Vol. 12 | May 2022

Stay Safe, Stay Tuned

Each one of us plays a role in keeping the DOL

community safe during this unprecedented pandemic.

Ensuring this level of safety has not been easy, and it

has required all of us to meet challenges above and

beyond those we would normally face.

You have risen to that challenge, adapting to t

changing conditions of the pandemic, and continuin

deliver on our DOL mission and vision.

We appreciate your resilience over the past two years,

and call on you to continue in that commendable spirit of collaboration

flexibilit

Please remember that the pandemic is not over, and we need to contin

being mindful of our safety and health protocols. To make it easier, we

developed a new guide outlining our safety and health protocols based on

vaccination status and COVID-19 community level. To see the guidance th

applies to you, select your vaccination statu

Not fully vaccinated

Fully Vaccinated, not up to date

Up to date

Be sure to check the COVID-19 community level and any masking

requirements at your DOL location every Frida

Below, you will find a recap of DOL’s COVID-19 response guidance. OAS

will continue to share critical facilities, HR, IT, and health and safety u

with you monthly – but it may look a little different than this cur

newsletter 😉 Please stay tuned for more information and stay s
— Rachana Desai Martin, Assistant Secretary for Administration

Management (ASAM)

In Case You Missed It

Here is a quick recap of the latest COVID-19 information and guidance sent 

all DOL employees:

Reentry and Phase 3 Logisti

DOL COVID-19 Exposure Notification P

COVID-19 Testing Poli

DOL Workplace Safety Training(PDF)

DOL Workplace Safety Plan(PDF)

COVID-19 Community Levels and Masking Requirements by DOL

Locati

Training and Video Resources

Daily Health Screening Questions (1 mi

Every DOL employee, contractor, and

visitor must conduct a daily health

screening prior to coming to work in the

office or field. This video guide

through the question

Remember: do not report onsite if you are sick. If you answer “yes” to any

screening questions, notify your supervisor and coordinate next s

Telework and Remote Work Agreements

(6 mins)

What’s the difference between telewo

and remote work? Do I have to update

my telework agreement? What’s the

deal with TeleworkXpress? This video of

CHCO Sydney Rose answers all these

questions in just six minute

Reentry Reminders (4 mins)
If you haven’t returned to onsite work

yet, or are just getting started, this vi

has some helpful tips and reminders f

making getting the most out of your d

in the offi

COVID-19 Tests Available for Personal 

Use at COVID.gov

Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order

a third round of free at-home tests

through COVID.gov. The tests available for

order:

Are rapid antigen at-home tests, n

PCR

Can be taken anywhere

Give results within 30 minutes (no lab drop-off require

Work whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms

Work whether or not you are up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines

Are also referred to as self-tests or over-the-counter (OTC) tests

Please note that these tests are not to be used by unvaccinated employees

for screening purposes; employees in that situation should follow the D

Testing Policy instead. Order your free, at-home, personal-use COVID-19 tes

today!

Let's Go DOL!

Thank you to all who attended the a

staff Phase 3 Reentry Open Forum la

month! For those of you who missed it

(or would like to see it again), we’ve

posted an extended version of the

slideshow we shared during that

meeting. This video includes testimon
from your DOL colleagues describing their feelings about returning to onsite

work. Check it out!

Below are some additional staff perspectives on shifting from

telework to a more in-person capacity.

“I am excited to try new technology solutions while working in a hybr

manner. Before the pandemic, our office seldomly utilized MS Teams.

forward two years, and I think we have all gotten use to the virtual world a

realize that the flexibilities that new technology offers can be seamle

practical

— Lisa Keefer, Compliance Officer, OFCCP New Jersey District 

“New technology solutions will all

compliance staff to become mo

productive. New communicat

platforms have freed up time by redu

the need to travel. Using electronic fil

allows for easy access to information whi

in the field, teleworking, or in the of

Returning to the office will facilit

training of our new staff. Our new staff 

now have direct access to experienced

compliance officers and admin while in 

offic

— Patrick McCarty, Acting Area Director, Jackson MS (OSH

“Throughout the pandemic, I got used to the convenience of working from

the safety and comfort of my home whilst avoiding a one-hour drive (on a

good day) to the office. However, going back to the office and interact

the team has been refreshing and gave me a greater appreciation for the faceto-face contact. Now with DOL workplace flexibilities, we all get to expe

the best of both scenarios.”

— Condell Eastmond, Area Director, OSHA FT Lauderdale Off

“We experienced significant personnel changes during the past two years, 

include me joining the team as its director. I look forward to meeting a

working with my teammates in our ‘traditional’ work environment

— Brian O’Connor, Director, Emergency Management Center (EMC), Office

the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASA
Check out these resources on the 

DOL COVID-19 LaborNet page!

VaxTrak Homepage

Reentry Info

Employee Messages

Past COVID-19 Connecti

Newslette

DOL Plans and Procedures

Training and Video Resources

FAQs

Questions? Please email us at