COVID Guidance for Employees - AgriLife Extension Employee Website

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For questions about COVID-19 in Texas, email coronavirus@dshs.texas.gov

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For questions related to treatments, email therapeutics@dshs.texas.gov

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COVID 19 External Programming Guidance

Effective July 20, 2021 until April 2022 – see now AgriLife Guidance

This communication is a follow up to Governor Abbot’s latest Executive Order No. GA 36 issued on May 18, 2021, it applies to our agency and facilities across the state. This communication serves as a follow and reinforcement to the message that you also received from Vice Chancellor Patrick Stover on May 19, 2021.

The safety of our employees, volunteers, clientele and communities has been our priority since day one. Decision-making regarding external programming should continue to be made at the local level, led by Extension employees working with local health authorities and county emergency management leadership. These decisions should be grounded in the guidance provided by the Governor’s office in consultation with CDC guidance and data from DSHS. We encourage you to always consider the health and safety of those populations that may be more at risk due to age or health status.

The following serve as clarification for External AgriLife Extension events:

1. All programs conducted should have an attendance or registration list with the minimum of a name and contact phone number for all participants. These will be used for contact tracing as needed.

2. For all overnight events the Extension COVID Screening form will be required In addition to daily temperature checks. The AgriLife Facility screening form will be required at certain locations.

3. All overnight events will be required to submit a preparedness plan at least two weeks prior to the event.

4. For external agency face-to-face group events, please follow the appropriate protocols identified by the Governor’s office.

The most current Governor’s Guidance – Open.texas.gov

5. For those events that have a participant that tests positive, notification should be sent to all attendees of the event. Anonymity of the positive case should be a priority and names of individuals should not be shared. The CDC guidelines on quarantining should be shared with program participants, so they can respond accordingly.

6. If positive cases are AgriLife Extension Employees, please review the information here and report to the university’s portal. AgriLife employees who meet the below criteria must notify their supervisor, who will then ask that the individual complete an online form, and also contact Debi Fincher:

· develop symptoms of COVID-19, or,

· in the previous 14 days if they have traveled to an area that requires quarantine upon return home, or,

· have been in contact with anyone known or suspected to have tested positive for COVID-19.

Internal Employee Guidance

Effective July 20, 2021 until April 2022 – see now AgriLife Guidance

The safety of our employees, volunteers, attendees and community is our utmost priority. We encourage you to always consider the health and safety of those populations that may be more at risk due to age or health status. In addition, we ask that you continue to use nonpharmaceutical interventions (face masks, proper hygiene, etc.) that keep you and others safe.

Office Staffing Guidance

The maximum percentage of employees in any given physical office location is up to 100% until further notice. This percentage is not a target that must be achieved, but rather the maximum that may be necessary for unit or department operations to function. If you or a family member have health concerns or are in a category of greater risk, please work with your immediate supervisor.

• County offices follow continuity of operations plan from the county but may also incorporate the health and safety guidance from AgriLife Extension as appropriate.

• Texas A&M University campus buildings and transportation: Face masks are highly encouraged in laboratories, indoor spaces and on public transportation, even if no one else is present. Outdoors, masks are required when a six-foot social distancing radius cannot be maintained. Masks are highly encouraged in public spaces but not in private offices. All employees at these sites must follow the university guidelines. You may request an exception due to disability by contacting Jennifer Hobbs at jmhobbs@ag.tamu.edu.

• Host facilities or those outside Texas A&M University System: Face coverings are HIGHLY encouraged in indoor spaces. Outdoors, masks are encouraged when a six-foot social distancing radius cannot be maintained. At host facilities that have a face-covering requirement, AgriLife employees should follow the host’s guidance.

Office Practices

• Employees are highly encouraged to wear face coverings on the Texas A&M University campus and other System facilities. We also recommend that employees who are not vaccinated wear face coverings at other locations.

• We require employees to practice social distancing whenever interacting with the public and if circumstances put them within six feet of other Extension staff members.

• Prohibit handshaking and other unnecessary contact in the workplace. Carefully sanitize any common area used.

• Frequently clean high‐touch areas, including door handles, surfaces, handrails, etc.

• Limit sharing of office supplies and equipment. If sharing is essential, all items should be disinfected before and after use.

• Limit the number of people in a space so that at least six-foot social distancing can be maintained.

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for 20 seconds.

• When exchanging paper and coin money:
– Do not touch your face afterward.
– Ask clients to place cash on the counter rather than directly in your hand.
– Place money directly on the counter when providing change or
– Wipe counter with disinfectant or sanitizing wipes between each client transaction.

Travel Guidance (employees)

• If traveling with more than one person per vehicle, it is recommended the vehicle is limited to no more than 50% of maximum vehicle occupancy. All those in the vehicle are highly encouraged to wear their face coverings. The ventilation system should be turned on but not placed into recirculation mode at any time. If travel is in conjunction with an overnight trip, temperature checks should be implemented at the beginning of each day.

• CEA/EA under the supervision of DEAs: A blanket travel authorization may be issued by supervisors within the region or district the employees works.

• Blanket Travel may be permitted for specialists within the district, region, or area of the state they cover.

• Out of State and International travel still needs to be mission critical and approved prior to travel by the appropriate CEO or designee in Concur.

• Within the state of Texas, all traveling employees should review the current community transmission of COVID-19 in the locations they will be traveling through or to.

AgriLife Extension Positive Cases

If positive cases are AgriLife Extension Employees, please review the information here and report to the university’s portal. AgriLife employees who meet the below criteria must notify their supervisor, who will then ask that the individual complete an online form, and also contact Debi Fincher:
· develop symptoms of COVID-19, or,
· in the previous 14 days if they have traveled to an area that requires quarantine upon return home, or,
· have been in contact with anyone known or suspected to have tested positive for COVID-19.

Opening the State of Texas

Forms

COVID-19 Participant Screening Form

Formulario de detección para COVID-19

Program Preparedness Checklist

Other Helpful Resources

Self Care

EFMLA – information on our Human Resources website: Families First Coronavirus Response Act Resources at Human Resources: Families First Coronavirus Response Act | Administrative Services (tamu.edu).

Guidance Resources – information on our Employee Assistance Program webpage at Human Resources: Employee Assistance Program | Administrative Services (tamu.edu). Work/Life Solutions Program – Employee Assistance Program offered through GuidanceResources (effective September 1, 2019). Set up your account by using the WEBID: TAMUS. These programs usually offer in-person and telephonic counseling services, training, and have resources to help employees deal with all kinds of stressful issues.

Wellness Release Time – Full-time, benefits-eligible employees are eligible for Wellness Release Time (WRT)! Review procedure 31.02.13.X0.01 Wellness Programs for details regarding how to request and utilize WRT. Employees who are interested in using WRT must submit AgriLife form AG-431 Wellness Release Time Acknowledgement form to their supervisor for approval.

Take advantage of the wellness activities that AgriLife is promoting as part of the wellness initiative including:

Catapult Clinic Information
Virtual Fitness Classes
Blue Cross/Blue Shield Podcasts
MyEvive and your Wellness Credit
more at: http://agrilifeas.tamu.edu/hr/benefits-retirement/employee-wellness-initiative/.

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