Agenda

Return

D.6

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Supervisor Karen Mitchoff & Supervisor John Gioia
Date:	November 3, 2020

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s (BAAQMD) Challenge to “Cut the Commute”

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 11/03/2020

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:	Lisa Chow (925) 521-7100
cc:	IOC Staff Sustainability Committee Staff DCD Director

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: November 3, 2020
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

REFER to the County Administrator and Internal Operations Committee, for report back to the Board, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s (BAAQMD) challenge to Contra Costa County employers to “Cut the Commute”, to identify issues and determine the feasibility of accepting the Challenge;

REQUEST, via the Contra Costa County Mayors’ Conference, the 19 Contra Costa cities to consider accepting this Challenge; and

RECOMMENDATION(S): (CONT'D)

REFER to the Sustainability Committee how best to engage and encourage other Contra Costa employers to consider accepting this Challenge.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Potential costs or savings for employers are yet to be identified and determined.

BACKGROUND:

Attached is the “Cut the Commute” Challenge posed by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). Employers that accept the BAAQMD Challenge must commit to actively study and determine what strategies will work best for their particular workforce to facilitate remote work opportunities. A toolbox is available on the BAAQMD website to assist employers that endeavor to meet this Challenge, both now and in the future.

At this time of COVID-19, it is presumed that a high number of employers, public and private, are managing to operate under the COVID work restrictions by having some employees work from home. The Air District, in making this Challenge, recognized that there are issues of equity in any potential program that may be instituted by an employer and its particular employees, and that not all jobs lend themselves to telecommuting. The County largely provides public-facing services from locations accessible to the general public. The Challenge is intended to be a flexible program applicable only to employees whose work requirements allow them to work from home. Employers can strive to meet the Challenge by having a portion of its workforce “cut the commute” or having eligible employees work a portion of their workday at home; or a combination or variation of those strategies.

It is also recognized that many employees already carpool or use non-automotive transportation methods to reach their job sites, and options such as rideshare, public transit, bike-to-work, and technology discounts could also be leveraged to reduce employee commuting.

The ability for employees to work remotely is important to the community, employees, and businesses in Contra Costa County. The County has developed and proposed to our labor partners a draft Remote Work Policy. Because this Policy may affect every County employee and labor group, a Countywide policy is necessary and we will need to reach agreement with all parties. Contra Costa County recognizes the benefits of remote work, including:

Promoting options for employees to effectively balance work-life commitments;
Boosting employee morale, productivity and job satisfaction while reducing absenteeism;
Providing an additional employee recruitment and retention tool and increasing the County’s competitive advantages by positioning the County as “an employer of choice;”
Improving service delivery by allowing for work hours beyond the traditional 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday schedule in appropriate situations;
Allowing for more efficient use of County buildings, office space and parking facilities;
Improving the County’s ability to provide essential services during/following an emergency;
Improving air quality, reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and
Reducing traffic, transit and parking congestion.

In order to make our bargaining process practical and efficient, the County is pursuing a “coalition” model of bargaining with our labor partners. The first meeting to discuss a draft Remote Work Policy is scheduled for November 13, 2020.

In acknowledgement that acceptance of the BAAQMD Challenge must be predicated on adoption of a Remote Work Policy and will affect the provision of public-facing services, this matter is recommended for referral to the County Administrator and the Board's Internal Operations Committee for study and recommendation back to the Board.