MSD Employees: COVID-19 Updates

Below you will find a list of all communication related to MSD’s COVID-19 response sent between March and December of 2020.

To find the most recent COVID-19 communications as well as a list of COVID-19 resources, visit msdprojectclear.org/msdcorona.

A regular weekly update by Sean Hadley.

EMAIL SENT December 18, 2020 12:46 p.m.

WHATS NEW?

• Please follow safety guidelines over Christmas weekend. If you are unable to follow safety guidelines, please inform your supervisor and plan to quarantine and/or get a COVID-19 test. For more information, see “Follow safety guidelines over Christmas weekend” below.
• St. Louis County extended its “Safer at Home” orders through Christmas. For more information, see “St. Louis County extends ‘Safer at Home’ order…” below.
• Register for a virtual forum with CEO Brian Hoelscher through the Learning District. Please find answers to some of the recent questions Brian has received below. For more information, see “CEO Brian Hoelscher hosts virtual forums…” below.
• Tracey Coleman sent an email earlier this week announcing early release on Christmas Eve and outlining recent benefits changes. For more information, see “Reminder – Christmas Eve early release and benefits update” below.
• Four employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last update. For more information, see “Three employees tested positive…” below.
• Because of the holiday, there will be no COVID-19 Update next week. Please look for the next update on Monday, January 4th.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FOLLOW SAFETY GUIDELINES OVER CHRISTMAS WEEKEND

As we enter Christmas week, please think of your fellow employees as you decide how to celebrate:

• When in public, please make sure to social distance, wear a mask, and practice regular hygiene.
• Limit in-person interactions to a social bubble of no more than ten people.
• If you plan to participate in activities that do not adhere to MSD’s COVID-19 guidelines, including limiting in-person interaction, wearing a mask, and social distancing, please plan to take additional leave to take a COVID test or self-quarantine before returning to work.
• If you take all the necessary precautions and you still find yourself in a compromising situation, please make sure you inform your supervisor so they can decide on the appropriate actions to promote a safe workplace for all employees.

St. Louis County has several tips for celebrating the holidays safely.

MSD leadership continues to evaluate and adopt policies to promote a safe work environment, including canceling all workplace holiday gatherings; however, we all play a critical role in keeping our coworkers and our community healthy. Thank you for doing your part to contribute to a healthy and safe workplace.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY EXTENDS SAFER AT HOME ORDERS THROUGH CHRISTMAS

St. Louis County extended its “Safer at Home” orders through Christmas. As part of these guidelines:

• St. Louis County residents are restricted from leaving their homes except to go to work or school, to exercise, to seek medical care, or to shop for goods or supplies and instructed to limit all in-person interactions to social bubbles with ten or fewer family members or friends.
• Businesses are limited to 25% occupancy, and the maximum gathering size of any kind is 10.
• Masks are required outside of the home for all people over the age of 5.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said there would need to be a downward trend in coronavirus numbers before restrictions are loosened.

CEO BRIAN HOELSCHER HOSTS VIRTUAL FORUMS, ANSWERS EMPLOYEE QUESTIONS

In addition to answering employee’s questions through the “Ask the CEO videos,” Brian Hoelscher is hosting virtual employee town hall meetings through Teams. Employees are encouraged to participate in one of these town halls and can sign up through the Learning District here. After signing in, select “Menu”> “Learning and Metrics”> “Course Catalog.” Then search for “COVID Forum.”

Employees are still encouraged to submit their questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line, “Ask the CEO.”

Please find recent question(s) from employees below:

Q1. Brian mentioned in the COVID Forum that MSD’s leadership did a financial analysis in June to try to determine the financial impact of COVID-19 on the district’s revenue from March 2020 through March 2021. What assumptions were used in that model?

A1. To complete the financial analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on MSD’s revenues from March 2020 through March 2021, MSD leadership used the following assumptions:

1. We used the blended unemployment rate (10.4%) for St. Louis City and County as of June 30, 2009.  We selected this period as we wanted to model the unemployment rate during the great recession and use it to calculate an estimate of delinquent accounts.
2. We used 20% as an estimate of the reduction in commercial revenue.  Our latest FY 2021 forecast reflects that commercial revenues are expected to be $16.4 million or 14% below the FY 21 budget.
3. We also used 20% as the estimate of bad debt write-offs.
4. We projected operating expense savings to be approximately $5 million during FY 2021.
5. Expected revenue from the wastewater rate increase that was to be effective July 1, 2020, was reduced by 25% as the effective date of the increase was moved to October 1, 2020.

REMINDER – CHRISTMAS EVE EARLY RELEASE AND BENEFITS UPDATE

In case you missed it, Tracey Coleman sent an email earlier this week announcing early release on Christmas Eve and outlining recent benefits changes.

MSD will recognize an early release at noon on Thursday, December 24.

Several employee benefits have recently been updated, including:

• Vacation leave accrual
• Sick leave accrual
• Bonding leave
• Medical contributions
• Reimbursements
• Overtime/comp time bank
• Wages

Please find more information on early dismissal and the recent benefits changes in Tracey Coleman’s email on December 15.

FOUR EMPLOYEES TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 89 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As we mentioned in separate emails, four additional employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last weekly email. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to eighty-nine (89).

NO COVID-19 UPDATE NEXT TWO-WEEKS

Because of the holiday, there will be no COVID-19 Update for the next two-weeks. Please look for the next update on Monday, January 4th.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next time,

Sean

A regular weekly update by Sean Hadley.

EMAIL SENT December 11, 2020 12:42 p.m.

WHATS NEW?

• Brian Hoelscher shares guidance for exposure and return to work and MSD’s policies once vaccines are available. For more information, see “A message from Brian Hoelscher…” below.
• The deadline to sell back vacation time under this year’s modified policy is next Friday, December 18. For more information, see “Vacation sell-back deadline is next Friday, December 18” below.
• Register for a virtual forum with CEO Brian Hoelscher through the Learning District. Please find answers to some of the recent questions Brian has received below. For more information, see “CEO Brian Hoelscher hosts virtual forums…” below.
• Twelve employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last update. For more information, see “Two employees tested positive…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER – COVID-19 EXPOSURE AND RETURN TO WORK GUIDANCE FOR MANAGERS; VACCINES

Employees,

I want to provide you with two pieces of information.

First, I want to discuss the rules regarding possible infection or exposure. Because the coronavirus situation was constantly changing, we developed guidance for use by the managers in determining the appropriate actions to take with employees. This document was not a policy or procedure, but a guidance that provided a framework on how to respond to an ever-changing situation that required continuous communications. Since most of the District has now had experience with our practices, I wanted to provide this document to you so you can see the comprehensive guidance that management is using to determine the appropriate reaction to various situations. This is not policy or procedure, but just guidance to help the managers make the correct calls. This guidance is attached.

You will note that clarifications have been added to better describe a particular situation: voluntary travel/gatherings. In short, if an employee intentionally plans or schedules travel or gatherings, they will be expected to get tested or quarantine with a doctor’s note before being allowed back to work. This applies to both working at the workplace and working from home. The employee will have to use their own paid time (vacation, comp time, sick leave, etc.) during this period and will not be allowed to work from home. Please read carefully. I know that I have both acted in compliance with this guidance and unintentionally acted in only partial compliance.

Second, with vaccines coming after the start of the year, I want to provide some information to help with expectations. From all of the literature I have read and knowledge the medical/scientific community have acquired, it appears “likely” that even if you have had COVID or if you have been vaccinated, you will still be able to carry and transmit the virus to others. If this current thinking remains, you will find that MSD will react very slowly in loosening any of our safety procedures. Our primary goal is to prevent transmission of the coronavirus in the workplace, and we will remain very conservative in our approach.

Thank you for your attention. Please forward any questions you have to our Public Affairs group.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director & CEO

VACATION SELL-BACK DEADLINE IS NEXT FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18

As a reminder, earlier this year, we announced changes to MSD’s vacation sell back and paid holiday accrual policies.

Through the remainder of this payroll year, MSD employees may sell back all but two weeks (10 days) of vacation balance. The deadline to submit sell-back requests is Friday, December 18, 2020. Employees can submit those requests by adding the appropriate hours to their timecards.

Effective December 19, 2020, MSD will revert back to the previous guidelines of the Vacation Sell Back Policy. Employees will be eligible for Vacation sell back from MSD in the manner and in the amounts described below and subject to the following conditions:

• At the time of the request, an employee must have a minimum balance of ten (10) days of vacation left in their balance after the sale.
• Vacation sell back is limited by payroll year according to years of service as listed in the table below:

The rest of the policy can be viewed on Inside MSD.

CEO BRIAN HOELSCHER HOSTS VIRTUAL FORUMS, ANSWERS EMPLOYEE QUESTIONS

In addition to answering employee’s questions through the “Ask the CEO videos,” Brian Hoelscher is hosting virtual employee town hall meetings through Teams. Employees are encouraged to participate in one of these town halls and can sign up through the Learning District here. After signing in, select “Menu”> “Learning and Metrics”> “Course Catalog.” Then search for “COVID Forum.”

Employees are still encouraged to submit their questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line, “Ask the CEO.”

Some questions we have recently received from employees include:

Q1. How long will MSD’s dedensification practices be in place?

A1. MSD’s current safety practices, which include keeping office density at 50%, staggering start times at yards, requiring masks, distancing, increasing surface disinfection, screening for temperatures, and requiring employees who have had a possible exposure or who are exhibiting symptoms to stay home, seem to be effectively mitigating the spread of COVID-19 between employees.

At this time, MSD’s leadership has decided to maintain these practices through at least March 31, 2021. MSD’s objectives with these practices are to ensure we can continue to provide an essential service, to protect the health of MSD employees and our community, and to ensure we can get through this pandemic without any layoffs. As such, MSD will be conservative in reducing any of these practices and could extend them further if it is necessary to promote a healthy workplace.

Q2. What is the inclement weather protocol for yard employees?

A2. MSD management is currently reviewing the inclement weather protocol for yard employees in light of COVID-19 safety considerations. Managers and supervisors will share the new protocols with employees by the end of next week.

Q3. I’ve heard in the news that they are testing wastewater for COVID-19. Are employees who work in close proximity to wastewater safe?

A3. The story you have heard in the news is that MSD is participating with other utilities and the State of Missouri in trying to identify the trace amounts of COVID material in the wastewater and correlate that with the number of infections in the watershed. This is going on throughout the country and has proven to be a good advance marker for changes in infection rates and numbers.

As we have previously communicated, from day one it has been shown that the hygiene practices required to work around wastewater is equally effective in preventing COVID transmission. For those employees who work near wastewater, remember that there are much more dangerous things in the wastewater than COVID and thus you should be diligent at all times in practicing proper hygiene.

Q4. Will COVID EFMLEA and EPSLA carry over into 2021?

A4. The Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) are set to expire on December 31, 2020.  Therefore, unless the Acts are extended by the federal government, there will be no EPSLA or EFMLEA available after year-end.

Q5. When a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, will employees need to pay for it?

A5. Per the CDC, “Vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost. However, vaccination providers will be able to charge an administration fee for giving the shot to someone. Vaccine providers can get this fee reimbursed by the patient’s public or private insurance company or, for uninsured patients, by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund.”

TWELVE EMPLOYEES TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 85 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As we mentioned in separate emails, twelve additional employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last weekly email. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to seventy (85).

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly update by Sean Hadley.

EMAIL SENT December 4, 2020 12:07 p.m.

WHATS NEW?

• Limits on outside travel, outside meetings, activities, and onsite meetings with external entities are currently in place through March 31, 2021. Employees should opt for virtual meetings, phone calls, emails, or other digital communication when possible. For more information, see “Reminder – outside travel, meetings, and activities restricted…” below.
• The deadline to sell back vacation time under this year’s modified policy is December 18. For more information, see “Vacation sell-back deadline is December 18” below.
• Register for a virtual forum with CEO Brian Hoelscher through the Learning District. Please find answers to some of the recent questions Brian has received below. For more information, see “CEO Brian Hoelscher hosts virtual forums…” below.
• Five employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last update. For more information, see “Five employees tested positive…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

REMINDER – OUTSIDE TRAVEL, MEETINGS, AND ACTIVITIES RESTRICTED THROUGH MARCH 31, 2021

As a reminder, restrictions on outside travel, outside meetings, onsite meetings with external entities, and outside activities are currently in place through March 31, 2021. Employees should limit all in-person meetings unless absolutely necessary and should opt for virtual meetings, phone calls, emails, or other digital communication when possible.

