BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw wants Erie County employees to report bed bug concerns.
On Wednesday, the county’s Whistleblower Hotline was announced.
“When bed bugs were found in my office, I immediately sent my union employees home,” Mychajliw said. “Our dedicated workers deserve a clean and safe work environment. People should not be forced to work in a disgusting, bug infested environment.”
Mychajliw says multiple floors of the Rath Building have been sprayed after bed bugs became a concern there.
10 out of 18 floors in the building, and the elevator, have been chemically treated. Mychajliw says that some of floors have been treated up to six times.
He wants people in the building to start reporting bed bug sightings and other concerns to his office.
“I understand why this problem is being dragged out and why employees are afraid to speak up. I saw firsthand how poorly my employees were treated by the administration when we found bugs in our office,” Mychajliw said.
This can be done by either calling (716) 858-7722 or emailing whistleblower@erie.gov or ECComptroller@gmail.com. All calls and emails will be confidential.
Here’s what Mychajliw wants to hear from county employees:
- Have you seen bed bugs in your workspace?
- Have you been treated fairly from management about bed bugs being found in the Rath Building?
- Is your workspace as clean as it was years ago?
- Do you think the current approach to this problem has been effective?
- Do you recall bed bugs being a problem in the Rath Building in the past?
- What do you think the cause of the bed bug problem is?
- Do you have any health concerns?
- Is the County of Erie doing enough to provide you with a clean, safe and bed bug free environment?
- What do you think can and should be done to remove bed bugs/fleas from the Rath Building?
