A thought for the day…
"Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out."
– John Wooden (1910–2010) American basketball coach and player
 IN THIS ISSUE
Guest notes from Marcy Syman
Director, Human Resources
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with very little notice, many of our employees had to begin teleworking overnight. This shift forced us all to learn and adopt new technology and new ways of working together. We learned on the fly, and with the hard work and resilience of staff across the organization – working onsite and remotely – we maintained a high quality of work and service to the region.
Now, as we transition into a more planned telework setup this fall, we have taken the opportunity to refresh and expand our Telework Procedure. The world of work is changing, and the Met Council is moving to make remote work more widely available, using a combination of fully onsite, remote and onsite (hybrid), or fully remote as accepted and supported employment practices for many positions.
Last week, after months of planning and weeks of writing and stakeholder review, we published the Met Council's updated Telework Procedure.
Our organization now has extensive experience with the viability of remote work. Experience has shown that remote work can even enhance employee productivity for some kinds of work, and with the technology available to us today – thanks to the hard work of our Information Services department and leaders across the Met Council – we're able to conduct much more work remotely than we could when we wrote the previous procedure.
Beyond the capability of teleworking, we know that having a portion of our staff working remotely will reduce the Met Council's carbon footprint and contribute positively to making the region more livable. In addition, employees and job candidates are increasingly expressing a desire and expectation to work remotely. We anticipate that the availability of remote work will help the Met Council's ability to attract top candidates for our jobs and retain current employees.
The transition from COVID-19-imposed telework will begin in earnest after Labor Day but is expected to take place over several weeks, with the new schedules for all teleworking employees being implemented by the middle of October.
A new Telework Transition Team kicked off earlier this month to provide Councilwide resources, communication, and guidance and is pivoting from where the COVID-19 Planning Team left off. Over the next few weeks and months, they will share all the details our teleworking employees and managers need to transition back to onsite, as well as what onsite employees need to know about welcoming their coworkers back to our facilities. Keep an eye on your email and MetNet, and discuss any questions or concerns you have with your manager or submit them to the planning team through the online COVID-19 form.
To all of our employees – onsite and remote – thank you for your resilience and ability to adapt during the pandemic and as we shift to this new way of working.
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The updated Telework Procedure, published last week, provides guidelines around employment conditions, supervisor and employee expectations, data and security, telework location, and more.
Review the new procedure in Policy Central.
Managers and supervisors with direct reports learned more about the new procedure in a Q&A session held last week. An online training on the new Telework Procedure is available now through Learn, and more details on the training will be shared with teleworking employees soon.
Managers and supervisors of teleworking employees will be expected to review employee work tasks and evaluate whether and how much time the employee will be approved to work remotely in a fair and consistent manner.
Tools and forms associated with the new procedure are in development and will be linked in the procedure very soon. The COVID-19 newsletter and a MetNet FAQ page will also be used to provide details and answers to questions employees have around the new procedure and the broader telework transition.
Continue to watch your email, MetNet, and our employee newsletters for information on facilities, technology, planning, and more. Additional Q&A sessions for teleworking managers and employees will also be held in the coming weeks.
Yesterday marked the 31st anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a federal civil rights law that requires equal treatment of people with disabilities. The ADA prohibits discrimination in services, employment, government, and other areas of public life.
In the Twin Cities, the Met Council has a huge role to play in ensuring our regional programs and services are both ADA compliant and accessible. Over the last few years, the Met Council has undertaken numerous efforts to improve compliance and bring in greater accessibility and universal design principles in our daily work.
"One of the slogans for the 31st ADA anniversary is '31 years is enough notice,' and I couldn’t agree more," said Guthrie Byard, the Met Council's ADA and Title VI Administrator. "I believe the Met Council has taken great effort to acknowledge the urgency of this work and leverage its potential to lead on accessibility."
Recent efforts at the Met Council include:
- Completing a physical accessibility review of all Council facilities.
- Implementing an annually updated ADA Transition Plan to guide future ADA improvement projects. Read the recent article in The Wire for more on this plan.
- Completing a user and accessibility audit of both the Metro Mobility online booking service and Metro Transit website.
- Supporting an organizational assessment of the Met Council’s broader digital accessibility efforts.
- Increasing staff training and resources on ADA design and digital accessibility guidelines. Check out the Accessibility Hub on MetNet.
The work isn’t just public facing, though. The Met Council is also dedicated to improving digital and physical accessibility for staff and making our organization a more equitable place to work for people with disabilities. While the Met Council's work began well before COVID-19 hit, the pandemic has propelled a lot of organizations to improve digital access to work and resources, which is ultimately beneficial for staff and communities with disabilities.
"However, it needs to be continually built upon even after the pandemic ends," Byard said. "It’s an inspiring and important time in the Met Council’s history to work with both staff and community leaders who mutually hold high expectations of our agency to be more equitable. I’m thankful to be part of it."
