Columbia VA hospital pushes back on claims it doesn’t protect employees from COVID-19

The Dorn VA hospital is pushing back on protesters’ claims that it doesn’t adequately protect its employees.

The union representing the hospitals’ employees had claimed that the VA only gave them one protective mask per week, prohibited some workers from working remotely, did not give paid leave to employees who could have been exposed to coronavirus and more.

But some of those claims, made by The American Federation of Government Employees Local 1915, are based on inaccurate or misleading information, VA officials said. Dorn VA hospital chief executive David Omura told The State he shared accurate and more complete information with the union, but that the organization pressed on at a Saturday protest and in a Sunday news release using inaccurate or incomplete information.

Masks

Regarding personal protective equipment (PPE), it is true that some VA employees get one mask per week, but that’s only for “non-clinical staff not in contact with COVID-19 patients,” VA spokeswoman Sharonda Pearson said in an email.

“(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidance is clear, not all staff require the same type and amount of PPE,” Pearson said.

The hospital does not have a shortage of masks, gloves and other protective equipment, Pearson said. If a shortage were to occur, nearby VA hospitals would provide extra gear to the Columbia hospital, Pearson said.

“We’re in great shape with PPE and testing,” Omura said.

The Columbia hospital has had employees test positive for coronavirus, but only .008% of its workforce has been infected, Pearson said. Other health care organizations, such as University of Washington Medicine at 4.4%, have had a higher percentage of employees test positive, according to an April article by KOMO News. In Detroit, 2.1% of Henry Ford Health System employees tested positive for coronavirus, according to an April article by the Detroit Free Press.

The Dorn VA hospital credits its use of PPE as a reason its workforce has been less affected by coronavirus than some of its peers, Pearson said.

Working remotely

In the union’s press release, attributed to union member and nurse Bonnie Grant, the union called on hospital to allow certain employees to work remotely.

Pearson said 98% of requests to work remotely since March 1 have been granted. The other 2% were either unable or not eligible to work remotely, she said.

AWOL

The union alleged that some employees were listed as absent without leave when they had COVID-19 symptoms and were awaiting the results of coronavirus testing.

Hospital officials say that’s not true.

“This is false,” Pearson said. “No employee has been listed as Absent Without Leave while experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.”

Hazard pay

One of the union’s complaints was that employees were not receiving hazard pay despite working in an industry where they are more likely than others to come into contact with coronavirus patients.

This is true, Pearson said. Employees are not receiving hazard pay because the number of cases among employees is so low it does not meet the required threshold, which says such pay should be given if “risks cannot be reasonably mitigated and employees cannot be safely protected,” Pearson said.

Leave

In the press release, the union called for the Columbia VA hospital to provide paid leave for employees who had been exposed to coronavirus.

In response, the hospital said it is following CDC guidance and VA policy regarding employees who are forced to quarantine or self-isolate. That means quarantined employees are allowed to work remotely if possible, Pearson said. If they can’t work remotely, the hospital can give them weather and safety leave or the employees can use sick days, Pearson said.