMBER TO DIG INTO THE RECORD.
>> AND ORDINANCE RELATING TO
ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDING FROM
NON-CITY SOURCES, AUTHORIZING
DISCUSSION AND A POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> 12:15, FANTASTIC.
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON,
FLEXIBILITY?
>> I MEAN, I AM TRYING TO
DECIDE IF I CAN MOVE THAT DOWN.
>> GREAT, OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER
TRENT 29 --
>> YES, I AM FLEXIBLE, MADAM
CHAIR.
>> ALL RIGHT, WE APPRECIATE IT.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, ARE YO
FLEXIBLE? I KNOW FOLKS ARE VER
BUSY, SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT,
SPEAKING OF FLEXIBILITY, THANK
YOU TO THIS PANEL OF CENTRAL
STAFF MEMBERS AND SEATTLE POLIC
DEPARTMENT MEMBERS. THANKS FOR
BEING WITH US TODAY. WE KNOW
THAT IT IS ALWAYS URGENT TO GET
THE GRANT ACCEPTANCE ORDINANCES
IN FRONT OF US AND TO MOVE THEM
QUICKLY. WE DO HAVE A FEW
QUESTIONS, I'M SURE, RELATED TO
COUNCIL BILL 120527 AND WANTED
TO MAKE SURE WE HAD EXPERTS IN
THE ROOM TO T THIS UP. AS FOLKS
KNOW, THE ORDINANCE HELPS ALLO
THE CITY TO RECEIVE GRANTS OR
PRIVATE FUND DONATIONS FROM
VARIOUS AGENCIES AND
ORGANIZATIONS. IT ALLOWS FOR U
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE
EXPENDITURES THAT ARE BEING
AUTHORIZED BY THE CITY AND
BACKED BY THE RESPECTIVE REVENU
SOURCES AND DURING THE COURSE
OF THIS YEAR THE CITY
DEPARTMENTS DID RECEIVE GRANT
AWARDS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR
FUNDING SOURCES THAT WERE NOT
ANTICIPATED IN THE BUDGET LAST
YEAR. THIS HELPS US SQUARE THAT
AND ALLOWS US TO FORMALLY ACCEP
THESE FUNDS BY COMPILING
DEPARTMENT GRANTS, ACCEPTANCE,
AND SIMILAR AGREEMENTS IN
ORDINANCES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THIS INCLUDES THE GRANT
-RELATED REQUEST, SPENDING
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BUDGET
RECEIVED IN THE FIRST QUARTER.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVE
TO THE CENTRAL STAFF WE HAVE
WITH US. EDIN SISIC AND GREG
DOSS FROM CENTRAL STAFF, THANK
YOU AS WELL FOR YOUR PATIENCE
BEING WITH US AND WE INVITED
PARTNERS FROM THE SEATTLE POLIC
DEPARTMENT TO BE HERE WITH US,
GIVEN THAT SOME OF THESE GRANT
WOULD ALLOW SPD TO OBTAIN, AMON
OTHER THINGS, NEW VEHICLES, AND
THE DEPARTMENT HAS IDENTIFIED
WAYS IN WHICH THESE VEHICLES
WILL BE USED THAT COUNCILMEMBER
MAY HAVE QUSTIONS ABOUT, SO WE
WANTED TO BE SURE YOU WERE WITH
US AS WELL. SO, THANKS, AND
WELCOME TO EVERYONE FROM SPD.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR GENEROUS
TIME WITH US TODAY. SO WE HAVE
GREG DOSS AND EDIN SISIC AND
ALSO HEATHER MARX, ERIC --
OKAY, I WILL LET YOU INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
PLEASE GO AHEAD, CENTRAL STAFF.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR MOSQUEDA. I
WILL START US OFF. MY NAME IS
EDIN SISIC, COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF. TO BUILD OFF OF CHAIR
MOSQUEDA'S INTRODUCTION, THIS
WILL BE FOCUSED ON COUNCIL BILL
120527, THE 2023 GRANT
ACCEPTANCE ORDINANCE WHICH
PROVIDES AUTHORITY FOR CITY
DEPARTMENTS TO ACCEPT AN
APPROPRIATE EXPENDITURE OF
REVENUES FROM NON-CITY SOURCES
I WILL PROVIDE A HIGH-LEVEL
REVIEW OF WHAT IS COVERED IN TH
MEMO DISTRIBUTED LAST WEEKEND
EARLIER THIS WEEK AND GREG WILL
PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
GRANT FOR SPD BEFORE WE GO INTO
DISCUSSION. WE WOULD LIKE TO
EXTEND ANOTHER THANK YOU TO SPD
AND THE DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES FOR JOINING US THIS
MORNING. WHILE GREG AND I WILL
COVER THE BRIEFING,
PRESENTATION, THEY ARE HERE TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS RELATED T
SPD GRANTS. SO, FOR THE SAKE O
TIME, AS A QUICK BACKGROUND AN
PROCESS SUMMARY, IN PRIOR YEARS
THE APPROPRIATION OF GRANTS WA
THERE A SUPPLEMENTAL
APPROPRIATIONS ORDINANCE.
