The mayor of Portland, Oregon, announced that all city employees will receive 40 hours of bereavement leave to “grieve and reflect” over 400 years of black people being oppressed.
Mayor Ted Wheeler sent an email to all city employees on Monday informing them that they will receive the uncontested paid time off to mourn racial disparity in response to the death of George Floyd, according to the Portland Tribune.
“As a nation and as a City we continue to grieve the recent loss of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, and others in the country and in our community,” Wheeler’s email said. “We acknowledge that Black employees are experiencing a collective grief and trauma coming from a culmination of oppression that is over 400 years old.”
The email continued: “We hear and understand that many of our employees, especially our BiPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) employees, are deeply impacted by these recent events and are hurting. I want to give our employees space to grieve and reflect: 40 hours of bereavement leave as allowed under HRAR (Human Resources Administrative Rules) 6.03.”
Wheeler went on to instruct managers and supervisors to adhere to his mandate “without question” and expressed hope that other cities across the country would follow his example and make the same move.
“We’re witnessing a dramatic shift in our nation, one that is urgently charting the path forward for restorative justice, inclusion and understanding,” Wheeler continued. “I feel tremendous responsibility, as well as tremendous privilege, to be a part of this historic movement. Thank you for walking that path with me as we continue to serve the City of Portland.”
The discussion regarding monetary compensation in the form of reparations has intensified since Floyd’s death, with some lawmakers in California considering legislation to send payments to black residents and the founder of Black Entertainment Television calling for a $14 trillion federal reparation package.
Riots erupted in Portland in the days following the news of Floyd’s death, forcing Wheeler to declare a state of emergency.
