California and the nation have made great progress in fighting the COVID pandemic! While we continue to take precautions and seek to vaccinate as many individuals as possible, activities and operations are gradually returning to normal. Given recent progress and following on our last message regarding remote work through June 30, 2021, it is time to prepare to officially re-open our locations, effective July 1.
Formal re-opening guidelines and telecommuting criteria are under development with planned distribution in early June. That information will be shared in future updates and posted on the website http://ucanr.edu/covid19. While there remain a number of unknown details for consideration – UCOP COVID vaccine policy, Cal/OSHA regulations, UCOP telecommute guidelines – we ask that all locations begin conversations about what a return to workplace will look like on July 1, 2021.
Directors and supervisors are asked to begin talking with their teams to ascertain any obstacles that may influence a location's ability to return to “normal” operations. Each location will have unique restrictions/circumstances. Similarly, individuals may have unique circumstances that present challenges. It is important that teams discuss obstacles and opportunities and individuals discuss their own situations with their supervisors. Each location director/manager will have the flexibility to address their specific restrictions and develop workarounds and scenarios that keep the office location open daily during normal business hours while ensuring safety for employees and addressing unique circumstances to the extent possible. Telework, flexible schedules, and rotating schedules are part of the planning process and not guaranteed, but rather determined by a variety of factors and require supervisor approval.
Business travel around the state has resumed. Out-of-state business travel is limited to ‘essential travel' only. Prior to any out-of-state business travel, you are encouraged to discuss with your supervisor to determine if the travel is essential.
It has been a long road and I am eager to see us take this next step. I want to sincerely thank each of you for your efforts during this unusual time in history. I look forward to bumping into you, in Davis, in airports, or in our county locations, as we move into this next phase of recovery.
Sincerely,
Glenda