Holmdel School Custodians Still Working, Sparks Criticism

HOLMDEL, NJ — The superintendent of the Holmdel school district has been requiring the district's custodial staff to still report to work throughout the coronavirus lockdown, prompting an outcry from the state teachers' union, of which the custodians are a part.

Holmdel superintendent Dr. Robert McGarry told Patch he considers the custodians "essential employees," and that custodians in high-risk health categories are free to stay home and use paid leave.

But the union argues he is putting the custodians' health at risk and is demanding he stop making them show up for work.

"He has been making the entire custodial staff come in all last week and so far on Monday and Tuesday of this week," said Dawn Hiltner, an NJEA spokeswoman. "If he doesn't stop, one of the options at this point is asking the State Police to come in and shut this down."

In all, there are about 40 custodians, maintenance and grounds-keeping employees who are required to show up for work at Holmdel public school buildings, currently void of students and teachers.

Hiltner said McGarry is "having them do work they would normally do in the summer, such as seeding athletic fields, replacing electrical outlets, stripping floors and painting jobs. It's not essential work that needs to be done. It's almost like he is finding things for them to do."

McGarry was sent a cease-and-desist letter Monday by Keith Waldman, an attorney for the New Jersey teachers' union, the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA).

When asked by Patch, McGarry said he did indeed receive the cease-and-desist letter from the union, but countered that it is his determination the custodian staff are deemed essential employees by the state.

"Governor Murphy’s Executive Order No. 107 (March 21) provides for the continuation of work by employees who cannot perform their functions via telework or work-from-home arrangements," said McGarry. "To that end, the district has deemed its custodians, maintenance and grounds staff to be essential employees. Essential employees are expected to continue to report to work for the time being."

According to Hiltner, the Holmdel High cafeteria is still open and making lunches for students who qualify to receive a free lunch.

"So I would understand if he had a skeleton staff to come in to keep things sanitary. But that is not what's happening here," she said. "He is requiring the full staff to come in every day.

"Many of them are high-risk populations or are married to healthcare works. So he is putting a lot of other people at risk for getting this virus."

McGarry said he has "taken recommended steps to ensure that employees are practicing social distancing while working. Moreover, no employees are to work together unless absolutely necessary, in which case appropriate precautions will be taken. Employees have been instructed to maintain social distance if eating lunch together and have the option to eat alone if they prefer."

Hiltner also disagreed with that, saying that sometimes close work for the custodians is unavoidable, such as when they have to hold ladders for each other.

Last week, the superintendent of the East Windsor school district was similarly criticized by the state teachers' union for having school bus drivers come in and sit in a room for two hours. Hiltner said the superintendent required them to come in for "professional development" in order for them to be paid. However, that consisted of them sitting very close to each other in a staff room for several hours each day last week.

All New Jersey public school teachers and staff, including custodians, are being paid for the duration of the coronavirus situation, even though they are not physically reporting to work. Teachers are still doing virtual teaching from home.