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OK, Who has a plan of action for the COVID-19?

To reduce personal contact we are now trying FaceTime for minor inspections such as slab, wallboard and others at each inspectors discretion. No videos will be accepted due to the ability to limit what is shown and sometimes uploading is slow.
 
IT is issuing laptops to clerical staff so they can work from home. They will be able to do everything but process a credit card for payment. Each department will keep 2 or 3 people at city hall to do the task that cannot be done remotely.
Installed a drop box outside so people can drop off payments or documents that cannot be done electronically.
 
California is under a "stay at home" order that people are ignoring. Public works is considered an essential function of government so the building inspectors are still performing inspections...... the bulk of which should be virtual.

I just don't know how the PW administration can be so shortsighted. What there is about construction that deems it to be essential escapes me. I understand a need to review the work done to date for such things as gas appliances and electrical panels, most everything else can wait and no new work should be done.

Nevada has closed the casinos.
 
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IT is issuing laptops to clerical staff so they can work from home. They will be able to do everything but process a credit card for payment. Each department will keep 2 or 3 people at city hall to do the task that cannot be done remotely.
Installed a drop box outside so people can drop off payments or documents that cannot be done electronically.

Real similar here, half the work force is at home working and half at work, communicating by email and requesting photo evidence of re-inspections. Can issue permits remotely. Answering emails, so far it's working similar to a tornado situation off site.

We were prepared, and administration is on top of changing conditions. Providing our residents with as much as we can and trying to protect our workforce.

When I heard last night on the news that CA was in a "Stay at Home" mode, I just shook my head. Are you sure that's even possible?
 
LA County has announced that the only people that will be tested for Covid-19 are those that are hospitalized. The idea behind this is that everyone with any symptoms should assume that they have Covid-19.....and everybody that is symptom free should assume that they have Covid-19.
An addition to the list of at risk people is anyone that is confined to a wheelchair.
 
LA County has announced that the only people that will be tested for Covid-19 are those that are hospitalized. The idea behind this is that everyone with any symptoms should assume that they have Covid-19.....and everybody that is symptom free should assume that they have Covid-19.
An addition to the list of at risk people is anyone that is confined to a wheelchair.
Thanks for the update
 
We locked the door to City Hall. Visitors/ inspections/ etc. by appointment only. I'm technically "on call", but since I'm the only one here who does what I do, well, that doesn't really work. Today is the first day, so we'll see how it goes. If I can schedule everybody who wants an inspection for the same block of hours every day (or every other) then I might, maybe, get to work from home some. My contractors are spoiled though because they've never had to wait for me for an inspection. Going to be interesting..
 
We are only inspecting electrical services. We can do plan reviews if we have any at home. This week I was told i was only getting paid for 24 hours. They want me to use vacation time for the rest. I rather not use my vacation time, I want to save it for vacations (when you can go somewhere). Can my company make me use my vacation time?
 
We are still doing inspections. All new permits must be submitted through the online portal. You have to call to pickup permits and make an appointment. Staff is split up to 20 hour weeks so cut the exposure time in half.
 
We are only inspecting electrical services. We can do plan reviews if we have any at home. This week I was told i was only getting paid for 24 hours. They want me to use vacation time for the rest. I rather not use my vacation time, I want to save it for vacations (when you can go somewhere). Can my company make me use my vacation time?

I would file a claim for partial unemployment and writ HR or boss or both and advise you do not want vacation time used and you are filing a partial unemployment claim.
 
Officially working from home. Could not remember the password for this site but luckily found it. Not sure what is going to happen for how long. I suspect the contracting people to get hit just as equal so may trend to less inspections in upcoming days.
 
Thanks for the discussions, guys. Keep it up. Doing a lot of work in code education for contractors and specifically deck builders through my work with NADRA.org, I am getting inquires from our nation's self-employed deck builders about what to do. Concerned as they may be about the virus, they are also concerned for next month's bills. 16 years ago, I was one of these builders living month to month with two new babies. If they can work and the owner will let them, I can't fault them for doing their work...without the help of the building department. I am writing a very difficult blog now to the deck builders about what they should do between now and when normalcy returns. Thank you for the information you are sharing here.

I ask you to be open-minded when things return to normal and the work done is your absence is up for discussion.
 
Construction is considered "essential" here, I suppose because of the extreme shortages and homelessness:

East Bay Times said:
The coronavirus pandemic has created confusion, delays and uncertainty in housing projects around the Bay Area, despite a crushing need for new homes from an industry deemed essential to work through the regional lock-down.

Shutdowns in local government offices have distanced city planners and inspectors from developers, making the already sometimes Byzantine development process more complicated. Staff in Bay Area cities are shifting as many development functions as possible online. Residential builders and small contractors are struggling to understand and adapt to the variety of new work policies and limits forced on local governments by the coronavirus.

The region’s housing crisis, already hampered by high land costs, a lengthy local process and environmental regulations, is getting a roundhouse from the pandemic.¹

I'd read the whole thing since the reporters have checked with several cities, as usual the holdups are in the building departments.

¹ https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2020/0...w-bay-area-home-construction-future-projects/
 
We are only inspecting electrical services. We can do plan reviews if we have any at home. This week I was told i was only getting paid for 24 hours. They want me to use vacation time for the rest. I rather not use my vacation time, I want to save it for vacations (when you can go somewhere). Can my company make me use my vacation time?

Rick, I looked into this and if your company has an established written policy that you must use vacation, sick, PTO, before anything else then it’s perfectly legal from a company standpoint. Remember, Pa. is a right to work state!
 
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