CRAYONS WERE ACCEPTED THROUGH
SEPARATE GRANT ACCEPTANCE
ORDINANCE. THIS YEAR COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND
CITY BUDGET OFFICE CREATED A
STANDALONE ORDINANCE TO
STREAMLINE AND IMPROVE THE
GRANT LEGISLATION PROCESSES AND
FOR THE SAKE OF TIME I WILL NOT
GO INTO FURTHER DETAIL.
PARTICULAR BENEFITS ARE COVERED
ON THE FIRST PAGE OF THE MEMO.
SO, COUNCIL BILL 120527 IS THE
FIRST COMPREHENSIVE GRANT
ACCEPTANCE AND WAS SUBMITTED B
THE EXECUTIVE IN 2023,
AUTHORIZING CITY DEPARTMENTS TO
ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE THE
EXPENDITURE OF $30.2 MILLION
FROM EXTERNAL FUNDING SOURCES.
I WILL ALSO NOTE THAT STAFF HA
REVIEWED ALL OF THE PROPOSED
GRANTS AND HAS NOT FOUND AREAS
OF CONCERN. FOR THE GRANTS THAT
WOULD BE ACCEPTED AS PART OF
THIS BILL. APPROXIMATELY 57% OF
THAT $30 MILLION IS FUNDING
FROM THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY
ADMINISTRATION FOR VARIOUS SDO
PROGRAMS AND THAT IS ITEMIZED
IN TABLE 2 AND WE HAVE $2.9
MILLION IN FUNDING FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
FOR SPD AND I WILL LET GREG
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT FOR
THIS.
>> THANK YOU. GREG DOSS,
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF. HERE
TODAY TO TALK ABOUT HOMELAND
SECURITY GRANTS. THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF THESE GRANTS IN THIS
ORDINANCE. THERE ARE A TOTAL O
ABOUT $5.9 MILLION IN HOMELAND
SECURITY GRANTS, BUT I'M GOING
TO FOCUS ON A SUBSET OF THAT
FUNDING. THAT SUBSET IS GOING
TO BE ABOUT $2.7 MILLION. THOS
ARE THE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT
THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE
HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT
UNDER THE URBAN AREA SECURITY
INITIATIVE. THIS IS A PROGRAM
THAT FUNDS THE ABILITY TO
PREVENT, RESPOND, AND RECOVER
FROM ACTS OF TERRORISM. THIS IS
A PROGRAM IN THE PAST THAT HAS
BEEN REQUESTED IN FINER DETAIL
AND THAT IS WHAT WE WILL DO
TODAY. WE WILL TALK MORE IN
DETAIL ABOUT THAT $2.7 MILLION.
OR $2.9 MILLION, SORRY. OUT OF
THAT AMOUNT, THE FIRE DEPARTMEN
IS GOING TO GET $1.15 MILLION
AND THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND THEI
FUNDING ON A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT PROJECTS. THEY ARE
GOING TO SPEND FUNDING ON
STRUCTURAL COLLAPSE TRAINING,
AVIATION DRILL TRAINING, AND TH
PURCHASE OF HEAVY RESCUE
EQUIPMENT. THEY ARE ALSO GOING
TO BUY CLASS ONE AND CLASS TWO
SUITS, RESCUE TASK FORCE BODY
ARMOR, AND METHANE GAS
DETECTORS. IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THOSE
THINGS ARE, IF OUR CITY PARTNER
AT SPD CAN'T ANSWER THE
QUESTIONS, I WILL GET THEM TO
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE I
AM NOT SURE WHAT SOME OF THOSE
THINGS ARE MYSELF. BUT WE WILL
TELL YOU ABOUT, IN MORE DETAIL,
THE SPD FUNDING. THAT FUNDING
TOTALS ABOUT $1.72 MILLION AND
SPD IS GOING TO SPEND ITS
FUNDING IN ONE OF TWO WAYS. THE
ARE GOING TO SPEND ABOUT $1
MILLION OF FUNDING ON ONGOING
COSTS AND ADMINISTRATION THAT
WILL INCLUDE GRANT MANAGERS,
PROGRAM COSTS, AND ONGOING
SUPPORT OF THE WASHINGTON STATE
FUSION CENTER. THEY WILL ALSO
SPEND ABOUT $700,000 OR SO ON A
NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WILL B
PURCHASES FOR SELF-CONTAINED
BREATHING APPARATUS KITS AND
THE RUNNING OF A CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE CYBER INCIDENT
TABLETOP EXERCISE. FUNDING SOME
COMMUNITY AND SAFETY AMBASSADOR
OF THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AND THE $400,000
PURCHASE OF A RESCUE VEHICLE
SYSTEM, WHICH IS A BULLETPROOF
BEARCAT, AS IT IS KNOWN.
ARMORED VEHICLE FOR TRANSPORTIN
AND PROTECTING OFFICERS IN
ACTIVE SHOOTER EVENTS. SO THAT
IS SORT OF A SUMMARY OF HOW TH
UASI TERRORISM FUNDS ARE GOING
TO BE SPENT. AT THAT HIGH LEVEL
I WOULD GO AHEAD AND MAKE SPD
AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MAY HAVE. ALSO NOTING THAT
THERE IS, ATTACHED TO THE STAFF
REPORT, A PRESENTATION THAT SP
PUT TOGETHER THAT, IN MORE
DETAIL, DESCRIBES THESE PROJECT
AND ALSO DESCRIBES THE PROCESS
BY WHICH SPD PARTICIPATES IN
PICKING THESE PROJECTS. ON A
REGIONAL BASIS WITH OUR UASI
PARTNERS AROUND THE REGION. SO
READY FOR QUESTIONS, MADAM
CHAIR.
