Met Council employees have the next six weeks to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or get weekly COVID-19 tests (and test negative), in conjunction with guidance from the State of Minnesota.

As some teleworkers return to the office this fall, those employees, because they’re assigned to onsite work, will also need to be fully vaccinated or get tested. However, employees who can telework should continue teleworking at least through Oct. 31.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that individuals are fully vaccinated if one of the following conditions are met:

• Two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccination series approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the World Health Organization (WHO)
• Two weeks after a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine approved by the FDA or the WHO

The Met Council pandemic planning teams are still working through the specifics of how this process will be administered. We will communicate specifics in the coming weeks about the full process, which will include (but not be limited to) the following considerations:

• How employees will provide proof of vaccination (and what if your card is lost)
• Process for obtaining a COVID-19 test and providing results
• Expectations for contractors and vendors

Schedule appointments soon to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 11

Met Council employees have the next six weeks to be vaccinated or they will need to get regular COVID-19 tests, in order to report onsite for work. The Met Council and its operating divisions will be following state guidance that requires anyone who is currently working onsite – including teleworkers who plan to transition back to the office in the coming weeks – must be fully vaccinated or test negative.

We are providing this notice so employees who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 have time to obtain the vaccine. With vaccinations that require two shots, the waiting period between shots is 21 days for the Pfizer vaccine and 28 days for the Moderna vaccine. If you begin the process by Aug. 27, you could be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1 with the Pfizer vaccine and by Oct. 8 with Moderna.

Vaccine appointments are available on Mondays and Thursdays at both Well@Work clinics; appointments are required, and masks must be worn at all times in the clinics. You can also schedule an appointment at one of the state’s Community Vaccination Program sites.

Details will be shared soon

We are still working with our Human Resources and pandemic response command teams to determine the process for employees to submit proof of vaccination and to facilitate the testing process and expectations. We will also determine any appropriate processes for religious or personal medical exemptions related to the COVID-19 vaccination. We will communicate details about this process in the coming weeks.

We will create a frequently asked questions page on MetNet with up-to-date information. That page will be updated regularly. We will continue to communicate any changes as quickly as we can. Continue looking for emails from me to clarify the situation as it evolves.

Thank you for your attention and commitment to this important matter and the safety of our colleagues and customers.