We are continually monitoring the situation to determine the best time to begin removing these restrictions. As always, we will revisit this plan and could extend it further if it is necessary to promote a healthy workplace.

VACATION SELL-BACK DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 18

As a reminder, earlier this year, we announced changes to MSD’s vacation sell back and paid holiday accrual policies.

Through the remainder of this payroll year, MSD employees may sell back all but two weeks (10 days) of vacation balance. The deadline to submit sell-back requests is Friday, December 18, 2020. Employees can submit those requests by adding the appropriate hours to their timecards.

Effective December 19, 2020, MSD will revert back to the previous guidelines of the Vacation Sell Back Policy. Employees will be eligible for Vacation sell back from MSD in the manner and in the amounts described below and subject to the following conditions:

• At the time of the request, an employee must have a minimum balance of ten (10) days of vacation left in their balance after the sale.
• Vacation sell back is limited by payroll year according to years of service as listed in the table below:

The rest of the policy can be viewed on Inside MSD.

CEO BRIAN HOELSCHER HOSTS VIRTUAL FORUMS, ANSWERS EMPLOYEE QUESTIONS

In addition to answering employee’s questions through the “Ask the CEO videos,” Brian Hoelscher is hosting virtual employee town hall meetings through Teams. Employees are encouraged to participate in one of these town halls and can sign up through the Learning District here. After signing in, select “Menu”> “Learning and Metrics”> “Course Catalog.” Then search for “COVID Forum.”

Employees are still encouraged to submit their questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line, “Ask the CEO.”

Some questions we have recently received from employees include:

Q1. How long will MSD’s dedensification practices be in place?

A1. MSD’s current safety practices, which include keeping office density at 50%, staggering start times at yards, requiring masks, distancing, increasing surface disinfection, screening for temperatures, and requiring employees who have had a possible exposure or who are exhibiting symptoms to stay home, seem to be effectively mitigating the spread of COVID-19 between employees.

At this time, MSD’s leadership has decided to maintain these practices through at least March 31, 2021. MSD’s objectives with these practices are to ensure we can continue to provide an essential service, to protect the health of MSD employees and our community, and to ensure we can get through this pandemic without any layoffs. As such, MSD will be conservative in reducing any of these practices and could extend them further if it is necessary to promote a healthy workplace.

Q2. What is the inclement weather protocol for yard employees?

A2. MSD management is currently reviewing the inclement weather protocol for yard employees in light of COVID-19 safety considerations. Managers and supervisors will share the new protocols with employees by the end of next week.

FIVE EMPLOYEES TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 73 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As we mentioned in separate emails, five additional employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last weekly email. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to seventy-three (73).

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly update by Sean Hadley.

EMAIL SENT November 30, 2020 3:04 p.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Register for a virtual forum with CEO Brian Hoelscher through the Learning District. Please find answers to some of the recent questions Brian has received below. For more information, see “CEO Brian Hoelscher hosts virtual forums…” below.
• Thirteen employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last update. For more information, see “Thirteen employees tested positive…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CEO BRIAN HOELSCHER HOSTS VIRTUAL FORUMS, ANSWERS EMPLOYEE QUESTIONS

In addition to answering employee’s questions through the “Ask the CEO videos,” Brian Hoelscher is hosting virtual employee town hall meetings through Teams. Employees who would like to participate in one of these town halls can sign up through the Learning District here. After signing in, select “Menu”> “Learning and Metrics”> “Course Catalog.” Then search for “COVID Forum.”

Employees are still encouraged to submit their questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line, “Ask the CEO.”

Some questions we have recently received from employees include:

Q1. Why doesn’t MSD share location-level data about coronavirus cases within our staff?

A1. We are currently providing as much information as we can in line with current legal requirements. I can tell you that positive tests have occurred throughout the entire District.

Q2. Could MSD consider a work from home compromise related to the nation-wide exponential growth of the pandemic and all work from home full-time and temporarily?

A2. MSD’s strategy on lowering the density of office areas by having individuals work part-time from home and staggered starting times in field locations has been successful in preventing coronavirus spread in the workplace. This strategy allows MSD to both meet local health orders as well as provide cost-effective services as required by MSD’s designation as an Essential Service by the Department of Labor.

Q3. What is the threshold for MSD to move to working from home full time?

A3. MSD will continue its current program unless we are not able to prevent coronavirus spread in the workplace. Our experience over the past eight months has shown our program has been successful.

THIRTEEN EMPLOYEES TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 68 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As we mentioned in separate emails, thirteen additional employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last weekly email. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to sixty-eight (68).

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly update by Bess McCoy.

EMAIL SENT November 20, 2020 12:01 p.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Please follow safety guidelines while celebrating Thanksgiving. If you are unable to follow safety guidelines, please inform your supervisor and plan to quarantine and/or get a COVID-19 test. For more information, see “Follow safety guidelines while celebrating Thanksgiving” below.
• Register for a virtual forum with CEO Brian Hoelscher through the learning district. Please find answers to some of the recent questions Brian has received below. For more information, see “CEO Brian Hoelscher hosts virtual forums…” below.
• Management is currently reviewing the inclement weather protocol for yard employees and will share updated protocols within the next couple of weeks. For more information, see “Management is reviewing inclement weather protocols for yard employees,” below.
• Employees should wear a mask when getting their temperature taken, whether they are inside a facility, in their vehicle, outside, or otherwise. For more information, see “Wear a mask when getting your temperature taken” below.
• Seven employees tested positive for COVID-19 this week. For more information, see “Seven employees tested positive…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FOLLOW SAFETY GUIDELINES WHILE CELEBRATING THANKSGIVING

As we enter Thanksgiving week, please think of your fellow employees as you decide how to celebrate:

• When in public, please make sure to social distance, wear a mask, and practice regular hygiene.
• Limit in-person interactions to a social bubble of no more than ten people.
• If you plan to participate in activities that do not adhere to MSD’s COVID-19 guidelines, including limiting in-person interaction, wearing a mask, and social distancing, please plan to take additional leave to take a COVID test or self-quarantine before returning to work.
• If you take all the necessary precautions and you still find yourself in a compromising situation, please make sure you inform your supervisor so they can decide on the appropriate actions to promote a safe workplace for all employees.

MSD leadership continues to evaluate and adopt policies to promote a safe work environment, including canceling all workplace holiday gatherings; however, we all play a critical role in keeping our coworkers and our community healthy. Thank you for doing your part to contribute to a healthy and safe workplace.

CEO BRIAN HOELSCHER HOSTS VIRTUAL FORUMS, ANSWERS EMPLOYEE QUESTIONS

In addition to answering employee’s questions through the “Ask the CEO videos,” Brian Hoelscher is hosting virtual employee town hall meetings through Teams. Employees who would like to participate in one of these town halls can sign up through the Learning District here. After signing in, select “Menu”> “Learning and Metrics”> “Course Catalog.” Then search for “COVID Forum.”

Employees are still encouraged to submit their questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line, “Ask the CEO.”

Some questions we have recently received from employees include:

Q1. Will MSD require employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available?

A1. At this time, it is too early to make that determination. Per past precedent, MSD has required certain vaccinations for employees who work in close contact with sewage but have not required vaccines for other infectious diseases such as the flu. MSD’s COVID-19 policy will depend on what kind of guidance it receives from government and public health officials.

Q2. Will MSD’s insurance with CIGNA cover COVID-19 tests and COVID-19 vaccines for MSD Family members?

A2. At this time, because a vaccine is not on the market, we do not have data regarding vaccine cost. Typically, vaccines are covered under MSD’s medical coverage. If the dependent child is covered under the medical plan, they would be entitled to the plan’s full benefits.

A co-pay is required for a doctor’s visit, so if employees or covered dependents schedule an appointment with their doctor to receive a test, they will be charged a co-pay. The test at the office would not have a cost.

Some pharmacies such as CVS offer testing that does not require a doctor’s visit co-pay.

Q3. How do the nanoseptic stickers work? And how often are they replaced?

A3. One of the components of the surface is a mineral nano-crystal, which acts as a catalyst, charged by visible light. These nano-crystals create a continuous, powerful oxidation reaction. This oxidation reaction breaks down organic material into base components such as CO2. The surface also forms free radicals, which act as an additional cleaning agent.

The stickers are replaced approximately every three months with special emphasis on stickers in high-traffic areas.

Q4. Can MSD employees tell coworkers they can interact without a mask?

A4. No. Masks are required equipment like hard hats, safety vests, and boots. Mask use is not a matter of employee discretion.

MANAGEMENT IS REVIEWING INCLEMENT WEATHER PROTOCOL FOR YARD EMPLOYEES

MSD management is currently reviewing the inclement weather protocol for yard employees in light of COVID-19 safety considerations. The new protocols will be shared with employees within the next couple of weeks.

WEAR A MASK WHEN GETTING YOUR TEMPERATURE TAKEN

Per MSD’s mask guidelines, employees should wear a mask whenever interacting with anyone outside of their immediate household. This includes during temperature checks whether you are in an MSD facility, in your vehicle, or outside.

SEVEN EMPLOYEES TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 55 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As we mentioned in separate emails, seven additional employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last weekly email. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to fifty-five (55).

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next time,

Bess McCoy
Public Affairs Specialist

A regular weekly update by Sean Hadley.

EMAIL SENT November 13, 2020 1:39 p.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• CEO Brian Hoelscher outlines how MSD’s Attendance Requirements During a Substantial Emergency will be implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, see “Message from CEO Brian Hoelscher…” below.
• St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis announce new COVID-19 restrictions including limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people. For more information, see “St. Louis County, City of St. Louis issue new COVID-19 restrictions” below.
• MSD leadership revised safety guidelines, as mentioned in Tuesday’s email. For more information, see “MSD revises COVID-19 guidelines” below.
• Brian Hoelscher is hosting virtual employee town hall meetings on Teams starting next week. Register through the Learning District. For more information, see “CEO Brian Hoelscher hosting virtual town hall meetings” below.
• Maintain at least 6 feet of distance while eating since you cannot wear a mask. For more information, see “Maintain at least 6 feet of distance while eating” below.
• Seven employees tested positive for COVID-19 this week, bringing the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to 48. For more information, see “Three employees tested positive…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

MESSAGE FROM CEO BRIAN HOELSCHER: ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS DURING SUBSTANTIAL EMERGENCY POLICY

I want to share information on what guidance the Executive Director and Department Directors will use in executing the attached policy during the COVID pandemic. For illustrative purposes, I am going to use the situation of poor winter weather or temperatures as an example. The Executive Director and Department Directors shall still be responsible for the detailed implementation within each of their Departments.

First, I want to address office personnel. If an emergency is declared prior to the start of the workday, non-essential employees, as determined by the individual Department Directors, will not come into the office. Any employees who have the ability to work at home shall do so for the entire workday. Those who do not have the ability to work from home will be released for the day. If an emergency is declared after the start of the workday, non-essential employees working in an office, as determined by the Department Directors, shall be released for the day. Employees working from home that day shall work their normal day. None of these provisions shall impact the employees’ current work from home/work at the office schedule.

Finally, I want to address essential personnel, primarily field personnel. Essential field personnel, as determined by the Department Directors for a specific emergency, shall report into the office as scheduled. While there can be many variations, employees will either be asked to a) work that day, b) participate in an inside activity such as training, or c) go home but be available to be contacted at home to report for duty. These variations will be used by the Department Directors to maintain our current COVID safety practices.

Every emergency will have differences that will require the Directors to apply this guidance slightly differently based on the needs of the event and the District. This guidance does not cover every contingency or instance. As per the attached policy, it will remain the responsibility of the Executive Director and Department Directors to determine the exact response to any emergency.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director & CEO

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, CITY OF ST. LOUIS ISSUE NEW COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS

St. Louis County issued a new “Safer at Home” order, which takes effect on Tuesday, November 17. As part of the new guidelines, St. Louis County residents are restricted from leaving their homes except to go to work or school, to exercise, to seek medical care, or to shop for goods or supplies.

The guidelines also instruct County residents to form social bubbles with 10 or fewer family members or friends and to limit all in-person interactions to that group.

Business occupancy limits have been reduced from 50% to 25%, and the maximum gathering size of any kind has been reduced from 49 to 10.

The County also updated its mask order, mandating mask usage outside of the home for all people over the age of 5. It also updated its quarantine and isolation order, instructing anyone who has tested positive to self-isolate for 10-14 days and to notify anyone they have come into close contact with.

