The state has identified 678,978 cases of COVID-19 as of today (increase of 25,690 since our last newsletter two weeks ago), with 656,149 of these patients no longer required to be isolated (increase of 23,341). 7,970 deaths have been reported (increase of 131). 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:
- The Vaccine and Testing Requirement Procedure is now available and includes details on the weekly testing process. Answers to frequently asked questions will be published next week. Managers and supervisors are invited to attend one of two Ask HR sessions next week on the topic.
- The form for submitting proof of vaccination is now available in Employee Self Service (ESS).
- The new Docket mobile app provides easy access to immunization records.
- Reminder: The Met Council's COVID-19 Leave Policy will no longer be available after tomorrow, Sept. 17.
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The federal mask mandate for public transit has been extended into January.
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Reminder: The Met Council's Face Coverings Procedure is in effect. All employees who are inside Met Council facilities must wear a face covering, regardless of vaccination status.
- The Telework Agreement Form is now available on MetNet. Teleworking staff should check the Telework Transition FAQ page on MetNet for information on technology, workspaces, planning, and more.
Read on for more about these updates.
Vaccine and testing procedure now available
Beginning Oct. 11, in order to report to onsite work, Met Council employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or get weekly COVID-19 tests and test negative. The Met Council has finalized the detailed process for facilitating regular testing for employees who will not be vaccinated or are unable to be vaccinated.
Read the COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Requirement Procedure in Policy Central.
Notes on the testing process:
- Multiple methods will be available, including saliva tests or the option to use a HealthPartners clinic.
- The Met Council will be providing no-cost testing options for employees.
- Regardless of the reason for not getting vaccinated, including religious or medical reasons, staff who are not fully vaccinated will need to get tested for COVID-19 weekly and test negative to continue working onsite.
- You will be considered unvaccinated if you decline to provide proof of vaccination.
Contractors working on Met Council projects will also receive guidance in the coming weeks regarding their responsibilities to be vaccinated or tested. This is especially important for contract employees who are interacting directly with Met Council staff, on projects, and in facilities.
Questions about the requirement
Answers to frequently asked questions will be published on MetNet early next week.
Human Resources is hosting two Ask HR online sessions next week for managers and supervisors to help clarify details around the vaccination and testing requirement and procedure. Outlook invitations for the one-hour Teams session were sent earlier this week to managers and supervisors.
Ask HR: Vaccine/Testing Procedure Q&A
Managers and supervisors
Monday, Sept. 20, at 11 a.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 7:00 p.m.
Microsoft Teams
We appreciate your questions and patience as we work out the details to facilitate this process and avoid work disruptions where possible. If you have any additional questions, let us know by filling out the online COVID-19 form.
Form now available for submitting proof of vaccination
Employees who are vaccinated must submit documentation to Human Resources to verify vaccination status. The form for submitting proof of vaccination is now available in Employee Self Service (ESS): https://pspess.metc.state.mn.us.
Acceptable forms of proof of vaccination
The record must have your name, date of birth, date(s) you received the COVID-19 vaccine, and type of vaccine received. Acceptable proof of vaccination includes:
- Your COVID-19 vaccination record card from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (received at your vaccination appointment)
- Immunization record from the Minnesota Department of Health’s Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC)
- Vaccination record from your doctor’s office
How to submit proof of vaccination
- Before you begin, save an electronic copy of your proof of vaccination where you’ll be able to access it and in one of the following file types: .PDF, .GIF, .PNG, .JPEG, .JPG, .TIFF, or .BMP.
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Log into ESS and navigate to the form: Main Menu > Self Service > Personal Information > MetC Vaccination Card.
- Upload a copy of your proof of vaccination, fill out the additional fields regarding your vaccination, and hit "Submit."
Vaccinated employees are asked to complete this form in ESS as soon as possible. Getting an accurate count of vaccinated staff will help the pandemic Incident Command team as they obtain the testing kits for the Oct. 11 start date for staff reporting to work onsite who are not fully vaccinated.
Review the instructions guide for help submitting your proof of vaccination (PDF).
 Proof of vaccination form in Employee Self Service.
Notes on the verification process:
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Do not fill out the form until after you have completed your vaccine series. Completion of the vaccine series means after the first dose for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and after the second dose for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Do not upload an image of your vaccine card after just your first dose of a two-dose series.
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Human Resources will review your submission. After you submit the form with the attached proof of vaccination, Human Resources will review the information. When HR has approved your submission, you'll receive a confirmation email from the system, and your status in ESS will change from Submitted to Approved.
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Attachments will not be stored permanently. Please note that the Met Council will delete any files you upload for this vaccination status form once this information is no longer needed as part of our pandemic response.
For questions about the vaccination requirement, contact your supervisor or manager, review these all-staff COVID-19 update emails, or submit your question with your name through the online COVID-19 form. For questions about ESS, email ESS.HRIS@metc.state.mn.us.
Review the tools below in this email to find vaccination opportunities near you.
New Docket mobile app: Easy access to immunization record
Minnesotans can now easily access their immunization record through their smartphones or other mobile devices by using an app called Docket. Docket enables residents with a Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) record to securely view and share their immunization records. MIIC combines all immunizations a person has received into a single record, even if they were given by different health care providers in Minnesota.