Met Council employees across all divisions appreciate working for an agency that takes climate change seriously and can take meaningful action to address it. Staff are eager to know how they can contribute to the effort and how it might affect their jobs in the future.
These are among the findings of the Met Council's Climate Action Plan team after interviews of employees in dozens of work units about the current state of climate-related work at our agency. The input will become the baseline from which new goals and initiatives will be developed in the next year.
"Staff commitment is evident across planning, operations, and regional administration employee groups," said Jeff Freeman, Metro Transit, one of three team co-leaders, along with Sara Smith, Environmental Services, and Eric Wojchik, Community Development.
Read the full story on MetNet.
  Met Council climate-related work crosses all divisions, whether it is developing a localized flooding map for planners; optimizing wastewater aeration by cleaning air bubble diffusers; making our headquarters building more energy efficient; or planning the regional bicycle network.
Minnesota adopts clean car standards
In other climate action news, clean car standards in Minnesota took effect yesterday. The new standards reduce carbon emissions, create good-paying jobs, boost Minnesota’s manufacturing industry, and increase the choices Minnesotans have in purchasing cars.
Minnesota is the 15th state to adopt clean car standards. The policy will implement two clean cars standards to reduce vehicle emissions:
- The low-emission vehicle standard requires vehicle manufacturers to deliver passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs that produce lower greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants for sale in Minnesota.
- The zero-emission vehicle standard requires automobile manufacturers to deliver more vehicles with ultra-low or zero tailpipe emissions for sale in Minnesota, including electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid models.
Manufacturers have historically offered fewer than half of their models in Minnesota, and instead offered them in states that have adopted clean car standards. Implementing clean car standards will expand consumer choice in Minnesota, increasing the availability of both new and used electric vehicles.
"These clean cars standards are a win across the board," said Gov. Tim Walz, in marking the milestone. "With cleaner air, more car options, economic growth, and less money spent on foreign oil, every Minnesotan will benefit."
All Met Council employees will be invited to the 2021 employee recognition event on Monday, Nov. 15, at 9 a.m. This annual event will be presented online for the second year due to the pandemic and will be open to all employees. As always, the event is designed to honor staff for all they’ve contributed over the past year and throughout their careers with the Met Council. More event details will be shared this fall.
To help organizers produce the event's video, employees are invited to submit photos of themselves to add a personal and meaningful touch to this year's presentation. Your photos should be:
- Portrait layout of you doing an activity you enjoy (such as fishing, gardening, sports, recreation, etc.).
- Clear it's you (recent, your face is showing, etc.).
- Solo or with others (such as your kids, spouse/partner, siblings, or friends), as long as you have their permission.
Please email photos to Shoeb Behlim at Shoeb.Behlim@metrotransit.org by Friday, Aug. 6. Note that not all photos submitted will be used.
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• Councilwide employee recognition event will be virtual again this year on Nov. 15
• All employees are invited to attend on Microsoft Teams
• All employees are invited to submit a photo for the event's video, by Aug. 6 |
The following highlights provide a summary of important information you need to know related to the Met Council’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The newest and most complete information is available in the COVID-19 update emailed to all staff every other week on Thursdays.
Read the most recent bulletin (July 22), which includes:
- The updated Telework Procedure was published last week.
- The Telework Transition Team has shared the high-level timeline and approach for returning teleworking employees to onsite work starting this fall.
- We do not expect that all returning teleworkers will report onsite the day after Labor Day. The transition phase begins in September, and the teleworker's new schedule should be implemented by mid-October. Departments will provide general direction, and employees and managers will work together on their individual schedules.
- Metro Transit service changes, including a return of some express routes, are taking effect Aug. 21.
- Please continue to share your questions and concerns related to the pandemic and onsite work procedures and logistics using the online COVID-19 form.
Tools to help you find vaccine appointments:
COVID-19 testing:
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Apply by July 28 for next MentoringWorks cohort
The Met Council’s MentoringWorks program matches employees (mentees) with more experienced employees (mentors). The 2021 virtual program offers quarterly starts that last six months. During that time, mentees develop personalized goals and implement strategies to achieve those goals while recognizing and cultivating their strengths.
Although applications for mentees and mentors are accepted any time during the year, we invite you to submit your application by tomorrow, July 28, to be considered for the third group, which starts Aug. 11 with a virtual introductory session from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., during which mentees and mentors meet, learn about the program, and receive resources for a successful experience.
Visit MentoringWorks on MetNet for details on the program. Click on Be a Mentor or Be a Mentee to apply.
Recent text-based phishing attempts
People impersonating the Met Council and state agencies are sending text messages asking for Social Security numbers or other sensitive information. This sort of attempt to mislead people into giving up their information is called a phishing attack.