The City of St. Louis has also issued new COVID-19 guidelines that take effect on Saturday, November 14. The city is also limiting in-person gatherings to 10 people and is recommending people limit their contact to the same small circle of individuals.

MSD REVISES COVID-19 GUIDELINES

As we mentioned in Tuesday’s COVID-19 Update, MSD leadership revised safety guidelines in light of the increased infection rate in the St. Louis region and among MSD employees. To recap:

• In-person attendance at MSD Board meetings will be limited to staff essential to conducting the meeting. Members of the public and all other staff who would like to attend Board meetings can do so virtually. You can find more information on virtual participation on the MSD Website or watch the meeting live on MSD’s YouTube channel.
• Employees are encouraged to wear masks at all times. When inside an MSD facility, employees must wear a mask unless they are alone at their desk. When outside, employees must wear a mask if they cannot socially distance.
• Employees should limit in-person contact to a self-identified group of no more than ten people. Employees should quarantine and/or get tested for COVID-19 if they have in-person contact outside of this group or if a member of this group is sick or tests positive.
• Notify your supervisor and plan to quarantine if you travel or gather with people outside of your small group. This includes Thanksgiving celebrations.
• Maintain at least 6 feet of distance while eating since you cannot wear a mask.

MSD leadership will continue to evaluate these safety measures and may implement additional changes. As always, the goal of these safety measures is to promote a healthy and safe work environment so we can continue to provide an acceptable level of service through the duration of this pandemic.

CEO BRIAN HOELSCHER HOSTING VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETINGS

In addition to answering employee’s questions through the “Ask the CEO videos,” Brian Hoelscher is hosting virtual employee town hall meetings through Teams. Employees who would like to participate in one of these town halls can sign up through the Learning District here. After signing in, select “Menu”> “Learning and Metrics”> “Course Catalog.” Then search for “COVID Forum.”

Employees are still encouraged to submit their questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line, “Ask the CEO.”

SEVEN EMPLOYEES TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 48 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As we mentioned in separate emails, seven (7) additional employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last weekly email. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to forty-eight (48).

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly update by Sean Hadley.

EMAIL SENT November 6, 2020 12:09 p.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Eleven employees tested positive for COVID-19 this week, including two possible instances of employee-to-employee transmission. For more information, see “Eleven employees tested positive…” below.
• MSD’s leadership is reviewing and updating the COVID-19 safety guidelines, including temperature checks, mask-wearing, sick leave, and disinfecting efforts. For more information, see “MSD reviewing, updating COVID-19 safety guidelines” below.
• Managers and supervisors will begin regularly communicating with their employees about these policies beginning next week. For more information, see “Managers and supervisors to begin regular COVID-19 communication” below.
• Brian Hoelscher will host virtual employee town hall meetings on Teams starting next week. Register through the Learning District. For more information, see “CEO Brian Hoelscher to host virtual town hall meetings” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS TO BEGIN REGULAR COVID-19 COMMUNICATION

To help ensure employees are informed about MSD’s COVID-19 policies, managers and supervisors will begin regularly communicating with their employees about these policies beginning next week. Public Affairs will continue to send regular updates every Friday and special updates as needed.

ELEVEN EMPLOYEES TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 41 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As we mentioned in separate emails, eleven (11) additional employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last weekly email. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to forty-one (41).

This week we also had two possible instances of employee-to-employee transmission of COVID-19. This is a poignant reminder of the importance of following MSD’s COVID-19 safety guidelines:

• Maintain six feet of distance: Keep at least six feet of distance between yourself and any individual who is not a member of your household.
• Wear a mask: All employees and visitors inside any MSD facility must wear a mask when not alone at their desks. Employees and visitors are not required to wear a mask outside unless distancing is not possible.
• Practice good hygiene: Frequently washing your hands, especially before and after touching shared surfaces, can help prevent surface spread.
• Stay home if you are sick: If you are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 or have reason to believe you were exposed to someone who has COVID-19, inform your supervisor and do not come to work.

MSD REVIEWING, UPDATING COVID-19 SAFETY GUIDELINES

MSD leadership continues to evaluate its safety measures and listen to Government guidelines. As always, the goal of these safety measures is to promote a healthy and safe work environment so we can continue to provide an acceptable level of service through the duration of this pandemic.

Cleaning and disinfecting: Current public health guidelines suggest that it may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this isn’t thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

However, disinfecting surfaces is believed to be effective at reducing the spread of cold and flu viruses, which can have similar symptoms to COVID-19. As such, we will continue our increased sanitizing and disinfecting measures.

Temperature checks: There are no changes to the temperature checking policy at this time, but MSD’s leadership is reviewing this policy.

Masks: Current public health guidelines suggest that masks are among the more effective measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. As such, we ask that employees continue to observe the following mask-wearing guidelines:

• Wear a well-fitting mask that covers your nose and mouth when in public or around people who are not members of your household.
• When you are inside an MSD facility, wear a mask when you are away from your desk and when you are interacting with a coworker. Employees should wear a mask at all times unless they are ALONE at their desks.
• If you see anyone not following the above mask-wearing policy, please notify their manager or supervisor.

Sick leave: While mask-wearing and social distancing both reduce asymptomatic spread, it is imperative that employees stay home if they are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19. To limit the impact on employees next calendar year through March 31, 2021, MSD’s leadership has relaxed restrictions on sick leave usage so that any sick leave usage associated with COVID-19 will not be counted when considering Floating Holidays for 2022 or as a sick leave occurrence under the sick leave policy. Employees will not be subject to disciplinary action if they are told to stay home by MSD or a doctor.

If you are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, please talk to your supervisor about your leave options and contact your healthcare provider.

Our goal continues to be promoting a healthy and safe work environment for all employees, and we are continually monitoring the situation to determine the best practices to achieve that goal.

MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS TO BEGIN REGULAR COVID-19 COMMUNICATION

To help ensure employees are informed about MSD’s COVID-19 policies, managers and supervisors will begin regularly communicating with their employees about these policies beginning next week. Public Affairs will continue to send regular updates every Friday and special updates as needed.

CEO BRIAN HOELSCHER TO HOST VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETINGS

In addition to answering employee’s questions through the “Ask the CEO videos,” Brian Hoelscher will host virtual employee town hall meetings through teams. Employees who would like to participate in one of these town halls can sign up through the Learning District here.

Employees are still encouraged to submit their questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line, “Ask the CEO.”

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A special email from Sean Hadley.

EMAIL SENT November 2, 2020 3:22 p.m.:

At a glance:

• One employee tested positive for COVID-19 after being told to quarantine by MSD for possible workplace exposure. This is the first incident of possible COVID-19 transmission from employee to employee, although it is impossible to know with certainty if this employee became infected at work or if this infection is linked to the increased infection rate in our region.
• It is essential that employees stay home if they are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 to promote a safe work environment. MSD’s safety policies are meant to reduce the likelihood of asymptomatic spread, but you are our first line of defense. If you are showing symptoms, talk to your manager or supervisor about your leave options, and consult your healthcare provider.
• Employees who use sick leave for COVID-related purposes will not be subject to disciplinary action, nor will the absences hinder their ability to earn floating holidays.

All,

As you are aware, in the last week, we have sent several notifications about employees testing positive for COVID-19. Since last Monday, October 26, 10 employees have notified MSD that they received a positive COVID-19 test, including six today, November 2.

Prior to today, we have seen no evidence to suggest that any employee had contracted the virus while at work. I would like to inform you all that one of the employees who tested positive for COVID-19 today had recently been asked to quarantine by MSD because of possible exposure in accordance with MSD’s infectious disease policy.

While it is impossible to determine if this employee became infected at work or if this is linked to the increased infection rate in our region, this is the first instance in which an employee has tested positive after a possible exposure at work.

First, I would like to assure you that MSD’s leadership continue to evaluate our safety policies and follow all recommended government guidelines to promote a safe and healthy workplace.

The increase in infections in our region and among our employees is a poignant reminder that the virus is still in our community, and we must all continue to be vigilant to follow safety guidelines at work and in our free time.

MSD’s safety policies are meant to reduce the likelihood of asymptomatic spread, but you are our first line of defense. If you are sick or exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, DO NOT COME TO WORK.

Common COVID-19 symptoms include:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

If you are sick or exhibiting any of the above symptoms, please talk to your supervisor about your leave options, and contact your healthcare provider.

To limit the impact on employees this year, MSD’s leadership has relaxed restrictions on sick leave usage and is awarding four Floating Holidays to all employees in 2021. Employees will not be subject to disciplinary action if they are told to stay home by MSD or a doctor.

Employees who are sick or exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms may leverage several leave options:

• Sick leave
• Vacation
• Compensatory time
• FMLA
• EPSLA – expanded FMLA is eligible for new employees
• EFMLEA – expanded FMLA is eligible for new employees
• and in rare cases, 28-Day leave

Find out more about EPSLA and EMFLEA or about how to apply for FMLA in the attached guides.

We must continue to be vigilant and take reasonable precautions to promote our own health and safety as well as the health and safety of our coworkers and our community. Please continue following social distancing and hygiene practices both at work and in your personal lives. And as always, if you are feeling sick, please stay home, notify your supervisor, and contact your healthcare provider.

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT October 30, 2020 11:15 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Please stay home if you are sick or exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. Employees will not be subject to disciplinary action if they are asked to stay home by MSD or a doctor. For more information, see “Stay home if you are sick…” below.
• Please follow safety guidelines while celebrating Halloween. If you are unable to follow safety guidelines, please inform your supervisor. For more information, see “Follow safety guidelines while celebrating Halloween” below.
• The sick leave policy will be relaxed through March 31, 2021. Employees who use sick leave because they test positive for COVID-19 or are asked to quarantine by MSD or a doctor will not be subject to disciplinary action and will not have the absences counted against their ability to accrue floating holidays. For more information, see “COVID-19 sick leave and floating holidays…” below.
• EPSLA and EFMLEA are currently set to expire on December 31, 2020. For more information, see “EPSLA and EFMLEA expire December 31” below.
• The vacation sell back policy will revert to previous guidelines in 2021. For more information, see “Vacation sell back policy will revert….” below.
• Four employees tested positive for COVID-19 this week. For more information, see “Four employees tested positive…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK OR EXHIBITING COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

As COVID-19 infections continue to rise nationally and locally, MSD asks employees to please stay home if you are sick or exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms such as

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Please keep in mind that MSD’s safety guidelines, such as reducing workplace density, social distancing, occupancy limits, and mask-wearing, are meant to mitigate asymptomatic spread. If you are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, it is imperative that you stay home.

To limit the impact on employees this year, MSD’s leadership has relaxed restrictions on sick leave usage and is awarding four Floating Holidays to all employees in 2021. Employees will not be subject to disciplinary action if they are told to stay home by MSD or a doctor.

Employees who are sick or exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms may leverage several leave options:

• Sick leave
• Vacation
• Compensatory time
• FMLA
• EPSLA – expanded FMLA is eligible for new employees
• EFMLEA – expanded FMLA is eligible for new employees
• and in rare cases, 28-Day leave

Find out more about EPSLA and EMFLEA or about how to apply for FMLA in the attached guides.

FOLLOW SAFETY GUIDELINES WHILE CELEBRATING HALLOWEEN

As we enter Halloween weekend, please think of your fellow employees as you decide how to celebrate:

• When in public, please make sure to social distance, wear a mask, and practice regular hygiene.
• If you plan to participate in activities that do not adhere to MSD’s social distancing, mask, and hygiene guidelines, please plan to take additional leave to take a COVID test or self-quarantine before returning to work.
• If you take all the necessary precautions and you still find yourself in a compromising situation, please make sure you inform your supervisor so they can decide on the appropriate actions to promote a safe workplace for all employees.

St. Louis City and St. Louis County have several tips and ideas to celebrate Halloween safely.

MSD leadership continues to evaluate and adopt policies to promote a safe work environment, including canceling all workplace holiday gatherings; however, we all play a critical role in keeping our coworkers and our community healthy. Thank you for doing your part to contribute to a healthy and safe workplace.

COVID-19 SICK LEAVE AND FLOATING HOLIDAY POLICIES RELAXED THROUGH MARCH 31, 2021

MSD’s leadership is extending its relaxed sick leave policy through March 31, 2021. Under the policy, employees who use five or more days of sick leave because they test positive for COVID-19 or are asked to quarantine by MSD or a doctor will not be subject to disciplinary action.

