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Cooch County approves pilot allowing infants at work in public health office
Summary
The county board approved a 6–12 month pilot allowing employees to bring infants to the public health office under a pack-and-play rule, after the board heard legal and operational caveats from staff and the county attorney.
Cooch County commissioners on Aug. 26 approved a pilot allowing county employees in the Public Health and Human Services department to bring infants to work in a supervised pack-and-play arrangement for up to 365 days.
The pilot, described to the board as a forward-looking response to local child-care shortages, will apply initially only to the public health office and run for a six- to 12-month period. Commissioner Adam McIntyre moved to try the pilot; Commissioner Ricky Roach seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote.
County staff said the policy mirrors a program used in Pine County and is designed to help employees return to on-site work sooner while keeping infants nearby. A staff presenter said the public health office is a suitable place to test the policy because infants already come to the building for WIC clinics and similar services.
County Attorney Jeff Keith gave a preliminary legal review and told the board that some increased liability is unavoidable for any program of this type. Keith said the initiative should include signed liability acknowledgments from participating employees but cautioned that such consents do not eliminate county exposure. He also flagged future challenges if the program is expanded and asked the board to consider how to implement the program consistently across departments.
Administrators said the pilot includes operational limits: an infant must remain in a pack-and-play, supervisors must approve arrangements, alternate caregivers must be available for tasks requiring more than brief, intermittent absence from a workstation, and employees must maintain required productivity. Staff also noted that if the pilot succeeds the county could study a broader rollout but that the county attorney would need to refine liability and consistency measures before expansion.
Commissioners described the measure as family-friendly and timely amid local day-care shortages and voted in favor. The board did not set boardwide permanent policy during this meeting; the approval covers the pilot only. Staff will return with implementation details and any revised legal language if the pilot is extended or expanded.
Ending: The pilot is set to start immediately for the Public Health and Human Services office; administrators said they will monitor operations and report back to the board if substantive issues arise.
