This page is designed to provide State of Maine employees with relevant information and resources to stay safe at work and at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Work Rule
Overview

COVID-19 Information

Workplace Safety

Telework

State Employee Resources

Workforce Transition

Work Rules Effective July 26, 2021 available here.

What does it mean to be “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19? The U.S. CDC has guidance about what it means to be fully vaccinated. According to the U.S. CDC: In general, people are considered fully vaccinated either 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series (such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines) OR 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine (such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine). If you don’t meet these requirements, regardless of your age, you are NOT fully vaccinated. If you have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may NOT be protected even if you are fully vaccinated.

"Substantial" or "High" levels of community transmission: The U.S. CDC recently updated its guidance, recommending among other changes that people, regardless of vaccination status, wear face coverings in indoor, public settings in areas with “substantial” or “high” levels of community transmission. We urge you to heed these county-specific recommendations to help prevent the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19. When in doubt, wear a mask.

Overview of current COVID-19 work rules and safety precautions

  • For State employees: If you are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and would like to forgo masking requirements, you must submit a copy of your vaccination card through our instantaneous and secure online portal. Contact your human resources professional for the direct link.
  • Some exceptions will apply, such as for hospitals and other settings, where more stringent PPE is still required; please follow agency-specific guidance.
  • If you are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and/or have not submitted a copy of your vaccination card, you must wear a face covering when working inside State buildings or when conducting other State work inside (including inside a vehicle). Face coverings may be removed outside or when alone with a line-of-sight barrier (e.g., when there is a divider, wall, or plexiglass between you and any potential coworkers).
  • Those who are immunocompromised or simply more comfortable wearing a mask can and should continue to do so. Be kind and remember there are many reasons why someone may be wearing a face covering.
  • It is recommended that employees consider following public health best practices, such as: not coming to work when sick, keeping a distance, washing hands, and planning for travel with local- and destination-specific requirements in mind.
  • Regardless of vaccination status, wear face coverings in indoor, public settings in areas with “substantial” or “high” levels of community transmission. These county-specific details are recommendations, not requirements, to help prevent the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19. We encourage you to follow this guidance. Use your judgement about what is a public setting. And when in doubt, wear a mask.

COVID-19 Information

As you know, President Biden has directed OSHA to develop a rule requiring all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or require any workers who remain unvaccinated to produce a negative COVID-19 test result on at least a weekly basis before coming to work. OSHA has informed the Maine Department of Labor that this forthcoming rule will also apply to public sector employees in Maine, including State workers. Please review this letter for additional details.

OSHA is still developing the rule, so the timeframe and details of its implementation are unknown at this time. However, given the importance of this information and its impact on public sector employees, we wanted to share this information with you today. We look forward to seeing the final rule when it is released by OSHA, and we will continue to communicate with you as more information becomes available from the Federal government.

As a result of this, we will extend the timeline for returning State employees to offices from October 12, 2021 to a later date that has not yet been determined. We remain committed to a gradual and safe re-entry process – and will determine and announce a revised re-entry date once more information becomes available from the Federal government.

The COVID-19 vaccine is available at no charge at sites across Maine. For information, visit the State’s vaccination website or call the Community Vaccination Line at 1-888-445-4111. When you get vaccinated, remember that State employees receive up to two hours of paid leave for each COVID-19 vaccine appointment. Mark your TAMS with ADMIN LEAVE with the comment “approved by HR.”

Many thanks for all you do to ensure the safety of yourselves, your coworkers, and the Mainers we serve.

Workforce Transition Employee Survey (Spring 2020)

Employee Wellbeing Survey (Fall 2020)

 

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