Similarly, sick leave used because an employee tests positive for COVID-19 or are asked to quarantine by MSD or a doctor will not count against an employee’s ability to accrue floating holidays in 2022.

Sick leave for non-COVID-related uses will still be subject to standard disciplinary action and will count toward employee’s absence records. Human Resources will add a “Sick Leave – COVID-19” option to timecards beginning in 2021.

As always, we will revisit these policies and could extend them further.

EPSLA AND EFMLEA EXPIRE DECEMBER 31

The Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) are set to expire on December 31, 2020.  Therefore, unless the Acts are extended, there will be no EPSLA or EFMLEA available after year-end.

Find out more about EPSLA and EMFLEA or about how to apply for FMLA in the attached guides.

VACATION SELL BACK POLICY WILL REVERT BACK TO THE PREVIOUS GUIDELINES IN 2021

Effective January 1, 2021, MSD will revert back to the previous guidelines of the Vacation Sell Back Policy.

Employees will be eligible for Vacation sell back from MSD in the manner and in the amounts described below and subject to the following conditions:

• At the time of the request, an employee must have a minimum balance of ten (10) days of vacation left in their balance after the sale.
• Vacation sell back is limited by calendar year according to years of service as listed in the table below:

The rest of the policy can be viewed on Inside MSD.

FOUR EMPLOYEES TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 30 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As we mentioned in separate emails, four additional employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last weekly email. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to thirty (30).

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – ASK THE CEO

Please submit your questions MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT October 23, 2020 12:00 p.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Outside travel, meeting, and activity restrictions are extended through March 31, 2021. These restrictions could be extended further. For more information, see “Outside travel, meeting, and activity restrictions extended…” below.
• Please follow appropriate safety measures as you plan for the holiday season. For more information, see “Remember to follow safety guidelines…” below.
• Next week is the last call for onsite flu vaccines. Flu shots will be available on Wednesday at the Market Street office. For more information, see “Last call for onsite flu vaccines” below.
• One MSD employee tested positive for COVID-19 since last week’s email, bringing the total number of employees to test positive to 26. For more information, see “One employee tested positive…” below.
• Submit your questions for Brian Hoelscher’s next video message to msdcorona@stlmsd.com. For more information, see “We want to hear from you…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

OUTSIDE TRAVEL, MEETING, AND ACTIVITY RESTRICTIONS EXTENDED THROUGH MARCH 31, 2021

As part of our continuing effort to promote the health and safety of all MSD employees, senior leadership has decided to extend limits on outside travel, outside meetings, activities, and onsite meetings with external entities through March 31, 2021.

We are continually monitoring the situation to determine the best time to begin removing these modifications. As always, we will revisit this plan and could extend it further if it is necessary to promote a healthy workplace.

REMEMBER TO FOLLOW SAFETY GUIDELINES WHILE PLANNING FOR UPCOMING HOLIDAYS

With new COVID-19 cases increasing across the country and in the St. Louis area, it is just as important as ever that MSD employees take precautions to reduce the chance of exposure to the Coronavirus. As we near the holiday season, please think of your fellow employees as you decide how to celebrate:

• When in public, please make sure to social distance, wear a mask, and practice regular hygiene.
• If you plan to participate in activities that do not adhere to MSD’s social distancing, mask, and hygiene guidelines, please plan to take additional leave to take a COVID test or self-quarantine before returning to work.
• If you take all the necessary precautions and you still find yourself in a compromising situation, please make sure you inform your supervisor so they can decide on the appropriate actions to promote a safe workplace for all employees.

MSD leadership continues to evaluate and adopt policies to promote a safe work environment, including canceling all workplace holiday gatherings; however, we all play a critical role in keeping our coworkers and our community healthy. Thank you for doing your part to contribute to a healthy and safe workplace.

LAST CALL FOR ONSITE FLU VACCINES

Vaccinations will be available next Wednesday at the Market Street office. This is the final opportunity for MSD employees to receive a free onsite flu shot.

Employees are instructed to:

• Complete the consent form in advance and present it to the nurse administering the shot
• Bring your own pen for the sign-in sheet
• Wear a face mask at all times
• Adhere to social distancing practices

MSD will have staff onsite to sanitize the rooms where flu shots are administered. Please find the flu shot schedule below.

ONE EMPLOYEE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 26 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As we mentioned in a separate email, one additional employee tested positive for COVID-19 since the last weekly email. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to twenty-six (26).

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – ASK THE CEO

Please submit your questions MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT October 16, 2020 12:01 p.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Masks must comply with the dress code, including no offensive or political messages. For more information, see “Masks must not be offensive…” below.
• Cigna covers COVID-19 testing for diagnostic purposes only and does not cover testing for return-to-work purposes at 100%. For more information, see “Will Cigna cover my COVID-19 test?” below.
• The Customer Service Group at Market Street is relocating to the second floor. For more information, see “Customer Service is relocating…” below.
• Flu shots will be available next week at Grand Glaize Yard. For more information, see “On-site flu vaccines continue next week” below.
• There were no new COVID-19 infections among MSD employees this week. For more information, see “No new infections…” below.
• Submit your questions for Brian Hoelscher’s next video message to msdcorona@stlmsd.com. For more information, see “We want to hear from you…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

MASKS MUST NOT BE OFFENSIVE OR DISPLAY POLITICAL MESSAGES

As a reminder, masks must comply with the spirit of the employee dress code. Please keep in mind, especially during this election season, that employees are not allowed to wear anything that could be considered offensive to others.

This is a good opportunity to reiterate a message Brian shared in January asking all employees to refrain from discussing political matters while at work. As Brian said in his message, MSD values the diversity of our employees, including their diverse political views. In the spirit of creating a safe and productive work environment, please save political discussions and activities for your personal time.

Further, please keep in mind that the Civil Service Rules and Regulations has several guidelines for all classified (otherwise known as Civil Service) employees with regards to political activities. These can be found in section 8.2, “Political Activities.” If you have questions about acceptable political activity in or outside the workplace, please speak to your manager or supervisor.

WILL CIGNA COVER MY COVID-19 TEST?

At this time, Cigna covers COVID-19 testing for diagnostic purposes only (e.g., if you are experiencing symptoms or if you had exposure to someone who tested positive).  In many cases, you will be asked a series of questions to determine if testing is necessary.

COVID-19 testing for return to work purposes will not be covered at 100%.  If you are billed for a co-pay, please reach out to Cigna Customer Service (1-800244-6224) or our onsite Wellness Coordinator, Angela Tiedemann, to have your coverage reviewed and to determine if you were billed correctly.

Angela’s contact information:
Email:  atiedemann@stlmsd.com
Phone: 314-882-2138

NOTE:  If you are going to your doctor for COVID-19 testing ONLY, you should not be billed a co-pay.  However, if you are seen for anything beyond testing, you may receive a bill for the other portion of the visit that is non-COVID-19 related.

CUSTOMER SERVICE IS RELOCATING TO THE SECOND FLOOR OF MARKET

The Operations Department’s Customer Service Group at Market Street is relocating to the second floor because they have regularly scheduled after-hours responsibilities. The second floor offers sufficient space to maintain appropriate social distancing measures. MSD is considering additional measures for other regularly scheduled after-hours activities.

ON-SITE FLU VACCINES CONTINUE NEXT WEEK

Vaccinations will be available next week at the Grand Glaize Yard. Please note that there are only two remaining dates for on-site flu shots: October 19 at Grand Glaize Yard and October 28 at Market Street. If you would like a flu shot but have not yet received one, please mark one of these dates on your calendar.

Employees are instructed to:

• Complete the consent form in advance and present it to the nurse administering the shot
• Bring your own pen for the sign-in sheet
• Wear a face mask at all times
• Adhere to social distancing practices

MSD will have staff at each location to sanitize the rooms where flu shots are administered. Please find the flu shot schedule below.

NO NEW INFECTIONS AMONG MSD EMPLOYEES THIS WEEK

We are happy to announce that as of the time this email was sent, we have no new reports of infections among employees. Thank you all for doing your part to stay healthy so we can all work together to promote a safe workplace and to continue to provide our customers with an essential service.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT October 9, 2020 12:06 p.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• MSD Project Clear cloth masks will be available to all employees beginning next week. Please pick up your mask at the Human Resources office or by talking to your supervisor about availability at your facility. For more information, see “MSD Project Clear masks…” below.
• Employees are urged to stay home if they are sick to limit the possible spread of COVID-19. Several leave options are available to employees. For more information, see “Please stay home if you are sick” below.
• Notify Human Resources if you are currently participating or plan to participate in a COVID-19 study or vaccine trial that requires you to be exposed to the coronavirus or the COVID-19 disease or that otherwise creates an increased risk of you contracting COVID-19. For more information, see “Notify Human Resources…” below.
• Flu shots will be available next week at Lemay Treatment Plant, Bissel River Treatment Plant, Mintert Yard, and the Grand Glaize Treatment Plant. For more information, see “On-site flu vaccines continue next week” below.
• One MSD employee tested positive for COVID-19 since last week’s email, bringing the total number of employees to test positive to 25. For more information, see “One employee tested positive…” below.
• Submit your questions for Brian Hoelscher’s next video message to msdcorona@stlmsd.com. For more information, see “We want to hear from you…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

MSD PROJECT CLEAR MASKS WILL BE AVAILABLE NEXT WEEK

MSD has ordered MSD Project Clear reusable cloth masks for all employees. These masks will be available at each facility beginning next week. If you would like a mask, please pick one up from the Human Resources office at the Market Street Office or talk to your supervisor about mask availability at your facility.

PLEASE STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK

To limit the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, MSD asks employees to please stay home if you are sick or exhibiting symptoms.

Employees may leverage several leave options:

• Sick leave
• Vacation
• Compensatory time
• FMLA
• EPSLA – expanded FMLA is eligible for new employees
• EFMLEA – expanded FMLA is eligible for new employees
• and in rare cases, 28-Day leave

To limit the impact on employees this year, Brian Hoelscher relaxed restrictions on sick leave usage for several months. He also awarded four Floating Holidays to all employees next year.

Employees should:

• Keep open communication with their managers regarding their health status.
• Leverage the flu shot opportunities for their health and the healthcare of others.
• Review the Sick Leave Policy and FMLA Procedures.

NOTIFY HUMAN RESOURCES IF YOU ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES WHICH MAY INCREASE RISK OF CONTRACTING COVID-10

In order to maintain a safe workplace, please notify MSD if you engage in any activities which may increase your risk of contracting COVID-19. For instance, if you are currently participating or plan to participate in a COVID-19 study or vaccine trial that requires you to be exposed to the coronavirus or the COVID-19 disease or that otherwise creates an increased risk of you contracting COVID-19, please notify Chris Tumminia, Human Resources Manager, at ctumminia@stlmsd.com or (314) 768-6207.

ON-SITE FLU VACCINES CONTINUE NEXT WEEK

Once again, MSD is offering flu shots at its facilities. Next week, vaccinations will be available at Lemay Treatment Plant, Bissel River Treatment Plant, Mintert Yard, and the Grand Glaize Treatment Plant.

Employees should:

• Complete the consent form in advance and present it to the nurse administering the shot
• Bring a pen for the sign-in sheet
• Wear a face mask at all times
• Adhere to social distancing practices

MSD will have staff at each location to sanitize the rooms where flu shots are administered. Please find the flu shot schedule below.

 

ONE EMPLOYEE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 25 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As we mentioned in a separate email, one additional employee tested positive for COVID-19 since the last weekly email. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to twenty-five (25).

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – ASK THE CEO

Please submit your questions MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly email from Bess McCoy overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT October 2, 2020 11:53 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Brian Hoelscher answers your questions in a video message. Submit your questions for the next video to msdcorona@stlmsd.com using “Ask the CEO” in the subject line. For more information, see “Video message from Brian Hoelscher…” below.
• Brian Hoelscher reminds employees to stay home if they are sick. For more information, see “Message from Brian Hoelscher…” below.
• Flu shots will be available next week at Coldwater Treatment Plant, Sulphur Yard, Missouri River Treatment Plant, and the Market Street Office. For more information, see “On-site flu vaccines start next” below.
• Five MSD employees tested positive for COVID-19 since last week’s email, bringing the total number of employees to test positive to 24. For more information, see “Five employees test positive…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

VIDEO MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER: ASK THE CEO

In his second video message, Brian Hoelscher addresses questions from employees on topics including vacation policy, social security tax deferrals, masks, and MSD’s pandemic response policies.