>> EXCELLENT, LET'S GO TO OUR
PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANKS. JUST TWO QUICK
QUESTIONS. I KNOW WHEN THIS
GRANT IS COME BEFORE US IN THE
PAST, WE HAD LOTS OF QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE SUPPORT FOR STAFF
POSITIONS AT THE FUSION CENTER
AND WE HAVE APPROVED THAT
FUNDING IN THE PAST AND I JUST
WANT TO UNDERSTAND, IS THIS AN
EXPANSION OF STAFFING FOR THE
FUSION CENTER OR IS IT JUST
MAINTAINING THE SAME POSITIONS
THAT WE FUNDED IN THE PAST?
>> I WILL TURN IT OVER TO ONE O
OUR SPD CHIEFS. TO ANSWER.
>> YEAH, GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBER'S. SO, IN RESPONS
TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBE
HERBOLD, WE ARE NOT ADDING
SPD CAPABILITY TO THE FUSION
CENTER IN THE SENSE OF ADDING
NEW POSITIONS. WE ARE DOWN A
COUPLE OF ANALYSTS, SO BASICALL
WE KEEP TRYING TO HIRE NEW
POSITIONS, BUT THEY'RE NOT NEW
POSITIONS, THEY ARE SIMPLY
REPLACING PEOPLE WHO HAVE EITHE
RETIRED OR MOVED ON. SO WE ARE
NOT ENHANCING OUR ABILITY. WE
ARE MAINLY MAINTAINING IT AND
REPLACING THOSE WHO HAVE LEFT.
>> OKAY, LAST YEAR WE SUPPORTED
A CERTAIN NUMBER OF FTES IN THE
SAME SORT OF GRANT PROCESS AND
THIS IS JUST SORT OF RE-UPPING
THIS YEAR.
>> THIS IS AN EXTENSION OF THAT
YES.
>> THANK YOU AND A SIMILAR
QUESTION ABOUT THE BEARCAT. IS
THIS AN EXPANSION OF THE NUMBER
OF THESE TYPES OF VEHICLES OR
IS IT A REPLACEMENT OF AN
EXISTING VEHICLE?
>> THIS IS A REPLACEMENT OF AN
EXISTING VEHICLE. THE DEPARTMEN
CURRENTLY HAS TWO SUCH VEHICLES
ONE IS AT THE END OF LIFE. IT
IS ABOUT 20 YEARS OLD. THESE
VEHICLES ARE 18,000 POUNDS.
THEY ARE VERY HEAVY. VERY HARD
ON EQUIPMENT. BASICALLY AT THE
END OF ITS LIFE. SO THIS IS A
REPLACEMENT. THE NEW VEHICLES
ARE MUCH MORE ENHANCED. I CAN G
INTO MORE DETAIL IF YOU CHOOSE,
BUT THIS IS A REPLACEMENT FOR
WHAT WE HAVE NOW THAT IS AT THE
END OF LIFE.
>> THANK YOU. I MIGHT HAVE AN
ADDITIONAL QUESTION ABOUT THE
BEARCAT. THAT'S IT FOR NOW.
>> GREAT, ANYTHING ELSE FOR
CENTRAL STAFF? ALL RIGHT, I WAN
TO THANK THE FOLKS FROM SPD.
APOLOGIES FOR THE LATE LINK SEN
TO YOU. BUT YOU SENT US A
POWERPOINT PRESENTTION, SO WE
HAVE THAT LINKED ON OUR AGENDA
AND YOU ARE WELCOME TO WALK
THROUGH THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE
TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT
REF THAT WAS FOR BACKGROUND,
THAT'S FINE, TOO. WE CAN GO TO
QUESTIONS, BUT YOU PUT A LOT O
WORK INTO THAT SO WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE CHANCE T
WALK THROUGH IT IF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO.
>> I WILL DEFER TO THE CHIEF
ABOUT THE BEARCAT. IF YOU WOUL
LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT.
>> I WOULD EMPHASIZE THAT IT IS
A RESCUE VEHICLE. IT IS A
DEFENSIVE TOOL. THERE IS NOTHIN
OFFENSIVE ABOUT IT. IT IS
ENHANCED PPE. IT PROTECTS OUR
OFFICERS AS THEY ARE ENGAGED
WITH DIFFICULT AND THREATENIN
CIRCUMSTANCES. OFFICERS AND
INDIVIDUALS IN HARMS WAY, FROM
AN ARMED SUSPECT. AND THERE AR
A NUMBER OF EXAMPLES IN SEATTL
ALONE. NEVERTHELESS, ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. WHERE THE VEHICLE HAS
UNEQUIVOCALLY SAVED LIVES. SO
IT IS A CRITICAL TOOL FOR OUR
OFFICERS AS WE ASK THEM TO
RESPOND TO AND INTERVENE IN
LIFE-THREATENING CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> I KNOW WHEN THE BRIEFING THA
MY TEAM HAD WITH SPD STAFF, IT
WAS MENTIONED THAT THERE IS
ONLY ONE BEARCAT VEHICLE THAT
SPD CURRENTLY HAS, WHICH IS AT
THE END OF ITS LIFE, AND THAT
THE NEW ADDITION WOULD RESULT
INTO TOTAL BEARCATS, ONE NEW ON
AND ONE SHOULD BE LARGELY, MAY
BE SHELVED. GIVEN THAT IT IS AT
THE END OF ITS LIFE, SO, ONE
TOTAL. CAN YOU COMMENT A LITTL
BIT MORE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
THERE IS A DESIRE TO HAVE MORE
OR A THIRD ONE AT SOME POINT?
