Departmental Update for Work Flexibilities

Colleagues,

This afternoon President Trump, in coordination with the Coronavirus Task Force, issued new guidelines aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) over the next 15 days.  I have attached these guidelines for your reference.  As a result, the Department is doing its part to maximize telework flexibility, implement staggered work schedules, and use social distancing and other mitigations where appropriate to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

As you may know, we have implemented an aggressive telework schedule in the National Capital Region. As other regions begin to implement maximum telework capabilities, we ask all supervisors to follow state and local authorities’ public health guidance.  Please follow the applicable measures that are currently in place in your state.  We also ask supervisors to coordinate with agency and bureau heads as well as Field Special Assistants when maximizing telework flexibilities and continuing mission essential operations.

In addition to maximizing telework capabilities, supervisors have a broad array of workplace flexibilities to employ in order to slow the spread in impacted communities, such as:

• Implementing ad hoc telework agreements;
• Using weather and safety leave for high risk employees; and
• Implementing staggered or alternate work schedules.

Employees who are telework eligible but do not have a telework agreement in place should enter into an agreement immediately.  Regional leadership should establish staggered work schedules for employees in the office and employ other operational mitigation measures as suggested by the CDC in order to safely deliver mission-essential functions.  For those telework ineligible employees who are in a high risk group, the supervisor may authorize weather and safety leave. It’s important to remember that even if you are young or healthy, your activities can increase the risk for others.

We will continue to update employees with new guidance as it is received.  Employees should reference the DOI Sharepoint site for all the latest guidance documents related to the impact of COVID-19.

Sincerely,

Katharine MacGregor
Deputy Secretary

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15 Days to Slow the Spread Flyer
15 Days to Slow the Spread Guidlines