Please watch the video here.

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions. Please continue to submit your questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER: PLEASE STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK

Employees,

After I finished the recent video, I became aware of something that I ask everyone to think about. Most of you have done a great job of informing MSD if you are going to participate in activities that could lead to possible Coronavirus infection. You have also been good, for the most part, about making sure you don’t come to work if you don’t feel well. This allows MSD to take the appropriate steps to protect all of our employees. But, with the recent increase in the opportunities for infection, I have become aware that some employees are coming to work even if they have potential symptoms. I ask, in fact I beg, all of you to seriously consider the safety of your fellow co-workers when making these choices. For myself, the safety of my fellow workers has to come before any consideration for my own personal wants and needs. I ask all of you to consider this when making your choices as well.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director and CEO

MASKS MUST COMPLY WITH EMPLOYEE DRESS CODE

As a reminder, all employees and visitors inside any MSD facility must wear a mask when not alone at their desks and outside when social distancing is not possible.

Please keep in mind that masks must comply with the spirit of the employee dress code, and as such, employees are not allowed to wear anything that could be considered offensive to others. This guideline is important at all times, but is especially important to keep in mind during the election season.

ON-SITE FLU VACCINES START NEXT WEEK

Once again, MSD will be offering flu shots at its facilities. Vaccinations will be available next week at Coldwater Treatment Plant, Sulphur Yard, Missouri River Treatment Plant, and the Market Street Office.

Employees are instructed to:

• Complete the consent form in advance and present it to the nurse administering the shot
• Bring your own pen for the sign-in sheet
• Wear a face mask at all times
• Adhere to social distancing practices

MSD will have staff at each location to sanitize the rooms where flu shots are administered. Please find the flu shot schedule below.

FIVE EMPLOYEES TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 24 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As I mentioned in separate emails, five additional employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last weekly email. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to twenty-four (24).

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Bess McCoy
Public Affairs Specialist

A regular weekly email from Bess McCoy overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT October 2, 2020 11:53 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Brian Hoelscher answers your questions in a video message. Submit your questions for the next video to msdcorona@stlmsd.com using “Ask the CEO” in the subject line. For more information, see “Video message from Brian Hoelscher…” below.
• Brian Hoelscher reminds employees to stay home if they are sick. For more information, see “Message from Brian Hoelscher…” below.
• Flu shots will be available next week at Coldwater Treatment Plant, Sulphur Yard, Missouri River Treatment Plant, and the Market Street Office. For more information, see “On-site flu vaccines start next” below.
• Five MSD employees tested positive for COVID-19 since last week’s email, bringing the total number of employees to test positive to 24. For more information, see “Five employees test positive…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

VIDEO MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER: ASK THE CEO

In his second video message, Brian Hoelscher addresses questions from employees on topics including vacation policy, social security tax deferrals, masks, and MSD’s pandemic response policies.

Please watch the video here.

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions. Please continue to submit your questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER: PLEASE STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK

Employees,

After I finished the recent video, I became aware of something that I ask everyone to think about. Most of you have done a great job of informing MSD if you are going to participate in activities that could lead to possible Coronavirus infection. You have also been good, for the most part, about making sure you don’t come to work if you don’t feel well. This allows MSD to take the appropriate steps to protect all of our employees. But, with the recent increase in the opportunities for infection, I have become aware that some employees are coming to work even if they have potential symptoms. I ask, in fact I beg, all of you to seriously consider the safety of your fellow co-workers when making these choices. For myself, the safety of my fellow workers has to come before any consideration for my own personal wants and needs. I ask all of you to consider this when making your choices as well.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director and CEO

MASKS MUST COMPLY WITH EMPLOYEE DRESS CODE

As a reminder, all employees and visitors inside any MSD facility must wear a mask when not alone at their desks and outside when social distancing is not possible.

Please keep in mind that masks must comply with the spirit of the employee dress code, and as such, employees are not allowed to wear anything that could be considered offensive to others. This guideline is important at all times, but is especially important to keep in mind during the election season.

ON-SITE FLU VACCINES START NEXT WEEK

Once again, MSD will be offering flu shots at its facilities. Vaccinations will be available next week at Coldwater Treatment Plant, Sulphur Yard, Missouri River Treatment Plant, and the Market Street Office.

Employees are instructed to:

• Complete the consent form in advance and present it to the nurse administering the shot
• Bring your own pen for the sign-in sheet
• Wear a face mask at all times
• Adhere to social distancing practices

MSD will have staff at each location to sanitize the rooms where flu shots are administered. Please find the flu shot schedule below.

FIVE EMPLOYEES TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 24 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As I mentioned in separate emails, five additional employees tested positive for COVID-19 since the last weekly email. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to twenty-four (24).

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Bess McCoy
Public Affairs Specialist

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT September 25, 2020 11:55 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• MSD is using ultraviolet light to disinfect work areas in addition to traditional sanitation methods such as liquid and spray cleaners. For more information, see “MSD using ultraviolet technology to disinfect work areas” below.
• Masks must cover your nose and mouth to be in compliance with MSD’s policy. For more information, see “Masks must cover both your nose and mouth” below.
• There were no new COVID-19 infections among MSD employees this week. For more information, see “No new infections…” below.
• Submit your questions for Brian Hoelscher’s next video message to msdcorona@stlmsd.com. For more information, see “We want to hear from you…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

MSD USING ULTRAVIOLET TECHNOLOGY TO DISINFECT WORK AREAS

While we continue to use more traditional means to sanitize workspaces such as liquid and spray cleaners, we are also using ultraviolet (UV) wands to disinfect work areas such as desktops, keyboards, and chairs. Sunlight produces UV rays, which has been proven to effectively damage the DNA of germs so as to eliminate their presence. Hospitals and healthcare facilities have long used UV as a means to disinfect shared equipment and tools. UV allows us to quickly disinfect surfaces that we don’t want to disturb by using traditional cleaning methods. We have employed this technology to clean the work areas of employees that have tested positive for COVID and have also used it to clean common areas.

MASKS MUST COVER BOTH YOUR NOSE AND MOUTH

MSD requires employees to wear face masks inside MSD facilities when they are not at their desk or outside when they cannot appropriately distance. Masks must cover both the employee’s nose and mouth to be in compliance with MSD’s policy.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following practices to correctly wear a mask:

• Wash your hands before putting on your mask
• Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin
• Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face
• Make sure you can breathe easily
• CDC does not recommend the use of masks or cloth masks for source control if they have an exhalation valve or vent

BRING COMPLETED CONSENT FORM WHEN GETTING A FLU SHOT AT ANY MSD FACILITY

Once again, MSD will be offering flu shots at facilities this October. Prior to receiving your shot, please complete the consent form and present it to the nurse. We will adhere to social distancing practices and will have staff at each location to sanitize the rooms where flu shots are administered. Please find the updated flu shot schedule below with a second date for flu shots at the Market Street Office.

NO NEW INFECTIONS AMONG MSD EMPLOYEES THIS WEEK

We are happy to announce that as of the time this email was sent, we have no new reports of infections among employees. Thank you all for doing your part to stay healthy so we can all work together to promote a safe workplace and to continue to provide our customers with an essential service.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – ASK THE CEO

Brian Hoelscher has been making his routine facility visits this past week and will finish later next week. He isplanning to do another video update around the end of September with the feedback he has gathered, along with any questions that have been or will be submitted. Please continue to submit your questions MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Public Affairs Manager

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT September 18, 2020 11:58 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Please see the updated flu shot schedule below. Once again, MSD will offer flu shots at its facilities this October. For more information, see “Updated flu shot schedule” below.
• 1 MSD employee tested positive for COVID-19 this week, bringing the total number of employees to test positive to 19. For more information, see employees test positive…” below.
• Recent information from the CDC says: “Restaurants appear to play a key role in the spread of COVID-19.” For more information, see “New information from CDC…” below.
• Submit your questions for Brian Hoelscher’s next video message to msdcorona@stlmsd.com. For more information, see “We want to hear from you…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

UPDATED FLU SHOT SCHEDULE

Once again, MSD will be offering flu shots at facilities this October. We will adhere to social distancing practices and will have staff at each location to sanitize the rooms where flu shots are administered. Please find the updated flu shot schedule below.

EMPLOYEES ARE URGED TO FOLLOW SAFETY GUIDELINES

The recent holiday celebrations and students returning to schools have increased the likelihood of community spread in our region. With that said, we implore you to follow all safety precautions to help keep you and your coworkers healthy. Please continue to:

• Wear a well-fitting mask that covers your nose and mouth when in public or around people who are not members of your household.
• Stay at least 6 feet (about two arms’ length) from other people who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
• Practice good hygiene, including thoroughly washing your hands for at least twenty seconds to reduce surface spread.
• Inform your supervisor if you believe you may have been exposed to the Coronavirus or were in a situation that did not allow for social distancing.

Everyone at MSD plays a role in protecting the health and safety of their fellow coworkers. Thank you for doing your part to keep your coworkers safe.

One EMPLOYEE TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; 19 TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As I mentioned in a separate email, one additional employee tested positive for COVID-19 this week. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to 19.

We encourage all MSD employees to continue protecting themselves and their coworkers by following all safety guidelines, including wearing a mask, practicing safe distancing, and frequently washing their hands.

New information from CDC

In the spirit of keeping everyone informed with the latest news and trends, we are sharing recent information that was published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about dining out. We are sharing this for information purposes only, this is not guidance from the District. Researchers from the CDC say Restaurants appear to play a key role in the spread of COVID-19. To read the full article click here or see attached article.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – ASK THE CEO

Brian Hoelscher is planning to do another video update around the end of September. Please submit your questions MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Public Affairs Manager

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT September 11, 2020 12:33 p.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• The District has elected to continue to withhold Social Security from paychecks for the period September 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. For more information, see “MSD to continue withholding social security from paychecks” below.
• Three MSD employees tested positive for COVID-19 this week, bringing the total number of employees to test positive to eighteen. For more information, see “Three employees test positive…” below.
• All employees are required to view a video on MSD’s new safety guidelines by November 10. The “Return To Work” video is available in the Learning District. For more information, see “Reminder – MSD Return to Work required course” below.
• Submit your questions for Brian Hoelscher’s next video message to msdcorona@stlmsd.com. For more information, see “We want to hear from you…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

EMPLOYEES ARE URGED TO FOLLOW SAFETY GUIDELINES

The recent holiday celebrations and students returning to schools have increased the likelihood of community spread in our region. With that said, we implore you to follow all safety precautions to help keep you and your coworkers healthy. Please continue to:

• Wear a well-fitting mask that covers your nose and mouth when in public or around people who are not members of your household.
• Stay at least 6 feet (about two arms’ length) from other people who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
• Practice good hygiene, including thoroughly washing your hands for at least twenty seconds to reduce surface spread.
• Inform your supervisor if you believe you may have been exposed to the Coronavirus or were in a situation that did not allow for social distancing.

Everyone at MSD plays a role in protecting the health and safety of their fellow coworkers. Thank you for doing your part to keep your coworkers safe.

MSD TO CONTINUE WITHHOLDING SOCIAL SECURITY FROM PAYCHECKS

On August 8, the United States President issued a memorandum related to the postponement of Social Security withholding. The order allows employers to defer the withholding and payment of Social Security tax for qualified employees for the period September 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020.

The IRS followed up with the release of Notice 2020-65 on August 28, offering guidance on implementation. It states that any postponed Social Security tax must be withheld from January 1, 2021, through April 30, 2021. Essentially, this would mean double withholding for our employees in the first four months of 2021. Failure to pay the postponed amounts will likely result in liability for the unpaid tax, penalties, and interest.

The timing of the original memorandum and the issuance of IRS guidance so close to the first deferral date, the logistics involved in the implementation of a deferral for some employees’ future collection of amounts deferred, and potential tax liabilities are reasons many employers have given for not adopting the payroll tax holiday.  For all the aforementioned reasons, the District has elected to continue to withhold Social Security from paychecks for the period September 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020.

To read the memorandum and the IRS guidance, please visit the following links:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/memorandum-deferring-payroll-tax-obligations-light-ongoing-covid-19-disaster/

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-20-65.pdf

THREE EMPLOYEES TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; EIGHTEEN TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As I mentioned in separate emails, three additional employees tested positive for COVID-19 this week. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to eighteen.