AND ALSO SOMETHING THAT HELPED
ME UNDERSTAND THIS AND YOU JUST
MENTIONED IT WAS THAT THE
BEARCAT IS ARMORED, BUT NOT
ARMED. AGAIN, DEFENSIVE ONLY
AND CANNOT BE USED FOR OFFENSIV
ATTACKS, GIVEN THAT THERE IS
CONCERN FROM FOLKS THAT WHEN
THEY SEE THIS VEHICLE. SOME
FOLKS HAVE SEEN IT IN THE PAST
AND IT RAISES CONCERN ABOUT
WHAT THE CAPABILITIES OF THIS
VEHICLE ARE, SO I WOULD OFFER
THAT THOSE ARE TWO HELPFUL
THINGS WE HAD IN THE BRIEFING
THAT WE HAD AND I SEE THAT
CENTRAL STAFF HAS THEIR HAND UP
TOO. MAYBE FOR CLARIFICATION.
>> I WANT TO CLARIFY IN THE
BRIEFING WITH STAFF THERE MAY
HAVE BEEN A MISCOMMUNICATION
THAT HAPPENED AND I APOLOGIZE I
IT DID. THE SITUATION IS THAT
THERE ARE TWO BEARCATS NOW, AS
THE CHIEF EXPLAINED. ONE OF
THEM IS 20 YEARS OLD AND IT IS
OUT SO OFTEN FOR MAINTENANCE
THAT THEY DON'T HAVE REGULAR US
OF IT AND IN SUCH A CASE THEY
ONLY HAVE REGULAR USE -- HOW
CAN I PUT THIS -- GUARANTEED
USE OF ONE OF THEM. IN TERMS O
GUARANTEED AVAILABILITY, THIS
WOULD BE A GUARANTEED
AVAILABILITY OF TWO. SO I THINK
IT WAS THAT CONVERSATION THAT
MAY BE LED STAFF TO CONCLUDE
THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE. THEY DO
HAVE TWO. THEY ARE REPLACING
ONE. THEY WOULD HAVE TWO AND I
APOLOGIZE ABOUT THE CONFUSION.
>> OKAY, THANKS. COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
>> YEAH, I AM JUST INTERESTED
TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SORT OF
SHARED UNDERSTANDING AROUND THE
POLICY FOR HOW THIS VEHICLE IS
USED. I HAVE HEARD ON ONE HAN
THAT IT IS A DEFENSIVE ONLY
VEHICLE. THAT WOULD NOT BE
USED AT CERTAIN TYPES OF EVENTS
BUT I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT IT
MIGHT BE DEPLOYED AT A STADIUM
EVENT, IF THERE IS A CONCERN
ABOUT THE LIKELIHOOD OF
VIOLENCE. I ALSO HEARD THAT IT
MIGHT BE DEPLOYED AT A PROTEST
EVENT. AGAIN, IF THERE IS A
CREDIBLE INDICATION OF VIOLENCE
THAT MIGHT INVOLVE WEAPONS. AN
WHEN I HAVE INQUIRED WITH SPD,
THERE IS NO WRITTEN POLICY AND
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICY IS
I THINK, MORE THAN JUST A TERM
OF ART. YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF
PAGES OF REALLY IMPORTANT
DOCUMENTS THAT GIVE GUIDANCE TO
THE DEPARTMENT, THAT THE
DEPARTMENT IS GIVING GUIDANCE
ITSELF AROUND EXPECTATIONS, AND
I AM WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT
IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO DEVELOP
A WRITTEN POLICY TO FURTHER
CLARIFY, WHEN WOULD YOU ACTUALL
USE THIS PARTICULAR DEFENSIVE
VEHICLE IN INSTANCES WHERE,
YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT, YOU KNOW,
A SWOT INCIDENT OR A SIEGE
INCIDENT. WHERE THERE IS AN
ACTUAL -- MORE OF A PERCEPTION
OF A LIKELIHOOD OF THE NEED, AS
OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, THERE IS,
A LAW ENFORCEMENT INCIDENT
WHERE SOMEONE IS BARRICADED IN
BUILDING AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE
TYPES OF ACTIVE EVENTS, BUT MOR
OF A CONCERN THAT SOMETHING
MIGHT HAPPEN. I FEEL LIKE
ADDITIONAL CLARITY ABOUT THAT
WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE
DEFINITELY LIKE TO HAVE
POLICIES WRITTEN DOWN, SO WE CA
POINT BACK TO THEM. ARE THERE
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THAT YO
HAVE FROM SPD? I CAN THANK YOU
FOR THE BACKGROUND YOU PROVIDED
IT IS VERY DETAILED ABOUT WHY
YOU USE THEM. I THINK THAT THE
QUESTION AND REQUEST FOR
ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION ON
WHEN AND HOW THEY ARE DEPLOYED,
WRITTEN DOWN, IS REALLY HELPFUL
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON ANYTHING
ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE OR
WORK TO BE DONE IN THE FUTURE?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS PART
OF COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
COMMENTS. THIS IS PURCHASED
AGAIN THROUGH THE URBAN AREA
