The state has identified 1,421,312 cases of COVID-19 as of today (increase of 18,873 since our last newsletter on Feb. 17), with 1,404,496 of these cases no longer requiring isolation (increase of 30,657). 12,255 deaths have been reported (increase of 325). For more information on the current situation, visit the Minnesota Department of Health website.
At the bottom of this email, you will find Met Council workforce statistics related to COVID-19 leave that have been reported to the Employee Resource Center.
Do you have thoughts or concerns on the content or frequency of these COVID-19 update emails? We would love to hear your feedback through the online COVID-19 form, so we can make sure these emails are providing the most useful and timely information to staff.
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At a glance
What you need to know this week:
Read on for more about these updates.
Facilities to reopen, teleworkers to begin transition in April
Teleworking employees should begin planning now for their transition back into the office and should expect to start working their new schedules the week of April 18.
That gives us five full weeks to put transition plans in place, a little more than the 30 days’ notice we committed to last fall.
We’re excited to have our teleworking employees rejoin those who have been reporting onsite during the pandemic.
Teleworkers should work with their managers and division leadership to establish their short- and long-term schedules, complete or update their telework agreement, and identify any immediate onsite business priorities. We recognize there will be unique circumstances for employees in establishing a regular onsite and teleworking schedule moving forward. Make sure you communicate these needs with your managers and work together to create a specific plan for actively transitioning to your new schedule.
In addition, following guidance from the State of Minnesota, we will be reopening our facilities to the public on April 25. Beginning the return-to-office transition the week of April 18 will give employees with in-person customer service duties a chance to prepare for welcoming the public back to our buildings the following week.
We know this will be a time of change and perhaps some challenge as we bring more staff back onsite, but we want to encourage you that conditions are right and our work environments are safe. Throughout the pandemic we have worked hard to make sure our onsite staff can confidently and safely work in our facilities, including instituting air circulation, cleaning procedures, and other safeguards. And we’re all committed to doing our part to move forward with whatever the new normal looks like.
If you have concerns or need specific arrangements for your transition back to the office, work with your division leadership and your manager. We’re committed to providing the resources you and your managers need to make sure this transition is successful and works for our business priorities.
COVID-19 leave expires April 15
Because of the changing conditions of the pandemic and our organization's transition out of our emergency COVID-19 policies, we are ending the COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave Procedure. The last effective day to use the leave will be April 15.
In-person Council meetings will resume April 25
With the Robert Street offices opening, we’ll also be conducting our Council meetings in person, beginning the week of April 25. We will continue streaming those meetings online and recording them for people to monitor remotely. We will also provide additional guidance for staff who may need to present to Council meetings and committees.
Planning for the hybrid workplace
Establishing new schedules
Many teleworkers have already been returning to the office when necessary over the course of the last several months. You may return to onsite work, in coordination with your manager, at any time. You don’t need to wait until April 18.
As part of the telework transition, departments provide general direction, and employees and managers work together on their individual plans. The teleworker's new schedule will fall into one of four categories: 100% onsite, hybrid A (primarily onsite), hybrid B (primarily remote), or 100% remote.
Department leaders should communicate with their teams as soon as possible to reiterate or update the expectations they set this fall for staff during this transition. Remember that teams may decide to transition in phases. Managers should work with employees to find the right balance to support successful transitions back to onsite work that will address business needs in their work areas in the coming weeks and months.
Human Resources will schedule meetings beginning the week of March 21 to provide guidance for managers to plan for this transition.
Complete or update your telework agreement
If your new schedule includes teleworking, make sure you complete the telework agreement in coordination with your manager, ahead of April 18, if possible. Remember, you can make telework agreements valid for any length of time up to a year, so you and your manager may consider short-term plans to address unique circumstances. You may also choose to establish a long-term schedule now and revisit it as necessary. At minimum, however, you must renew your agreement with your manager or supervisor each year.
The telework agreement form is on MetNet and routed automatically through the approval process. A job aid is linked on that page to help staff complete the form and navigate the approval process.
If you previously completed a telework agreement and need to make changes, please submit a new telework agreement. If you do not remember the details of the agreement you previously completed, check your email for the PDF copy you received when it was approved. Managers and supervisors also receive the email with the approved agreement.
Technology and workspace information on MetNet
Teleworking employees should check out the Telework Transition FAQ page on MetNet for information on new schedules, technology equipment, reservable hotel cubes, shared workspaces, and more. Staff are updating the FAQs as details are finalized before the return-to-office transition.
