Personnel policy for pets passes in Post Falls
POST FALLS — After some pushback from City Councilor Samantha Steigleder, the Post Falls City Council on Tuesday approved a clarification to the animals in the workplace exemption policy for city personnel.
The policy limits the presence of animals in city facilities, states that “animals can bring joy and comfort,” and that “employees are generally prohibited from bringing animals into the workplace” due to disruption or even health and safety concerns.
The policy update requires a description of the justification and scope of the request to bring a pet to work, along with a timeline to accommodate the individual circumstances. The department head, HR director, and the director of legal services must approve it.
Individuals would sign a waiver of liability and indemnity agreement stating that they are responsible for any actions by the animal if the animal bites someone.
Steigleder said the update seemed superfluous to her.
“In this policy, there’s already an exemption for ADA and the police,” Steigleder pointed out.
Councilor Jack Mosby asked whether there were specific circumstances that prompted the change.
Councilor Field Harrington said some departments don’t interact with the public who have had animals on an ad hoc basis as a reasonable accommodation for a short span of time.
“I would be more interested in seeing part of the personnel policy that works to allow city employees to work from home for a couple of days a week or an extended amount of time, "Steigleder said. "Personally, I’m not interested in animals in the workplace, especially because it’s only dogs.”
She added that working dogs needed in city facilities are already present.
City Councilor Marc Lucca said he worried that the policy in its current or updated form may be too restrictive.
“When I toured the police department, there was a dog in the records area," Lucca said. "Speaking with the people there, I know that it brings a lot of comfort to both crime victims and to the people who work there who deal with really awful things all day long.”
He added that federal law protecting service animals is already baked into the framework.
“It's very hard to deny somebody if they say they need their, you know, emotional support goat to come to work with them,” Lucca said.
Steigleder said not everyone enjoys sharing a workspace with other people’s animals.
The policy update requires a description of the justification and scope of the request to bring a pet to work, along with a timeline to accommodate the individual circumstances. The department head, HR director, and the director of legal services must approve it.
Individuals would sign a waiver of liability and indemnity agreement stating that they are responsible for any actions by the animal if the animal bites someone.
The council voted to approve the measure, with Steigleder casting the lone "no" vote.
Samantha Steigleder, Aaron Plew, Joe Malloy, Randy Westlund, Nathan Ziegler, Jack Mosby and Marc Lucca listen to a presentation during the Post Falls City Council meeting Tuesday.