SECURITY INITIATIVE, WHICH IS
ESSENTIALLY AN ANTITERRORISM
TYPE OF GRANT. THROUGHOUT THE
REGION IT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED
THAT SEATTLE COULD POSSIBLY BE
THE TARGET OF SOMETHING LIKE
THAT. SO, HAVING THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT WITH A FULL-TIME
S.W.A.T. TEAM, THE ONLY ONE IN
THE REGION, HAVING AN ACCESS TO
A VEHICLE DOES GIVE US THE
ABILITY TO COVER ANY EVENT. SO
FOR STADIUM EVENTS LIKE YOU
MENTIONED, JUST BECAUSE WE ARE
USING IT DOES NOT MEAN IT WILL
BE FRONT AND CENTER FOR THE
EVENT. WE WOULD BE STAGING IT
BLOCKS AWAY, IN THE EVENT
SOMETHING HAPPENED. SO A LOT OF
THE DEPLOYMENTS ARE NOT
NECESSARILY ACTIVE DEPLOYMENTS
YES WE HAVE A DRIVER AND THEY
ARE READY TO GO, BUT THEY'RE
BASICALLY WAITING,
UNFORTUNATELY, WAITING FOR
SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN. THERE
IS NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT. THEY
MAY BE DEPLOYED IN THE FIELD,
BUT THEY ARE NOT ENGAGED IN
WHAT IS HAPPENING. THEY ARE
STAGED A LITTLE WAYS OFF. THAT
WILL BE THE PRIMARY METHOD WE
WOULD USE FOR ANYTHING OTHER
THAN THE BARRICADE OR SIEGE
TYPE ONES THAT YOU MENTIONED,
BUT YES IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN
WORK WITH OUR POLICY AND GET
SOMETHING WRITTEN DOWN FOR YOU.
>> THANK YOU. IT HAS BEEN
MENTIONED TO ME THAT WE ARE
FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICES AND I
IS GREAT TO KNOW THAT, BUT
UNDERSTANDING WHAT THOSE ARE, I
THINK IS HELPFUL FOR EVERYBODY.
>> OF COURSE. THANK YOU.
>> ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON
THAT REQUEST SPECIFICALLY FOR
WRITTEN POLICY? OKAY. I WILL
COME TO THE QUESTION IN A
SECOND. I MIGHT WANT TO ECHO TH
ADDITIONAL POINT, TO SEE IF
THERE IS EVEN A QUICK SUMMARY
DOCUMENT THAT COULD BE SENT IN
AN EMAIL BEFORE NEXT MONDAY. WE
ARE SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THIS O
MONDAY, SO IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL
TO HAVE A BULLETED LIST OF THE
EXISTING POLICY AS YOU DESCRIBE
IT, SO THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING I
HAND TO REFERENCE. I WILL KEEP
THAT UP AND GO TO COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON TO SEE IF IT IS RELATED
TO THIS OR SOMETHING ELSE.
>> MADAM CHAIR, IF I MIGHT, THE
DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE AN
EXISTING POLICY RIGHT NOW IN IT
MANUAL, A FORMAL POLICY. THE
USES THAT THE CHIEF DESCRIBED
ARE USES THAT SORT OF DEPLOY
UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
THEY COULD PROVIDE YOU WITH
THAT RISK. I WANT TO
DIFFERENTIATE THAT THAT IS
DIFFERENT THAN WHAT
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD IS
TALKING ABOUT, WHICH WOULD BE
CREATING AN OFFICIAL POLICY.
>> I HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY AND
IF THERE ARE OTHER POLICY
DOCUMENTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT
REFERS TO, YOU KNOW, THE
HOMELAND SECURITY BEST
PRACTICES OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT, I THINK IF THAT EXISTS,
IT MIGHT SUFFICE, SHORT OF
DEVELOPING A NEW POLICY, SO
LET'S TRY TO KEEP TALKING ABOU
THIS BETWEEN NOW AND MONDAY.
>> I AM SEEING LOTS OF NODS.
THANKS FOR THE FLEXIBILITY. I
AGREE THAT A BULLETED SUMMARY I
HELPFUL NOW AND HOPEFULLY WILL
TEE UP A MORE FORMAL DISCUSSION
LATER, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD B
HELPFUL TO HAVE IN HAND.
>> YOU CAN ADD THIS TO THE
SUMMARY. I WAS WONDERING WHAT
OTHER JURISDICTIONS GET TO USE
THIS? JUST SEATTLE, RIGHT?
>> YES, CORRECT. BASICALLY THI
IS REGIONWIDE RESOURCE. OUR
TEAM IN KING COUNTY GOES TO
BELLEVUE AND CAN RESPOND TO
THINGS UP NORTH, IN SHORELINE
AND THINGS LIKE THAT. ALL OF TH
TEAMS WORK TOGETHER AND IT DOE
HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF GOING TO
OTHER CITIES AND JURISDICTIONS.
