No changes for agency workforce

Oregon’s Department of Administrative Services (DAS) is providing guidance to state agencies on workplace operations during the pandemic. DAS recently updated and extended the guidance through October 31, 2020.

The guidance maintains our current operations:

• Continuing telework in positions appropriate for remote work
• Providing services to the public by phone and online as much as possible
• Ensuring physical distancing, face covering requirements and other precautions are in place, such as plexiglass barriers in reception areas, in offices that are open
• Prohibiting non-essential work travel

Although the latest guidance is good through October 31, 2020, that does not mean there will be a change in our operations at that time. DAS monitors agency needs and the public demand for services and makes periodic adjustments to the guidance. We can expect an update from DAS in October. Remember, your manager will inform you if the Department makes any adjustments to its operations, including teleworking, service delivery, etc. For now, there are no changes.

We know many of you are concerned about the upcoming school year and how you will balance work with managing your children’s education. We also wanted to remind you that the SEIU Letters of Agreement and the Guide for Leave-Related Absences due to COVID-19 are good resources to review when planning for your family to start the school year in very different circumstances than last year.

If you will be using a Zoomgov account to run public meetings, Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (ODHHS) invites you to a training to learn about accessibility features in Zoom for making meetings inclusive.

The material covered in this training assumes that your account is set up and that you know the basics about joining and hosting a meeting. If you need a quick start orientation for these basics, please view this web page before attending this training.

ODHHS will offer this training on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Advance registration is required. Register here. 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join it. Please keep that confirmation email handy so you can join the training.

ODHHS also offers small group/individual consultations for specific questions/issues. If you have questions, email ODHHS at odhhs.info@dhsoha.state.or.us.  VRS employees, please contact sheila.r.hoover@dhsoha.state.or.us for this training and/or a consultation.

In early March 2020, the Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) launched the first of a series of Powtoon animated videos to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families learn about the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal was to create a simple, visual learning tool that would inform people with I/DD about COVID-19 to help keep people safe and healthy, and explain important information in plain language.

That first video, which explained what COVID-19 is and some basic safety measures such as hand washing and physical distancing has more than 20,000 views.

Based on the popularity of this video as a learning tool, ODDS has since created a number of other Powtoon animated videos to help support health and safety and share important information. Those videos include:

• Stay Homes, Safe Lives Video, in English and in Spanish.
• Reopening Oregon Video, in English and in Spanish.

The newest video by ODDS focuses on contact tracing, and what people can expect if they are contacted by a contact tracer. The English video is online. A Spanish language video is forthcoming.

The health of our employees is a top priority. Staff at affected offices are always notified as soon as possible by Human Resources and local management of any potential exposure to COVID-19. But others may also want to get this information emailed to them. Staff can subscribe here to receive email notifications of potential COVID exposure in DHS offices.

You can also visit this OWL site for a master list of all the offices that have had a potential exposure to COVID-19 and to see notification letters.

Staff can help keep work environments safe by letting their supervisors or managers know when they are having coronavirus-like symptoms or have been medically mandated to be off work. Human Resources encourages staff to use COVID leave options to seek medical care and get tested when needed. There are options for staff without accumulated sick leave. Early communication and testing are vital to stopping the spread of COVID-19. Don’t delay!