Anyone who has a MIIC record can use the Docket app to access their record, including their COVID-19 vaccination. The app provides a PDF document of your immunization record that can be saved to your mobile device, printed, emailed, or texted as needed. This PDF is acceptable as proof of vaccination for the Met Council (see story above on submitting proof of vaccination).
Download the free app by searching “Docket” in your mobile device's app store, or go to Docket.Care to download the app. Use this quick step-by-step guide (PDF) for help using the Docket app.
Anyone who wants or needs access to their immunization record and does not have a smartphone or does not want to use the app can still request their immunization record from their health care provider or the Minnesota Department of Health. Visit the MDH website for help finding your immunization record.
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Reminder: COVID-19 Leave Policy expiring Sept. 17
As a reminder, the Met Council’s COVID-19 Leave Policy will no longer be available after tomorrow, Sept. 17. Moving forward, employees will need to use personal leave or work with their supervisors to manage work absences through flexibility in scheduling.
Both types of leave in this policy will end: Emergency Sick Pay, including the leave offered for symptoms after receiving the vaccine, and Expanded School Leave. Along with the ending of this policy, any unused Emergency Sick Pay hours shown in PeopleSoft will expire.
We know that this might present challenges as you manage your schedule with your supervisor and navigate the emergence of COVID-19 variants and community concerns. We continue to focus on creating safe work environments for employees, while doing our part to reduce community spread of the COVID-19 virus. We encourage you to work with your supervisors to address your concerns. You may also use the online COVID-19 form to share your questions and concerns.
Federal mask mandate for public transit extended into January
The federal mask requirement for all transportation networks, including public transportation, has been extended through Jan. 18, 2022. This mask requirement initially went into effect in February and was slated to expire this week on Sept. 13.
Read more about this requirement on the Federal Transit Administration's website.
Reminder: Masks required inside Met Council facilities
All employees who are inside Met Council facilities must wear a face covering – regardless of vaccination status. This applies to all Met Council employees, officers, Council members, contractors, vendors, and volunteers when in the workplace or public service environment. We are recommending that visitors wear masks.
Our previous Face Coverings Procedure (PDF) is once again in effect, which includes requirements to practice physical distancing. Employees who don't follow the procedure may be subject to disciplinary action, as specified in the procedure. The procedure includes a list of scenarios when the temporary removal of masks indoors is allowed.
For more details on the mask requirement, read the Aug. 5 COVID-19 update email.
Resources on vaccine safety and effectiveness
We know safety is your top priority – it's the Met Council's top priority, too, to provide a safe working environment for all our employees – and many people have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. If you have concerns or need more information before getting vaccinated, please check out these resources from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials. The vaccines met the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support approval or authorization of a vaccine. Millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines since they were authorized for emergency use by FDA. These vaccines have undergone and will continue to undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.
Tools to help you find vaccination opportunities
As of Tuesday (Sept. 14), 3,365,253 Minnesotans had received at least one vaccine dose and 3,183,017 people had completed the vaccine series. 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 12 and over can get one right now. Many sites are now offering walk-in appointments.
Check out these tools to find vaccine appointments:
Important reminders related to the vaccine:
- To be fully vaccinated with the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, two shots are required.The waiting period between shots is 21 days for the Pfizer vaccine and 28 days for the Moderna vaccine. If you’ve missed your second dose for any reason, get it as soon as possible.
- You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks from the final vaccine dose.
- Even after you are fully vaccinated, you should continue to follow safety recommendations by public health officials and get tested if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19.
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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. How to get a COVID-19 test:
Announcements for teleworking employees
Telework Agreement Form now available
The Telework Agreement Form was updated as the organization prepares for the new, long-term hybrid workplace with a mixture of onsite, hybrid, and remote workers. The form is required for all staff who are teleworking as part of the new schedules that will be finalized this fall. The form is now online and routed automatically through the approval process.
The new Telework Agreement Form is now available on MetNet.
Telework transition timeline
As a reminder, the telework transition is broken down into these steps:
- Each department is setting general direction for when employees should return.
- Then, each teleworking employee is determining with their manager their new schedule and effective date, which will be defined in the signed telework agreement.
- After discussing their plan with their manager, the employee will complete the online Telework Agreement Form and submit it to their supervisor or manager for approval.
- The signed Telework Agreement Form needs to be completed by mid-October and implemented accordingly at the appropriate time.
Our pandemic response team recommends that employees who can telework should continue to do so at least through Oct. 31, due to higher levels of community infection and the Delta variant. Teleworking employees should consider this updated guidance as they work with their managers to create their new plans.
Telework Transition FAQs
Teleworkers can review the Telework Transition FAQ page on MetNet for details and tools to help in planning for and implementing their new schedules.
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 staff 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:
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Councilwide |
| Active positive COVID-19 |
26 |
| Cumulative COVID-19 since onset |
609 |
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 (Sept. 2).
|
Division
|
New cases |
Total to date |
Returned to work |
Current active |
|
CD
|
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| ES |
0 |
91 |
84 |
7 |
| MT |
11 |
503 |
484 |
19 |
| MTS |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| RA |
0 |
12 |
12 |
0
|
| Total |
11 |
609 |
583 |
26
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