AGAIN, UNDER THE UASI GRANT,
PART OF THE CHECKLIST IS THAT
IT IS A REGIONWIDE ASSET AND
THIS COULD FALL UNDER THAT
CATEGORY.
>> ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
OKAY, THIS HAS BEEN VERY
HELPFUL. THANK YOU FOR THE
POWERPOINT PRESENTATION. THIS I
MUCH MORE DETAILED INFORMATION
IN THE POWERPOINT. I WILL BE ON
STANDBY AND FEEL FREE TO EMAIL
THE FULL COMMITTEE OR DIRECTLY
TO US AND WE CAN DISTRIBUTE TH
SUMMARY THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE
TO PULL TOGETHER QUICKLY BASED
ON THE PRACTICES THAT YOU LEAN
ON AND WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO
HAVING THIS FOR A FINAL VOTE O
MONDAY, AT OUR NEXT COMMITTEE
MEETING. OKAY, THANKS TO CENTRA
STAFF. THANK YOU, SBB. AND WE
WILL SEE YOU POSSIBLY ON MONDAY
IF YOU HAVE THE TIME. WE WILL B
CAUTIOUS NOT TO KEEP YOU
WAITING TOO LONG. ALL RIGHT,
COLLEAGUES. WE ARE GOING TO
MOVE ON TO THE FOURTH ITEM OF
BUSINESS, BECAUSE OUR TEAM FROM
THE CITY BUDGET OFFICE HAS BEEN
GRACIOUS TO PRESENT ON MONDAY.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD READ
ITEM NUMBER 4 INTO THE RECORD.
>> COUNCIL BILL 120529, AND
ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE
ORGANIZATION OF CITY GOVERNMENT
CLARIFYING THE STRUCTURE FOR
THE CHARTER POSITION OF THE
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU.
SPEAKING OF FLEXIBILITY, THANK
YOU FOR WORKING WITH THE TEAM
ON THE YEAR-END REPORT FOR 2022
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT
PRESENTATION NEXT MEETING.
THANK YOU AS WELL FOR YOUR WORK
ON THIS ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF
US. THIS PRESENTATION WILL
COMPLEMENT THE EMAIL THAT FOLK
RECEIVED FROM THE DEPUTY
DIRECTOR LAST THURSDAY,
SUMMARIZING THE LEGISLATION IN
FRONT OF US WHICH IS TO RESOLV
A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE MUNICIPA
CODE AND THE CHARTER. IT STATES
THAT THEY SHALL REPORT TO THE
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. THIS
LEGISLATION CLARIFIES THE
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE IS
APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR,
CONFIRMED BY THE COUNCIL AND
ALLOWS THE DIRECTOR TO DELEGATE
SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS TO CITY
FINANCE. AS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR
MENTIONED, THIS IS AN INITIAL
STEP OF A LONGER PROCESS THAT
THE CITY IS GOING THROUGH WITH
THE CITY BUDGET OFFICE, FINANCE
AND FORECASTING OPTIONS AND IT
IS AN EVER EVOLVING STRUCTURE
THAT WILL CONTINUE TO FORMALIZE
THANKS FOR YOUR WORK WITH
CENTRAL STAFF. REALLY
APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU HAVE
DONE WITH OUR CENTRAL STAFF
TEAM AND DIRECTOR JULIE DINGLE
AND WILLIAM CHEN FROM THE BUDGE
OFFICE FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK. I
WILL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR
DINGLEY.
>> THANK YOU AND GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBERS. IT'S A PLEASURE
TO BE HERE. I HAVE THE PLEASURE
OF SERVING AS THE DIRECTOR OF
THE CITY BUDGET OFFICE. AS THE
COUNCILMEMBER DESCRIBED, THIS I
SOMEWHAT OF A QUIRKY, TECHNICAL
ISSUE THAT PREDATES ALL OF US.
WE ARE SEEKING TO CHANGE TO WHO
THE DIRECT REPORTS AND PROVIDE
ORGANIZATIONAL CLARITY IN THE
PROCESS. SO WHY AM I HERE? LET
ME MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THE
PRESENTATION UP ON THE SCREEN.
AM ABLE TO SHARE IF THAT IS
HELPFUL.
>> DO YOU MIND?
>> SURE.
>> GIVE ME JUST A MOMENT.
>> OKAY, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
EXCELLENT. SO, AS THE FORMER
FINANCE DIRECTOR DEPARTED THE
CITY LAST YEAR, HE HIGHLIGHTED
AN ANOMALY IN SEATTLE'S
MUNICIPAL CODE. THIS DIRECTOR
OF FINANCE IS A CHARTER
POSITION, ONE OF THE FEW CHARTE
POSITIONS THAT EXISTS, BUT THE
CURRENT MUNICIPAL CODE HAS THE
POSITION REPORTING THROUGH THE
DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES OR FAS. IN MOST CITIE
THE DIRECT REPORTS TO THE MAYOR
OR CITY MANAGER, WHATEVER THEY
HAVE. THIS CONFLICT PRESENTS TW
ISSUES. THE FIRST IS THAT
RUNNING AND ACCOUNTABILITY
FUNCTIONS SUCH AS FINANCE
WITHIN AN OPERATIONAL DEPARTMEN
CHAIN OF COMMAND CAN INTRODUCE
THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT OF
INTEREST. WE ARE NOT SAYING
THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES IN
THAT SPACE, BUT IT HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO HAVE CONFLICT OF
INTERESTS. SO SHIFTING THIS FRO
THE DIRECTOR TO THE MAYOR WILL
HELP AVOID THAT CONFLICT.