Remember that the Met Council and the State of Minnesota will never ask for sensitive information over email or text. If you are contacted about this, please indicate that this is a phishing attempt and recommend deleting the messages. The Met Council did not send them.
Learn more about avoiding and reporting phishing attempts in the story on MetNet.
Met Council recognizes first Employee Resource Groups
Employee Resource Groups are employee-run groups that provide opportunities for people of similar backgrounds and supporters to network and share ideas. Employees can spend up to two paid hours a month participating in activities related to recognized ERGs, such as attending monthly meetings, provided it does not negatively impact their work.
The Met Council recently recognized its first ERGs: Advancing Women in Transit and the Pride ERG. Additional ERGs for staff who identify as having disabilities and as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are in the planning phases.
Employees who would like to participate in an ERG should speak with their manager or supervisor. Learn more about ERGs on MetNet or read the story in last Friday's Insights newsletter.
Julie Jacobson
Pronouns: she/her/hers
HRA Specialist
Metro HRA
Primary duties
My primary duty as a housing choice voucher specialist will be to audit case files and make sure eligibility results are correct.
Started
June 14
How does it feel to start a new job when many employees are working from home?
I was concerned that I would feel left out and wouldn’t get the help needed to learn my job. What I have found is a wonderful group of people, who adapted quickly to a new way of doing things and have been very present in my learning process. It has been a very easy transition.
Hometown
I grew up in Grants Pass, a small town in southern Oregon. I lived for the last 20 years in Portland before moving to Minnesota just over two years ago.
Current residence
Eden Prairie
Family
I share a home with my 16-year-old son, Billie, and our 23-pound cat, L.S., who is incredibly agile and has attitude for days!
Education
I have a BS in Human Communications from Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon, home to the Shakespearian Theater.
Experience
I spent 12 years in Oregon working for Aging and Disability Services determining eligibility for medical programs and snap benefits. My last job there was reviewing long-term care medical cases and making sure the financial portion was calculated correctly for client’s monthly pay-ins. When I arrived in Minnesota, I began working for Scott County Income Maintenance certifying cash and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for families.
Other interests
My son is an avid hockey player, so I find that much of my free time is spent getting him to and from all his trainings/practices, which has its own separate calendar so I can keep track. I myself love to watch hockey and am a huge college football fan, especially the Oregon Ducks!! I love collecting antiques, garage saleing, and getting out for walks or hikes. The Oregon Coast is my happy place, and I love spending time there.
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Margaret Grefig
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Financial Analyst
Environmental Services
Primary duties
I support the budgeting and forecasting processes within Environmental Services as well as support grant administration.
Started
July 19
How does it feel to start a new job when many employees are working from home?
As with all things pandemic, it is a new challenge. I feel fortunate that at this point of the pandemic I have been able to spend a few days onsite. Whether virtually or in person, everyone I have met has greeted me with such a warm welcome that it has already made me feel very connected to the Met Council.
Hometown
Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI
Current residence
Roseville
Family
I live with my partner, my two children, and the queen of the house, Biggie Bears – our sassy, demanding, and cuddly long-hair black cat.
Education
I have a BA from the University of Minnesota.
Experience
I came form a nonprofit organization where I had worked for many years. Over those years I had a variety of roles in which I gained experience in general ledger accounting, grant administration, business metrics reporting, quarterly forecasting, and annual budgeting. But my career highlight is being crowned fastest cashier at Rainbow Foods in 2001 while working my way through college.
Other interests
I enjoy spending time outdoors running, hiking, and adventuring but am equally enamored with lazy mornings spent with coffee and a good donut (the Heights Bakery cronut is just about perfection). I enjoy time spent with my family working in the garden or on house projects, laughing, dancing around the kitchen and cooking, and playing intense rounds of spoons. My dream vacation would involve lots of trail running and hiking, exploration on roads less traveled, and days ended around a fire with good people, good food, good drinks, and always good desserts.
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 But it's a dry heat.
Can a desert scene be called "lush"? That's the question this editor is forced to consider after seeing this wonderful photo Julie Mickus, public facilities worker in Metro Transit, took at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix during a recent trip to visit family. The layers, endless maze of lines, and variety of plants and texture create a space that is easy to get lost in. "To me, this little spot seemed like magic," Julie said. "I wouldn't have been surprised to see a family of fairies or sprites flitting about."
Looking for your cool photo!
Do you have photos to share? The Wire is always looking for the next cool photo from staff, from a close-up in your flower garden, to scenic vistas up north, to exotic travel adventures, or more artful fare like reflections and silhouettes. The only criteria is that it's a cool photo! Just email the editor at the address below.
The Wire is published every two weeks for employees of the Met Council. Everyone is invited to submit comments and story ideas. Contact the editor at TheWire@metc.state.mn.us.
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