The health educator works hard in preparing paperwork for grants that are beneficial for the county health department which requires a lot of time. Burden explained that she works 20 hours a week in her regular duties as the health educator and to prepare the many grants takes more time out of her regular work days.
With the new health insurance requirement that all part-time workers working over 30 hours average in a six-month period be offered health insurance, Burden asked the council if part of the grant money that pays her wages could be used to pay her health insurance. It is a rather sizable sum.
If this request cannot be funded, then the responsibility of preparing grants will be placed on Burden’s shoulders or on another staff member.
The council voted to table this request until the August meeting to make sure they review the health department’s budget and see where money is appropriated and see if this is a feasible request. Since the long-term grant that funds the health educator’s part-time wages varies, the cost could come back to the county and the council members want to be sure of the law to see if this can be approved.