FURTHER, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
NOT YET IDENTIFIED THE PERMANEN
REPLACEMENT FOR OUR FINANCE
DIRECTOR. WE HAVE THE GREAT AND
WONDERFUL ACTING DIRECTOR IN
THE POSITION AT THE MOMENT, BUT
WE HAVE NOT FILLED THE SPOT
PERMANENTLY. OUR EXECUTIVE
RECRUITING TEAM REPORTED THAT
THE FINANCE DIRECTOR IS
CURRENTLY A VERY DIFFICULT
POSITION TO FILL IN THE
INDUSTRY. UNDERSTANDABLY, LOTS
OF DEMAND FOR THAT ROLE AND
CLARIFYING THE REPORTING
STRUCTURE IS GOING TO MAKE
SEATTLE A LOT MORE COMPETITIVE.
THE LAST THING WE WANT TO
STRIVE TO EXPLAIN THE QUIRKY
AUTHORITY IN THE CODE. SO THIS
LEGISLATION IS GOING TO MAKE
SMALL CHANGES TO CLARIFY THAT
THE CITY FINANCE DIRECTOR
REPORTS TO THE MAYOR AND IT IS
GOING TO RENAME THE FINANCE
DIVISION OF FAS TO THE OFFICE
OF CITY FINANCE. AGAIN, TO MAKE
THAT BOUNDARY CLEAR. THE FINANC
DIRECTOR WILL CONTINUE TO BE
APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND
CONFIRMED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE OFFICE OF FINANCE WILL
CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED AND
ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS. THIS
DOES NOT REORGANIZE ANY
FUNCTIONS OR PROGRAMS AT THE
DEPARTMENT. THERE WILL NOT BE
OPERATIONAL CHANGES FELT BY CIT
EMPLOYEES OR MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC. THIS WILL NOT LEAD TO
ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR THE CITY.
IT IS REALLY JUST CLEANING UP,
AGAIN, THIS TECHNICAL ISSUE THA
PREDATED ALL OF US AND I HOPE
THAT YOU MAKE THIS CHANGE AND I
APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
THAT YOU HAVE.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU.
COLLEAGUES, QUESTIONS,
COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR MOSQUEDA.
FOR THE PUBLIC COULD YOU EXPLAI
SOME OF THE TYPICAL DUTIES OF
THE FINANCE DIRECTOR? AREN'T
THEY APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF
MUNICIPAL BONDS, FOR EXAMPLE?
WOULD THIS MAKE THE POSITION
MORE POLITICAL, RATHER THAN
TECHNICAL? PERHAPS YOU DON'T
HAVE A CHOICE BECAUSE OF THE WA
THAT THE CHARTER IS.
>> THIS WILL NOT MAKE THE
POSITION MORE POLITICAL. THIS
APPROPRIATELY ELEVATES THE
OFFICE AND KEEPS THE CODE AND
THE CHARTER, BEING CONSISTENT
BETWEEN THE TWO. SO THE CITY
FINANCE DIRECTOR HAS MANY VERY
IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITIES. THE
OVERSEE TREASURY, FOR EXAMPLE
AND WE HAVE PAYROLL AND BOND
ISSUANCE, AS YOU MENTIONED.
MANY, MANY OTHERS AND
IMPORTANTLY THEY HAVE ACCOUNTIN
FUNCTIONS AND THOSE FUNCTIONS,
WE RELY ON OUR ACCOUNTANTS TO
KEEP US HONEST AND KEEP THE
BOOKS CLEAN. SO YOU WANT TO MAK
SURE THERE IS NO POSSIBLE
OPPORTUNITY FOR AN OPERATIONAL
DEPARTMENT TO CHANGE WHAT THOSE
NUMBERS COULD SAY, FOR EXAMPLE.
THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED. WE HAVE
NO EVIDENCE THAT HAS HAPPENED,
BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
CONFLICT OF INTEREST IS NOT
THERE.
>> I GUESS IT IS A GOOD
QUESTION. THE WAY I WAS VIEWING
THIS AS WELL WAS THAT IT
ACTUALLY ALLOWS GREATER
TRANSPARENCY ON WHAT THE FINANC
FUNCTIONS ARE, FOR US AS
COUNCILMEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC, ET CETERA. I ALSO THINK
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, JULIE, IF
YOU COULD COMMENT A LITTLE BIT.
THE COUNCILMEMBER ASKED THE
QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
THE FINANCE DIRECTOR APPROVES
BONDS, BUT COULD YOU ELABORATE
ON THE ROLE PLAYED IN ULTIMATEL
MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT BONDING?