Required trainings for all teleworking staff
All teleworking staff are required to complete two trainings in Learn before their teams implement their new schedules: one on the updated Telework Procedure and one on working in the new hybrid workplace, where some staff will be onsite and some will be remote. The trainings are not assigned in Learn, so staff must use the direct links provided here or locate the trainings in Learn by using the search bar.
Reminder: Mask and testing requirements no longer in effect
As announced last week, given updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and changes in communities throughout the region, Met Council employees are no longer required to wear a mask while working onsite. The COVID-19 Face Coverings Procedure is no longer in effect.
Masks are still required on transit vehicles at least through March 18. Operators will continue to wear masks related to that mandate from the Transportation Security Administration.
You can still wear a mask and continue to distance at your discretion.
In addition, employees are no longer required to test or be vaccinated prior to reporting onsite. The COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Requirement Procedure is no longer in effect. Managers will no longer receive the go/no-go list on Fridays, as well.
Read more about these changes in the March 1 email to all staff.
Tools to help you find vaccination opportunities
As of Tuesday (March 8), 3,884,563 Minnesotans had received at least one vaccine dose, 3,669,533 people had completed the vaccine series, and 2,543,500 people are up to date with vaccine doses (including boosters). For up-to-date information on vaccine availability and distribution, visit the Minnesota Department of Health vaccine dashboard.
Our progress so far – and our path forward – relies on Minnesotans getting the vaccine. The vaccines are free, safe, and effective, and all Minnesotans age 5 and over can get one right now. Many sites are offering walk-in appointments.
Check out these tools to find vaccine appointments:
Important reminders related to the vaccine:
- The CDC has made a distinction between "up to date" and "fully vaccinated." Up to date means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible. A person is fully vaccinated two weeks after the final dose of their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.
- Even if you are up to date on your vaccinations, you should continue to follow safety recommendations by public health officials and get tested if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19.
- The Met Council is not collecting COVID-19 vaccine booster information. Please do not attempt to upload booster information into ESS until further notice.
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Continue testing to stop the spread of COVID-19
Anyone who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should immediately contact their health care provider and seek testing, regardless of their vaccination status.
Ways you can get a COVID-19 test:
HealthPartners is covering the cost of over-the-counter COVID-19 rapid tests completed at home.
HealthPartners has developed both a direct purchase option, so members don't have to pay out of pocket, and a reimbursement process. Only tests obtained on or after Jan. 15 are eligible. Details and instructions about coverage and requesting reimbursement are available on the HealthPartners website.
Important reminder: At-home rapid tests are for personal use.
At-home rapid test results are not accepted for the Met Council's COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave available to employees who have been vaccinated.
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Check the MetNet pages, FAQs
For the most current information related to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit the MetNet page and be sure to review the FAQs for employees and managers. The telework transition FAQ page has details for teleworking staff. They are updated as we have new information to communicate.
For Metro Transit work instructions and daily updates on new COVID-19 cases reported at each worksite, visit the Metro Transit MetNet page. For job aids and facilities updates for Environmental Services related to COVID-19, visit the Environmental Services page.
If you have questions, talk to your manager or supervisor or submit a question or concern in the online COVID-19 form.
Check out the latest issues of our internal newsletters:
For those who cannot easily access MetNet and/or would like a printable PDF of the FAQs, here are the most recent versions of these pages:
Met Council workforce statistics
The following statistics related to COVID-19 have been reported to the Employee Resource Center. The "active positive COVID-19" number is the number of employees who currently have a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. The "cumulative" number marks the total number of employees who received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis since the pandemic began. The second table breaks down the positive cases by division for Community Development (CD), Environmental Services (ES), Metro Transit (MT), Metropolitan Transportation Services (MTS), and Regional Administration (RA).
Employees with positive COVID-19 diagnosis:
| |
Councilwide |
| Active positive COVID-19 |
133 |
| Cumulative COVID-19 since onset |
1,366 |
Employees with positive COVID-19 diagnosis by division:
These division numbers are reported by Human Resources weekly. This table reflects changes since the last update email (Feb. 17).
|
Division
|
New cases |
Total to date |
Returned to work |
Current active |
|
CD
|
0 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
| ES |
5 |
215 |
157 |
58 |
| MT |
21 |
1,118 |
1,051 |
67 |
| MTS |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| RA |
0 |
25 |
19 |
6
|
| Total |
26 |
1,366 |
1,233 |
133
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