Library offers increased mileage rate to employees to offset high gas prices

Library offers increased mileage rate to employees to offset high gas prices

Here are brief reports on items discussed at a March 16 meeting of the Haliburton County Public Library Board.

By Sue Tiffin

The rising cost of gasoline leaves mileage rates in the dust. Haliburton County Public Library CEO Chris Stephenson questioned the library’s mileage rate and how to more fairly compensate employees using their own vehicles to travel between branches to cover shifts or make deliveries.
He received about 25 responses to an online survey asking other library professionals across the province what fares they offer – one of the lowest he found was 54 cents per kilometer, but they were in asking for a higher price. Stephenson said the National Joint Council rate is 57.5 cents per kilometer and the Canada Revenue Agency approves a rate of 61 cents. Stephenson said he was aware that increasing the fare would increase the library’s mileage budget, which is already triple what it’s supposed to be in part because of the library’s spread across the county, regular delivery twice a week and staff to cover shifts in the Highlands. Is. The library courier will travel approximately 1,600 kilometers per month.

He suggested that buying a library vehicle would help drivers concerned about driving their personal vehicle for work – currently the library uses a county vehicle until April – and could help provide services, such as running Wi-Fi from a van touring Dorset.
County Warden and Deputy Mayor of Algonquin Highlands Liz Danielsen said she had a similar conversation with the county, which was also reviewing its mileage policy.
“Having prices that are half of what we pay for gas is not sustainable at all, and it’s not fair that staff have to pay for something like that,” she said. declared. “I think talking about buying a new vehicle is premature, but I would really strongly recommend considering an interim increase, approving a much higher rate.”
The council supported having something in place to quickly offset the costs, due to the high cost of gasoline at that time.
“Just as an example, my little Subaru, I could fill for $50 a few months ago and now it’s $100,” Danielsen said. “We can’t ask the staff to maintain this any longer than they already have.”

Dysart et al Mayor Andrea Roberts said a quick Google search of mileage rates showed it was “shocking how low we are at 45 cents”.
“I would like to help people as soon as possible,” said Algonquin Highlands Mayor Carol Moffatt.
The board backed Stephenson raising the rate to 59 cents per kilometer, reviewing that within a month.

End of mask mandate forces frontline staff to deal with strangers
Stephenson said the province’s abandonment of the mask mandate has brought new challenges for library staff, who serve the public face-to-face. He said he “strongly encouraged” staff to continue wearing masks to protect themselves as colleagues often worked side-by-side, but said the unknown came from customers who may choose not to wear masks. mask.
He said the situation was likely to cause stress if it was necessary for staff to enforce mask-wearing.
“I’m not willing to do that because I think it puts us in an uncomfortable position with people who are upset about masks,” he said.
“It’s a touchy subject but I’m just wondering if I could tell all staff that they have to wear masks,” Danielsen said. “It seems to me that at this point it’s a personal choice, that if they want to wear a mask for their own protection and for others, then that’s fine and, if they don’t want to, they shouldn’t have to.”
“It not only deprives us of the authority to enforce a new policy, but it puts the responsibility on an individual,” Stephenson said. “We are in a collective workplace and we care about each other, obviously. What I propose to do is to strongly encourage. I’m not ordering anyone to do anything.
Stephenson said everyone has the right to refuse unsafe work, although Moffatt noted it would be tied to aggressive clients as opposed to provincial guidelines.
“What I try to avoid, and what I think will play out everywhere in the workplace, is a difference of opinion that is heated,” Stephenson said. “I can’t control what the public will do, but I can encourage the staff to take care of each other.”
He added: ‘My fear is that if we are in a situation where someone chooses to exercise personal choice, working alongside someone who feels strongly that their safety is at risk, then I might just receive a series of leave notices and then I’m going to have a hard time.
Stephenson said he did not expect the suggestion to be problematic.
“We’ve been together, we’ve been on the front line for a very long time now,” he said.

Closed Easter weekend
Staff shortages have led to the temporary closure of branches in Highlands East, as well as an unsustainable work situation in which administrative staff cover branches while fulfilling their own roles.
Stephenson said the library is heading into a busy time of the year in terms of programming and plans to close all branches on the Saturday of Easter weekend, “to give everyone a chance to catch their breath.”
Stephenson said staff shortages as well as changing regulations on the mask mandate are causing stress for all staff.
“I’m measuring the feeling and the vibe in the library right now, and we have a lot of work to do together,” he said. “It’s a busy time.”
He said offering an extra day off would mean a loss of pay that day for staff, but would also boost morale. He said he could chat with the staff.
“But to be fair, we’re struggling to staff branches on Saturdays and I can’t do six days a week anymore, to keep them open.”
The board supported his recommendation.

Stanhope branch remains closed
In the report from its librarians, Stephenson said a group of concerned citizens contacted the library to ask about details of the renovation of the Stanhope branch, which has been closed since August 2020.
Moffatt told the group that she had also been contacted. Due to pandemic-related COVID-19 supply chain issues, Moffatt said, the reopening is awaiting delivery of a door.
“There seems to be a misperception that the township has all the pieces and is just sitting on it and putting it on the back burner and I want to say publicly, to assure people, that’s not the case,” Moffatt said. . “We cannot replace a door that we do not have in our possession.”
She said library services were still available at Dysart and Minden, and the contractor was working on whatever pieces he could, at the Stanhope branch.