News Archive
Fighting for Social Distancing in the Workplace
April 23, 2020
On April 6, 2020, HGEA filed a class grievance on behalf of essential workers in the City and County of Honolulu’s Customer Service Department at Kapalama Satellite City Hall for health and safety violations pursuant to Mayor Caldwell’s Emergency Order No. 2020-02, where employees’ workstations are positioned back-to-back with less than three feet of space between employees.
We believe the City’s opinion that “6ft is not mandatory” violates social distancing recommendations from both Mayor Caldwell and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and disregards the health, safety and well-being of essential workers.
We anticipate a response or favorable resolution from the employer within the week. If the employer still refuses to comply with standard social distancing guidelines, we will proceed accordingly with the grievance process.