We encourage all MSD employees to continue protecting themselves and their coworkers by following all safety guidelines, including wearing a mask, practicing safe distancing, and frequently washing their hands.

REMINDER – MSD RETURN TO WORK REQUIRED COURSE

To help ensure all employees are aware of new safety standards, all employees are required to view a newly uploaded video in the Learning District by November 10. The course titled “MSD Return to Work” is listed under “required learning.”

Please note: The dashboard for the Learning District has changed. Please find the navigation instructions attached.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – ASK THE CEO

Brian Hoelscher is planning to do another video update around the end of September. Please submit your questions MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Public Affairs Manager

A regular weekly email from Bess McCoy overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT September 4, 2020 12:11 p.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Please follow appropriate safety measures as you celebrate the Labor Day holiday weekend. For more information, see “Reminder to follow safety guidelines…” below.
• Employees experiencing stress are encouraged to use MSD’s free and confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP). For more information, see “Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available…” below.
• MSD will once again offer flu shots at its facilities this October. For a schedule and more information, see “Flu shots available…” below.
• A reminder that employees can sell-back all but ten days of vacation through the payroll year, and employees who worked all of 2020 will earn at least four floating holidays in 2021. For more information, see “Reminder about vacation sell back…” below.
• There were no new COVID-19 infections among MSD employees this week. For more information, see “No new infections…” below.
• Submit your questions for Brian Hoelscher’s next video message to msdcorona@stlmsd.com. For more information, see “We want to hear from you…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

REMINDER TO FOLLOW SAFETY GUIDELINES DURING THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND

With schools reopening and new COVID-19 cases increasing across the Midwest and in the St. Louis area, it is just as important as ever that MSD employees take precautions to reduce the chance of exposure to the Coronavirus. As we enter the holiday weekend, please think of your fellow employees as you decide how to celebrate:

• When in public, please make sure to social distance, wear a mask, and practice regular hygiene.
• If you take all the necessary precautions and you still find yourself in a compromising situation, please make sure you inform your supervisor so they can decide on the appropriate actions to promote a safe workplace for all employees.

MSD leadership continues to evaluate and adopt policies to promote a safe work environment; however, we all play a critical role in keeping our coworkers and our community healthy. Thank you for doing your part to contribute to a healthy and safe workplace.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP) AVAILABLE TO HELP EMPLOYEES DURING STRESSFUL TIMES

During these unusually stressful times, MSD would like to remind employees of their Inova Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefit.  This service is available to employees and dependent members of their household.

Inova EAP offers free and confidential counseling services to help employees find support for problems such as stress management, emotional health and wellbeing, relationship difficulties, substance abuse, or other job or family-related concerns.

Call 1-800-346-0110 or visiting www.inova.org/eap .

Log in information:

User Name: Louis
Password: Sewer

Mobile App Passcode
iConnectYou Passcode: 141801

Participation in the EAP program is confidential.

If more information is needed please review the program information listed on intranet or contact Chris Tumminia, Human Resources Manager (314) 768-6207.

FLU SHOTS AVAILABLE AT MSD FACILITIES THIS OCTOBER

Once again, MSD will be offering flu shots at facilities this October. We will adhere to social distancing practices and will have staff at each location to sanitize the rooms where flu shots are administered.

REMINDER ABOUT VACATION SELL BACK AND PAID HOLIDAY POLICY CHANGES

As a reminder, earlier this year, we announced changes to MSD’s vacation sell back and paid holiday accrual policies.

Through the remainder of this calendar year, MSD employees may sell back all but two weeks (10 days) of vacation balance. Sell-back must occur prior to the end of the payroll calendar year (December 18).

Similarly, MSD also previously committed to award no fewer than four floating holidays in 2021 to every employee who worked for MSD for all of 2020. As such, the use of sick leave for a qualifying condition will not hinder an employee’s ability to earn floating holidays next year.

NO NEW INFECTIONS AMONG MSD EMPLOYEES THIS WEEK

We are happy to announce that as of the time this email was sent, we have no new reports of infections among employees. Thank you all for doing your part to stay healthy so we can all work together to promote a safe workplace and to continue to provide our customers with an essential service.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – ASK THE CEO

Brian Hoelscher is planning on doing another video update around the end of September. Please submit your questions MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Bess McCoy
Public Affairs Specialist

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT August 28, 2020 9:26 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Masks should cover your mouth and nose, fit snugly against your face, and should not have a vent, according to the CDC. For more information, see “Reminder that all employees must properly wear masks,” below.
• Two MSD employees tested positive for COVID-19 this week, bringing the total number of employees to test positive to fifteen. For more information, see “Two employees test positive…” below.
• Cancelations of outside travel, activities, and meetings with outside vendors remain in place through December 31. These restrictions could be extended. For more information, see “Reminder – restrictions on work-related travel …” below.
• Submit your questions for Brian Hoelscher’s next video message to msdcorona@stlmsd.com. For more information, see “We want to hear from you…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

REMINDER THAT ALL EMPLOYEES MUST PROPERLY WEAR MASKS

As a reminder, just as MSD requires employees to wear boots, hard hats, and other appropriate equipment at times to promote a safe work environment, MSD also requires employees to wear face masks inside MSD facilities when they are not at their desk or outside when they cannot appropriately distance.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following practices to correctly wear a mask:

• Wash your hands before putting on your mask
• Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin
• Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face
• Make sure you can breathe easily
• CDC does not recommend the use of masks or cloth masks for source control if they have an exhalation valve or vent

TWO EMPLOYEES TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; FIFTEEN TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As I mentioned in separate emails, two additional employees tested positive for COVID-19 this week. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to fifteen.

REMINDER – RESTRICTIONS ON WORK TRAVEL, ALL GROUP ACTIVITIES, MEETINGS WITH OUTSIDE INDIVIDUALS IN PLACE THROUGH END OF CALENDAR YEAR

As a reminder, the following activities are canceled through the end of the calendar year:

• work-related travel
• in-office events (retirement parties, birthday parties, baby showers, BBQs, etc.),
• out-of-office events (stream cleaning, conferences, community events, etc.)
• on-site meetings with non-MSD employees
• Operations’ Graduation
• in-person EAC activities (Hot Dog Roast, Food Truck Days, Car Show, Cardinals tickets raffle, etc.)
• Retiree activities (Retiree’s luncheon, Service Awards Dinner)

Our goal continues to be promoting a healthy and safe work environment for all employees, and we are continually monitoring the situation to determine the best time to begin removing these modifications. As always, we will revisit this plan and could extend it further if it is necessary to promote a healthy workplace.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – ASK THE CEO

Please submit your questions MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Public Affairs Manager

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT August 21, 2020 9:59 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• MSD’s pandemic safety guidelines will likely be in place through at least early 2021. Brian Hoelscher updates staff on where MSD stands regarding the pandemic and thanks staff for their commitment to keeping their coworkers healthy. For more information, see “MSD safety guidelines seem to be working…” below.
• Occupancy limits are still necessary even with mask requirements due to the ever-changing increasing and decreasing of general occupancy limits by the Mayor and County Executive. For more information, see “Employee question…” below.
• One MSD employee tested positive for COVID-19 this week, bringing the total number of employees to test positive to thirteen. For more information, see “One employee tests positive…” below.
• Submit your questions for Brian’s next video message to msdcorona@stlmsd.com. For more information, see “We want to hear from you…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

MSD SAFETY GUIDELINES SEEM TO BE WORKING, WILL LIKELY REMAIN THROUGH AT LEAST EARLY 2021 – A MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER

Staff,

I wanted to take this opportunity to do a quick review of where we stand with regard to the coronavirus pandemic, and most importantly, to thank you.

As we have communicated many times and as I am sure you all know, MSD is an Essential Service, and every employee serves an essential function. As an Essential Service, MSD is tasked with continuing to provide all of our services to the ratepayers and to do that as cost-effectively as possible. At the beginning of this pandemic, we were very conservative in addressing the health and safety of our employees at the expense of some cost-effectiveness. Now that we have a better grasp on what is required to keep the workplace safe for the employees (masks, continuous employee hygiene, continuous disinfection, distancing, lowering the density of employees throughout the workday, eliminating external face to face meetings, etc.), we are using our past successes to regain some of the lost efficiencies we have experienced since the start of the pandemic. Note that of the 13 identified cases of employee infection since the start of the pandemic, none of these were caused by transmission in the workplace. This is both a testament to the dedication of the employees at MSD to protect their fellow workers as well as an indicator that working at MSD facilities are possibly as safe as if not safer than an employee’s personal time.

Thanks to the dedication of all the employees in making our operations during these trying times a success. Especially the efforts it appears most of our employees are putting towards safe practices during their personal time that have resulted in only a 1% infection rate. Right now, it looks like we will need to maintain these practices until sometime early 2021. I ask that you not lower your guard and continue the great work you have been doing in addressing this pandemic so that we can continue delivering service to our customers and keep the jobs of all of the District employees.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director & CEO

EMPLOYEE QUESTION: ARE OCCUPANCY LIMITS NECESSARY IN CONJUNCTION WITH MASK REQUIREMENTS?

An MSD employee submitted the following question which we would like to share with all employees:

1. In regard to the signs throughout the building that limit the amount of people in any given area…. would there be any chance in lifting those requirements since we are all already required to wear masks throughout the building while away from our cubicles? I was just curious because I know those signs were implemented when it wasn’t required to wear masks. It would also relieve many of the inconveniences throughout, like bathroom, elevator and kitchen usage.  Of course, I’m all for house rules and have noticed how well everyone has been following them.
2. You are correct in part about the masks. However, the driving reason now for keeping the occupancy limits in place is the ever-changing increasing/decreasing of general occupancy limits by the Mayor and County Executive. We will continue to take our leads from their guidance until this starts settling down.

ONE EMPLOYEE TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; THIRTEEN TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As I mentioned in a separate email, one additional employee tested positive for COVID-19 this week. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to thirteen.

REMINDER – MSD RETURN TO WORK REQUIRED COURSE

To help ensure all employees are aware of new safety standards, all employees are required to view a newly uploaded video in the Learning District by November 10. The course titled “MSD Return to Work” is listed under “required learning.”

Please note: the dashboard for the Learning District changed. Please find the navigation instructions attached.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – ASK THE CEO

Please submit your questions MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Public Affairs Manager

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT August 14, 2020 12:10 p.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Masks with valves and vents are no longer in compliance with MSD’s mask requirements due to new guidelines from the CDC. For more information, see “Masks with valves are no longer in compliance…” below.
• All employees are required to view a video on MSD’s new safety guidelines by November 10. The “Return To Work” video is available in the Learning District. For more information, see “MSD Return to Work…” below.
• If you are in a situation that warrants particular consideration for work from home accommodations, please work with Human Resources. For more information, see “Work from home…” below.
• Governor Parson declared August 16-22 Water and Wastewater Workers Week. To celebrate, MSD will highlight employees on its social media channels. For more information, see “Governor Parsons declared…” below.
• There were no new COVID-19 infections among MSD employees this week. For more information, see “No new infections…” below.
• Submit your questions for Brian’s next video message to msdcorona@stlmsd.com. For more information, see “We want to hear from you…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

MASKS WITH VALVES ARE NO LONGER IN COMPLIANCE WITH MSD REQUIREMENTS DUE TO NEW CDC GUIDELINES

The CDC recently updated its mask guidelines, including instructions that “masks with exhalation valves or vents should NOT be work to help prevent the person wearing the mask from spreading COVID-19 to others.” As a result, masks with exhalation valves or vents are no longer in compliance with MSD’s requirements.

As the CDC highlights in its guidelines, “Masks may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.” MSD’s mask requirement is designed to promote a safe and healthy work environment for all employees by reducing the likelihood that an infected employee might spread the virus to other employees. Because valves and vents reduce the effectiveness of masks from preventing the spread of the virus from the wearer, they do not serve MSD’s intended purpose and are therefore not in compliance with MSD’s mask requirements.

As a reminder, MSD has masks available. Operations employees can find masks among their regular PPE supplies. Employees at the Market Street office can pick up masks from the Human Resources office.

Please remember that masks are an additional precaution to help contain the potential spread of the virus and do not replace the need to continue practicing social distancing and good hygiene.

MSD RETURN TO WORK – NEW REQUIRED COURSE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES

To help ensure all employees are aware of new safety standards, all employees are required to view a newly uploaded video in the Learning District by November 10. The course titled “MSD Return to Work” is listed under “required learning.”

Please note: the dashboard for the Learning District changed. Please find the navigation instructions attached.

