Council seeks review after inspectional services employee’s hybrid accommodation contested

Councilors Murphy and Flynn brought a resolution urging the Inspectional Services Department to maintain reasonable hybrid-work accommodations for Rosemarie Pacia, an ISD employee undergoing treatment for blood cancer. Testimony summarized in the meeting described Pacia’s hybrid schedule (in‑person mornings certain days, remote afternoons and full remote days) that staff said accommodated ongoing infusions, surgery recovery and side effects while allowing the employee to perform required duties.

Sponsors said Pacia had exhausted paid leave, took unpaid medical leave, then returned on a physician‑supported hybrid schedule; sponsors argued ISD was now requiring a fuller in‑person schedule without sufficient accommodation consideration. Councilors urged compassion and a reasonable accommodation process; others cautioned about the council’s intervention in active personnel matters and described due-process and HR procedures.

Because a member raised a procedural objection to taking immediate floor action on an individual personnel matter under council rules, the chair referred docket 1212 to the Committee on Labor, Workforce and Economic Development for further consideration and follow-up.

Why it matters: The item highlights tensions between individual personnel accommodations, department HR procedures, and council advocacy. Councilors framed the matter as one where a reasonable accommodation could allow an employee undergoing cancer treatment to continue working without adverse employment action.