>> YES. WE SHOULD HAVE A
SEPARATE CONVERSATION ABOUT AN
I AM HAPPY TO BRING EVERYBODY
UP TO SPEED ON THE REAL
TECHNICAL DETAILS OF THIS, BUT
THE CITY DEBT DIRECTOR SITS
WITHIN WHAT WILL HOPEFULLY
BECOME THE OFFICE OF CITY
FINANCE AND THEY COME UP WITH
RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT OUR
BOND ISSUANCE SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
THEY DO PRESENTATIONS TO THE
BOND COUNCIL AND BONDING
AGENCIES OR RATING AGENCIES THA
GIVE US OUR RATINGS TO THEN
FIGURE OUT WHAT RATE WE WOULD
GET IN THE MARKET FOR OUR BONDS
THEY BRING THOSE RECOMMENDATION
AND I APOLOGIZE, I AM NOT GOING
TO BE ABLE TO SAY WHAT IT STAND
FOR IN THIS MOMENT.
>> LET'S SAY DEBT MANAGEMENT
POLICY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, I
BELIEVE.
>> YES, THANK YOU. AND DMPAC I
MADE UP OF COUNCIL
REPRESENTATION AND THAT
COMMITTEE VOTES ON A
RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL,
WHICH THEN COMES THROUGH YOU AL
TO ULTIMATELY VOTE.
>> ANY ADDITIONAL, FOLLOW-UP
QUESTIONS? OKAY, GOOD QUESTION.
ALL RIGHT, COLLEAGUES. WELL, I
DON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
I KNOW, DIRECTOR DINGLEY, YOU
COMMENTED ABOUT THE BROADER WOR
THAT WILL HAPPEN. TO REALLY TR
TO EXPAND ON THE GOAL, WHICH I
THINK IS GREATER TRANSPARENCY
AND STREAMLINE SOME OF OUR
FINANCE SERVICES. UNDER YOUR
LEADERSHIP I AM EXCITED TO HEA
YOUR UPDATES ON HOW THAT IS
GOING, BUT I KNOW THAT THIS IS
MUCH LARGER CONVERSATION, SO WE
WILL HOPEFULLY SCHEDULE TIME
BEFORE THE UPCOMING BUDGET TO
GET THAT OVERVIEW FROM YOU, AS
WELL, GIVEN THAT THIS IS ONE
ELEMENT OF THAT. I DO NOT HAVE
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND I WOUL
ENTERTAIN A VOTE ON THIS TODAY,
GIVEN THE STRUCTURAL CHANGE
BEING SUGGESTED. THE
COLLABORATIVE WORK BETWEEN
CENTRAL STAFF AND CBO. I FEEL
COMFORTABLE MOVING THIS FORWARD
TODAY. I AM SEEING SOME NODS IN
THE ROOM. I MOVED THE COMMITTE
RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF COUNCIL
BILL 120529. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT HAS
BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? HEARING NO
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, MADAM CLER
WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER 1029.
>> COUNCILMEMBER 1029, COULD YO
HEAR THE CLERK?
>> YES. I'M SORRY, DID NOT GO
THROUGH THE FIRST TIME?
>> MADAM CHAIR?
>> AYE.
>> THAT IS FIVE IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED. THANK YOU. WE WILL
MAKE SURE THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BILL
PASSED WILL BE SENT TO THE
MARCH 21 SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
MEETING NEXT TUESDAY FOR A FINA
VOTE. THANK YOU DIRECTOR
DINGLEY FOR BEING WITH US TODAY
AND TEEING THIS UP FOR CENTRAL
STAFF AS WELL. IT IS ONLY NOON
FOLKS. I WILL GET YOU OUT FOR
THE AFTERNOON. APOLOGIES FOR
THE EXTRA TIME THAT MIGHT NOT
HAVE BEEN ON YOUR CALENDAR.
APPRECIATED AND WE MAY ASK FOR
EXTRA TIME ON MONDAY, TOO, IF
YOU WOULD BE SO KIND TO GRANT U
THAT. WE DO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP ON
THE PAID SICK LEAVE LEGISLATION
FROM TODAY FOR ANY ADDITIONAL
AMENDMENTS AND VOTE. THE GRANT
ACCEPTANCE ORDINANCE. AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO THE FOLLOW-UP
MATERIALS FROM SPD, BUT TO LOOK
FORWARD TO A VOTE NEXT MONDAY.
WE WILL HAVE A SUMMARY OF THE
LAST YEAR'S EXPENDITURES AND
CASH ON HAND AND THEN ONE ITEM
THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TO GE
THROUGH AS WELL IS THE
MULTIFAMILY TAX EXTENSION SUNSE
DATE EXTENSION FOR BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
WE WILL MAKE SURE IF YOU HAVE
NOT ALREADY RECEIVED AN OVERVIE
FROM CENTRAL STAFF, THAT EACH
OFFICE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
THAT. OR FROM OUR STAFF. AARON
HOUSE IS UP TO SPEED AND
KNOWLEDGEABLE ON THIS AS WELL.
AN EXTENSION OF THE POLICY THAT
WOULD CARRY US OVER TO 2024. AN
EXTENSION IS WHAT WOULD BE IN
FRONT OF US. THOSE ARE THE FOUR
ITEMS NEXT MONDAY. COLLEAGUES,
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN.
AND I WILL SEE YOU MONDAY AND
9:30. THANKS FOR MAKING THAT
TIME AVAILABLE. TAKE CARE,
EVERYBODY. THE MEETING IS
ADJOURNED.