State employees eligible for administrative leave to help with community flood response

Flooded roads near Utah's Zion National Park on June 29, 2021. Photo: UDOT Region Four

SALT LAKE CITY — After record-breaking snowfall this winter in Utah, Gov. Spencer Cox is encouraging state employees to help their communities prepare for the worst.

Cox issued an executive order this morning allowing all state employees of executive branch agencies to take an optional eight hours of administrative leave to support community flood responses.

“With the weather warming up, flooding is a major disaster concern in Utah. We’re experiencing record-breaking snowpack levels and we want to be prepared for what spring could have in store,” Cox said. “Utah’s state employees are community-minded and we know many will want to support their local emergency response teams for the common good.”

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Utah’s snowpack levels currently sit at 150% in most of the state. While this water is incredibly beneficial to Utah’s ongoing drought, it doesn’t come without additional flood risks.

According to a press release from the Governor’s Office, multiple Utah agencies as well as city and county officials have been working to implement emergency flood plans all over the state.

The executive order will expire on August 31.

For additional information on flooding in Utah, visit beready.utah.gov or floodfacts.utah.gov.