WORK FROM HOME – CONTACT HUMAN RESOURCES IF YOUR SITUATION WARRANTS PARTICULAR CONSIDERATION

As previously communicated, management is making efforts to decrease the pool of employees who are working full-time from home. As part of this effort, I would like to remind these employees to work with Human Resources if you feel you have a situation that warrants particular consideration. This includes submitting any requested information and documentation on a timely basis and by any deadlines. The appropriate interactive process can take place to evaluate your situation only upon receipt of the necessary information. Please contact Chris Tumminia in HR with any questions. 

Susan Myers
General Counsel

GOVERNOR PARSON DECLARES AUGUST 16-22 WATER AND WASTEWATER WORKERS WEEK

Governor Mike Parson has signed a proclamation declaring August 16-22, 2020, as Water and Wastewater Treatment Workers Week in Missouri. The Governor’s proclamation recognizes the crucial work that water and wastewater treatment professionals do to keep Missourians healthy and our communities vibrant. A thank you video featuring a message from Governor Parson is available here.

To celebrate, we will be highlighting employees on our social media channels throughout the week. Look for those posts next week at facebook.com/msdprojectclear, twitter.com/msdprojectclear, and Instagram.com/msdprojectclear.

NO NEW INFECTIONS AMONG MSD EMPLOYEES THIS WEEK

We are happy to announce that as of the time this email was sent, we have no new reports of infections among employees. Thank you all for doing your part to stay healthy so we can all work together to promote a safe workplace and to continue to provide our customers with an essential service.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – ASK THE CEO

Last week, Brian shared his first video message addressing questions from employees. Please submit your questions MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Public Affairs Manager

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT August 7, 2020 11:50 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Stay home if you are waiting for a COVID-19 test result because you are exhibiting symptoms or believe you were exposed to the virus. For more information, see “Employees who are waiting for COVID-19 test results…” below.
• Check for capacity limits before entering any room at an MSD facility, and observe the posted limit. For more information, see “Reminder to follow room capacity limits” below.
• There were no new COVID-19 infections among MSD employees this week. For more information, see “No new infections…” below.
• Continue to maintain six feet of distance, wear a mask, wash your hands, and stay home if you are sick. For more information, see “Reminder of COVID-19 safety guidelines” below.
• Submit your questions for Brian’s next video message to msdcorona@stlmsd.com. For more information, see “We want to hear from you…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

EMPLOYEES WHO ARE WAITING FOR COVID-19 TEST RESULTS DUE TO SYMPTOMS OR EXPOSURE SHOULD STAY HOME

If you have taken a COVID-19 test because you are exhibiting symptoms or believe you were exposed to the virus, do not come to work until you receive the results of your test or are symptom-free for ten consecutive days. All paid leave is available in this circumstance, as is EPSALA and EFMLA.

If you are waiting on the results of a COVID-19 test but did not take the test because you were exhibiting symptoms or believe you were exposed to the virus, you do not need to stay home while you wait for the results.

REMINDER TO FOLLOW ROOM CAPACITY LIMITS

To help facilitate safe distancing, MSD posted signs throughout the district, indicating capacity limits in various spaces, including bathrooms, meeting rooms, break rooms, and elevators. Please check for a capacity limit before entering any room and be mindful to observe the posted limit.

NO NEW INFECTIONS AMONG MSD EMPLOYEES THIS WEEK

As infections in our region have climbed over the last few weeks, we have also seen an increase in the number of employees who have tested positive for COVID-19. We are happy to announce that as of the time this email was sent, we have no new reports of infections among employees.

Thank you all for doing your part to stay healthy so we can all work together to promote a safe workplace and to continue to provide our customers with an essential service.

REMINDER OF COVID-19 SAFETY GUIDELINES

While MSD’s leadership continues to monitor best practices and set policies to facilitate a safe and healthy work environment, please remember that we all play a role in promoting the health of our coworkers.

As a reminder, here are ways you can help keep yourself and your coworkers healthy both at work and in your personal time:

• Maintain six feet of distance: Keep at least six feet of distance between yourself and any individual who is not a member of your household.
• Wear a mask: All employees and visitors inside any MSD facility must wear a mask when not alone at their desks. Employees and visitors are not required to wear a mask outside unless distancing is not possible.
• Practice good hygiene: Frequently washing your hands, especially before and after touching shared surfaces, can help prevent surface spread.
• Stay home if you are sick: If you are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 or have reason to believe you were exposed to someone who has COVID-19, inform your supervisor and do not come to work.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – ASK THE CEO

Last week, Brian shared his first video message addressing questions from employees. Please submit your questions MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Public Affairs Manager

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT July 31, 2020 9:58 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Brian Hoelscher answers your questions here in a video message. Submit your questions for the next video to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com using “Ask the CEO” in the subject line. For more information, see “Video message from Brian Hoelscher…” below.
• St. Louis City and St. Louis County issued new COVID-19 guidelines, including restricting gatherings to no more than 50 people. For more information, see “St. Louis City, County announce new COVID-19 guidelines” below.
• Several states and cities have added Missouri to their travel quarantine lists. Travelers to those locations from Missouri are asked to quarantine for 14 days. For more information, see “Cities, states add Missouri to travel quarantine lists” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

VIDEO MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER: ASK THE CEO

In his first video message, Brian Hoelscher addresses questions from employees on topics including mask guidelines, matters related to MSD as an essential service, temperature checks, information on employees who have tested positive for COVID-19, work from home policies, safety measures, quarantine policies, leave options, and the reopening of schools.

Please watch the video here.

We want to hear from you! Please submit your questions MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

ONE EMPLOYEE TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; ELEVEN TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As I mentioned in a separate email, one additional employee tested positive for COVID-19 this week. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to eleven.

ST. LOUIS CITY, COUNTY ANNOUNCE NEW COVID-19 GUIDELINES

Earlier this week, St. Louis County issued an amended order for business and individual guidelines for social distancing and re-opening. Among other items, the guidelines recommend voluntarily avoiding gatherings and specifically prohibited all public and private gatherings of 50 or more people. The full guidelines are available at stlcorona.com.

Similarly, St. Louis City Mayor Lyda Krewson echoed recommendations that people voluntarily limit gathering sizes and announced that the City is temporarily shutting down businesses that ignore public health orders.

Further, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health sent a letter to school leaders recommending that schools start the semester in as virtual of an environment as possible. Please find that letter attached.

CITIES, STATES ADD MISSOURI TO TRAVEL QUARANTINE LISTS

At least five states and two cities have added Missouri to their quarantine lists. In the last week, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania released orders asking travelers from Missouri to quarantine for 14 days because of the state’s rising COVID-19 numbers. Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island had previously announced similar orders.

REVISED WORK FROM HOME SCHEDULES

As Brian announced last week, managers are modifying current work from home practices to recover lost productivity while maintaining a safe work environment. This includes increasing the number of employees who are working from home part-time while decreasing the number of employees who are working from home full-time. Please look for any specific updates to your team’s schedules from your manager or supervisor.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Public Affairs Manager

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT July 24, 2020 11:28 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Directors will begin increasing the pool of employees who can work part-time from home while decreasing the pool of employees who are working full-time from home. For more information, see “A message from Brian Hoelscher…” below.
• One MSD employee tested positive for COVID-19 this week. To protect the employee’s rights, managers have informed all employees who were in close contact. For more information, see “One employee tested positive…” below.
• We have not identified a situation where a COVID-19 infection has spread from one employee to another, nor have we identified a situation where an employee has contracted the virus at their workplace. For more information, see “Recent questions from employees” below.
• When an employee tests positive for COVID-19, it is the responsibility of their manager to work with that employee to identify all coworkers who may have been in close contact. For more information, see “Recent questions from employees” below.
• None of the nine positive COVID-19 cases among employees to date have been identified by the temperature checkpoints. Temperature checks are meant to ensure employees who are sick do not come to work. For more information, see “Recent questions from employees” below.
• No disciplinary action will be taken against employees who use unpaid leave while waiting for test results. For more information, see “Recent questions from employees” below.
• We encourage every employee to participate in creating a safe work environment by notifying their supervisor if their work location is low on supplies as well as reminding their coworkers to wear appropriate PPE and practice distancing. For more information, see “Recent questions from employees” below.
• We encourage employees to learn about different types of face-coverings. For more information, see “Recent questions from employees” below.
• Submit your questions to the CEO. Brian Hoelscher will address employee questions through video messages. Please submit your questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line, “Ask the CEO.” For more information, see “Ask the CEO…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

A MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER ON UPDATED WORK FROM HOME SCHEDULES

Employees,

In last week’s message, I mentioned that management will be making modifications to our current delivery model to begin recovering lost productivity while still working safely. The initial effort will consist of increasing the pool of employees who can work part-time from home while decreasing the pool of employees who are working full-time from home. This will allow us to increase our effectiveness, be as fair to all employees as the situation allows, and still maintain a safe workplace. Management in each Department will be gathering information towards that end. Thanks for your past and future efforts in helping MSD work through this pandemic.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director and CEO

ONE EMPLOYEE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; TEN (10) TOTAL CASES TO DATE

This morning (Friday, July 24), we learned that an additional MSD employee tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total number of positive cases among MSD employees to date to ten (10).

We share this information in the spirit of transparency; however, we must also protect this employee’s privacy rights. As such, we have followed our standard practice and directly notified all employees who may have been in close contact with this person.

As always, we are taking all appropriate steps and following recommended government guidelines. This employee has not been at their worksite since receiving the positive test and will not return for at least two weeks. Similarly, all employees who were in close contact with this employee will not return to their worksites for the next two weeks or until they receive a negative test. We will also conduct a deep cleaning of all areas in which this employee had contact.

We extend our support to this employee, their family, and our entire MSD team.

As we all work together to serve our customers, situations like this serve as a reminder that the virus is still here. We must continue to take reasonable precautions to promote our own health and safety as well as the health and safety of our coworkers. Please keep following social distancing and hygiene practices both at work and in your personal lives. Remember, if you are feeling sick, please stay home, notify your supervisor, and contact your healthcare provider.

RECENT QUESTIONS FROM EMPLOYEES

We’ve received several questions in the MSDCorona@stlmsd.com inbox over the last few weeks, which we would like to address for all employees.

Q. Is there any indication that COVID-19 has been transmitted from one employee to another?

A. No. We have not identified a situation where a COVID-19 infection has spread from one employee to another, nor have we identified a situation where an employee has contracted the virus at their workplace. We appreciate the efforts of all employees to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 at work, including staying home when you are sick, wearing a mask, and practicing social distancing and proper hygiene both at work and during your free time.

Q. Who determines which employees were in close contact with an employee who tested positive for COVID-19?

A. It is the responsibility of each employee’s manager to work with an employee who tests positive for COVID-19 to identify all coworkers with whom they may have come into close contact.

Q. Were any of the nine positive COVID-19 cases among MSD employees to date been identified by the temperature checkpoints?

A. No. None of the positive COVID-19 cases among employees have been identified by the temperature checkpoints. However, it is important to keep in mind that the temperature checks are just one of the measures we are taking to promote a safe work environment and are meant to be a last resort to ensure employees who are sick are not coming to the workplace. Every employee has a responsibility to contribute to creating a healthy workplace, and that includes staying home if you are sick. We are grateful to all of the employees who have followed these directives.

Q. If an employee takes a vacation where social distancing guidelines cannot be followed but does not have enough accrued leave to use vacation pay while they wait for their COVID-19 test results, will they be disciplined for using unpaid leave?

A. No. No disciplinary action will be taken against employees who use unpaid leave while waiting for test results. Please keep in mind that MSD’s COVID-19 vacation policy applies equally to employees who are working from home and employees who are working from their regular workplace. Any employee who participates in an activity that does not allow for social distancing must take two weeks of leave or produce a negative COVID-19 test before returning to work, whether they are working from home or from their workplace.

Q. Would it be possible to have a designated person responsible for making sure employees wear proper PPE, practice distancing at work, and have the necessary supplies to promote workplace safety?

A. Developing safety-conscious employees is one of MSD’s core values, and as such, we encourage every employee to participate in creating a safe work environment. This includes sharing friendly reminders with employees who are not wearing the appropriate PPE or practicing distancing as well as notifying your supervisor if you notice your work location is low on supplies. By working together, we can all contribute to promoting safety at work.

