BUFFALO, N.Y. — Hundreds of Erie County employees are getting ready to return to the office for the first time since COVID-19 has had them working from home.
June 29 is when Social Services employees will be heading back into the office. They make up less than 20-percent of the county's workforce, and a lot of the employees in that department have public-facing positions.
They will have to wear masks and social distancing rules will be in place.
Many county departments have already returned to the office including Public Works, Sewers, and Parks.
Social Services is Erie County's biggest department, though.
"The vision was always to get people back to work in their office spaces, so a lot of committee meetings went into safe work spaces, how to sanitize, how to make sure that the work force knows what they need to do to keep themselves safe, and it is social distancing, like we mentioned, wiping down surfaces, and things like that. We want to keep people safe, we want to keep the work space safe, and there's been a lot going into that, " says Erie County Spokesperson Peter Anderson.
If you have business you need to take care of with social services, the best advice is to call before you go to see if you need to make an appointment.
"It's all about trying to keep people separate. I mean, you guys know from your own office situation. So the idea was always keeping people safe, keeping them separate, letting them do their jobs, which has all been working great. Now, we're going to transfer that model from work at home to work at the office," added Anderson.
Child care help is available through the Child Care Resource Network.
Multiple people have shared an email with Two On Your side that states Erie County Social Services are asking workers to return to their job sites on June 29th.
The email was sent by Marie Cannon, the Social Services Commissioner for Erie County.
"I wish I was able to provide a full two-week notice," Cannon said in the email to staff.
Employees were told to work from home in March because of concerns surrounding COVID-19.
Below is the email sent by Commissioner Cannon.
Subject: From the Desk of Commissioner Marie A. Cannon
Dear Colleagues:
I’ve been notified by the Erie County Executive Administration that the County has established a return to work date for all staff of Monday, June 29, 2020. Staff members located at 43 Court are the exception due to the space being utilized by the Department of Health. All 43 Court staff are to follow current instructions from each departments’ Director. I am sharing this information with you with as much notice as possible, although I wish I was able to provide a full two-week notice. In addition to the establishment of this return to work date, Personnel has determined that staff members who have expanded disability and family leave accommodations due to COVID-19 should expect those arrangements to revert to pre-COVID-19 standards on June 29th.
I am in conversation with County Administration about the challenges of a full return to work plan at this time and ensuring that all concerns for safety and cleanliness are addressed. If my conversations with County Administration result in a delayed return to work date, I will communicate that update immediately. However, until you receive an update from me, you should prepare to return to work on June 29th.
In accordance with the May 15, 2020 Emergency Order from the County Executive, all staff working on premises in County offices must wear masks or other face coverings unless eating, drinking, speaking on the phone in your own cubicle and maintaining appropriate social distancing. Any staff members who choose not to return to work as expected on June 29th or refuse to wear a mask will be subject to disciplinary procedures per Personnel.
As a reminder, the best ways to stay safe from COVID-19 transmission are:
- Wear a mask or other face covering,
- Wash your hands often,
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands,
- Avoid close contact with others, keeping at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people,
- Cover coughs and sneezes and immediately wash your hands, and
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.
The County Personnel office is expected to issue guidance very soon. If you have immediate questions, please contact the Erie County Personnel Department about any issues with returning to work. Please know that I am working to raise the unique concerns and needs of the Department of Social Services to County Administration to ensure that our return to work happens in a safe and respectful manner.
Respectfully,
Marie A. Cannon, MSW
Commissioner – Erie County Social Services