Q. Does MSD require employees to wear a specific style of mask?

A. No. MSD requires employees to wear masks as one method to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Please keep in mind that different styles of masks work differently:

CLOTH MASKS trap droplets that are released when the wearer talks, coughs, or sneezes. Asking everyone to wear cloth masks can help reduce the spread of the virus by people who have COVID-19 but don’t realize it (asymptomatic). Cloth face coverings are most effective when they are widely used by people in public settings.

SURGICAL MASKS filter out large particles in the air and protect the wearer’s nose and mouth from contact with droplets, splashes, and sprays that may contain germs.

N95 MASKS filter out both large and small particles when the wearer inhales. Some N95 masks have valves that make them easier to breathe through. When a mask has a valve, unfiltered air is released when the wearer exhales, and therefore such valves are not recommended.

Thank you to all the employees who have submitted questions. Please continue to send additional questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com

ASK THE CEO – WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

As Brian Hoelscher mentioned last week, he will be addressing employee questions through video messages. Please submit your questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Public Affairs Manager

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT July 17, 2020 11:08 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Outside travel, meeting, and activity restrictions are extended through December 31, 2020. For more information, see “Outside travel, meeting, and activity restrictions extended…” below.
• Return to work policies do not prohibit employees from partaking in activities outside of work. For more information, see “Clarification on return to work policies” below.
• Submit your questions to the CEO. Beginning shortly, Brian Hoelscher will address employee questions through video messages. Please submit your questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line, “Ask the CEO.” For more information, see “Ask the CEO…” below.
• Reminder that employees can sell-back all but 10 days of vacation through the payroll year, and employees who worked all of 2020 will earn at least four floating holidays in 2021. For more information, see “Reminder about vacation sell back…” below.
• DUE TODAY – all employees must complete the secondary employment survey. If you have already completed the survey using your legal name and department name, you DO NOT have to resubmit. For more information, see “Secondary employment survey due today” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

A MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER

Employees,

I want to thank you for all your efforts to make MSD successful through these tough times. While leadership continues to seek opportunities to provide the tools and processes to promote a safe work environment, every employee plays a role in protecting the health and safety of their fellow coworkers. Thank you for doing your part to keep your coworkers safe. I also want to thank you all for sharing your questions and concerns. As I mentioned last week, I will begin addressing these questions through video shortly. In the meantime, I’d like to provide information on some of the questions we’ve received in the last week.

First, I understand that the varied and conflicting information shared by community leaders, government officials, and public health experts can make it difficult to understand the rationale for MSD’s policies. I want to reiterate that public officials have a different goal than MSD. Their goal is to ensure that the virus does not spread to the point that it overwhelms the health care system, not to prevent people from becoming infected all together. That is why their reopening efforts allow for activities such as air travel, indoor dining, casinos, bars, public swimming pools, and beaches. MSD’s goal is to make every effort to ensure its employees do not become infected with the COVID-19 virus so that we can continue to provide an acceptable level of our essential services. This is a much more restrictive goal than that of public officials, which is why our policies do not mirror external reopening efforts. We realize this can make it difficult for some employees to transition from what is required in their private lives to what is required while working for MSD. While MSD cannot demand restrictions in your private lives, we greatly appreciate those who have notified us ahead of time when they feel they may have been exposed to a situation that increases their likelihood of infection so that we can take measures to try and prevent spread through the workforce.

Second, I understand that many of you would like more information about the employees who have tested positive for COVID-19. In order to protect the privacy rights of those employees, we are unable to provide information beyond what we include in the email notifications. Broadly speaking, though, I can tell you that the nine cases to date have been from multiple departments and have been spread across several facilities. I can also tell you that we have not identified a situation where a COVID-19 infection has spread from one employee to another, nor have we identified a situation where an employee has contracted the virus at their workplace. Again, we all play a role in promoting a safe work environment, and I would like to thank you all for following social distancing and good hygiene practices to help keep our entire team healthy.

We have also received requests for clarification on what activities require employees to quarantine for two weeks or produce a negative COVID-19 test before they can resume working. As I have discussed in the past, it is very difficult to provide a blanket answer to this question. However, based on our current understanding of how the virus spreads and what we have experienced here at MSD, at this time, anyone who travels by plane will be placed under those restrictions. I want to thank all of the employees who have proactively notified management if they have placed themselves in a potentially compromising situation so that we can act to protect the safety of all employees.

I also want to clarify that these requirements are by no means a restriction on what you can or cannot do in your personal time. As I mentioned above, we cannot demand restrictions on your personal lives. We do, however, have an obligation to take reasonable steps to promote a healthy and safe workplace. As such, while we cannot prevent you from partaking in certain activities, we can require that you take certain steps, such as staying home for two weeks or producing a negative COVID-19 test before returning to work. While this is not intended to be a permanent policy, we must remember that we are living through an exceptional circumstance that requires exceptional policy adjustments.

Finally, as I have previously stated, our goal through this pandemic is to continue providing an acceptable level of service while maintaining current staffing levels and promoting the health and safety of our employees, customers, and community. Leadership continues to look into ways to become more efficient in how we provide service while at the same time, providing our employees with a safe work environment. First, I want to thank all of the employees for their efforts so far. Management, I believe, took the correct actions in modifying the way we work based on the information we had early during the pandemic. Staff has provided the best service possible under those conditions. Now that the country and MSD know more about how to work safely, we will be making modifications to our current delivery model to begin recovering lost productivity while still working safely.

As always, thank you for your continued dedication to providing our customers with an essential service, and for your commitment to the health of our customers and our team.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director & CEO

OUTSIDE TRAVEL, MEETING, AND ACTIVITY RESTRICTIONS EXTENDED THROUGH END OF CALENDAR YEAR

As part of our continuing effort to promote the health and safety of all MSD employees, senior leadership has decided to extend limits on outside travel, outside meetings and activities, and onsite meetings with external entities through December 31, 2020.

Our goal continues to be promoting a healthy and safe work environment for all employees, and we are continually monitoring the situation to determine the best time to begin removing these modifications. As always, we will revisit this plan and could extend it further if it is necessary to promote a healthy workplace.

CLARIFICATION ON RETURN TO WORK POLICIES

It has come to our attention that some employees have interpreted MSD’s requirements for employees returning to work after participating in potentially risky behavior as prohibiting employees from participating in certain activities during personal time. As Brian mentioned in his above message, MSD cannot set restrictions on employees’ personal lives. However, MSD does have an obligation to promote a safe work environment. As such, MSD can set conditions under which employees may return to work to promote the safety of the entire workforce.  Currently, those conditions include taking two weeks of vacation or producing a negative COVID-19 test to provide reasonable assurance that an employee will not spread the virus to their coworkers.

ASK THE CEO – WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

As Brian Hoelscher mentioned last week, beginning soon, he will address employee questions through video messages. Please submit your questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

REMINDER ABOUT VACATION SELL BACK AND PAID HOLIDAY POLICY CHANGES

As a reminder, earlier this year, we announced changes to MSD’s vacation sell back and paid holiday accrual policies.

Through the remainder of this calendar year, MSD employees may sell back all but two weeks (10 days) of vacation balance. Sell-back must occur prior to the end of the payroll calendar year (December 18).

Similarly, MSD also previously committed to award no fewer than four floating holidays in 2021 to every employee who worked for MSD for all of 2020. As such, the use of sick leave for a qualifying condition will not hinder an employee’s ability to earn floating holidays next year.

SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT SURVEY DUE TODAY

As a reminder, all MSD employees are required to complete the secondary employment questionnaire by TODAY, July 17, 2020. If you have not yet submitted the survey, you can find it here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2P2T5J9.

If you have already completed the survey using your legal name and department name, you DO NOT have to resubmit another survey.

Also, please note that Human Resources recommends using Google Chrome to complete this survey as some employees experienced issues with other browsers.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Public Affairs Manager

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT July 10, 2020 8:34 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Brian Hoelscher wants to hear from you. Beginning next week, he will address employee questions through video messages. Please submit your questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line, “Ask the CEO.” For more information, see “Ask the CEO…” below.
• One MSD employee tested positive for COVID-19 this week. To protect the employee’s rights, managers have informed all employees who were in close contact. For more information, see “One employee tests positive…” below.
• Masks must comply with the spirit of the employee dress code. Employees may not wear masks that could be considered offensive to others. For more information, see “Masks must comply with employee dress code…” below.
• All employees must complete the secondary employment survey by July 17. If you have already completed the survey using your legal name and department name, you DO NOT have to resubmit. For more information, see “Complete the secondary employment survey by July 17” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

A MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER

Employees,

I want to take the opportunity this week to thank you for continuing to follow the new MSD guidelines regarding COVID-19 safety measures and to make you aware of future considerations that management is looking into. 

First, thanks to everyone for the great response I have observed in abiding by the new rules regarding the use of facemasks while still maintaining social distancing in office situations and in outside situations where social distancing is not possible. I know this will take some getting used to. I know I sometimes forget my mask when going to the printer. I have even taped a big “MASK” sign by my door as a reminder. I will make another series of stops at the treatment plants and the maintenance yards to see how things are going and be available to answer any questions you may have. Again I, along with senior management, appreciate everyone for their efforts.

As a reminder, if you are going to take a vacation or trip to a location where the COVID-19 protections are not equal to or greater than what we require at work, your supervisor may require that you either take an additional two weeks off or provide a negative COVID test before being allowed to resume work. I also hope that staff will continue to notify their managers if they have found themselves in a compromising situation on their personnel time so that MSD can evaluate if any measures need to be taken before resuming work.

This concept also applies to other situations. For instance, MSD is asking staff to update your mandatory outside work requests for evaluation in the current COVID environment. The current pandemic may increase the types of jobs that MSD finds to constitute “Conflicting Employment” since MSD is classified as an essential service in this current situation. In addition, employees who are working at home, for medical reasons or other reasons, are expected to avoid locations where the COVID safety requirements are not at least equal in actual practice to the MSD safety provisions they have requested to avoid by working at home.

As I have previously conveyed to you, the essential function of MSD cannot be supported by a work from home model. We will, however, continue to maintain both the de-densifying efforts in office settings as well as the staggered attendance activities at the yards and plants to protect the health and safety of our employees. I understand generally the brunt of the inefficiencies in this stay at home model has fallen on those who are working from the office. Because I suspect we will be dealing with this pandemic through at least the rest of the year, we are going to try to provide some relief by instituting more part-time office solutions rather than prolonged work at home schedules. We will share more on this in the near future.

Finally, I would like to invite you all to engage with me around our response to the COVID-19 pandemic in a new way. Beginning next week, I will be putting together video messages to address some of the questions and concerns MSD employees have brought to our attention. I encourage you to submit questions or topics you would like me to discuss by emailing them to msdcorona@stlmsd.com and using “Ask the CEO” in the subject line. Your feedback is critical to helping us create a safe and healthy workplace while continuing to meet our customers’ needs, and I thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts.

Again, thanks to all MSD employees who are doing the right and fair thing to help keep their fellow employees healthy and safe, all while allowing MSD to continue to provide its essential service.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director & CEO

ASK THE CEO – WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

As Brian mentioned in his message above, he wants to hear from you. Beginning next week, he will address employee questions through video messages. Please submit your questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com with the subject line “Ask the CEO” to have your question answered in Brian’s next video update.

ONE EMPLOYEE TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; SEVEN TOTAL CASES TO DATE

As I mentioned in a separate email yesterday, one additional employee tested positive for COVID-19 this week. This brings the total number of employees who have tested positive to date to seven. Please find additional information in yesterday’s email which I have copied below:

Good morning,

I would like to inform you all that this morning, we learned that an additional MSD employee tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total number of positive cases among MSD employees to date to seven.

We share this information in the spirit of transparency; however, we must also protect this employee’s privacy rights. As such, we have followed our standard practice and directly notified all employees who may have been in close contact with this person.

As always, we are taking all appropriate steps and following recommended government guidelines. This employee has not been at their worksite since receiving the positive test and will not return for at least two weeks. Similarly, all employees who were in close contact with this employee will not return to their worksites for the next two weeks or until they receive a negative test. We will also conduct a deep cleaning of all areas in which this employee had contact.

We extend our support to this employee, their family, and our entire MSD team.

As we all work together to serve our customers, situations like this serve as a reminder that the virus is still here. We must continue to take reasonable precautions to promote our own health and safety as well as the health and safety of our coworkers. Please keep following social distancing and hygiene practices both at work and in your personal lives. Remember, if you are feeling sick, please stay home, notify your supervisor, and contact your healthcare provider.

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

MASKS MUST COMPLY WITH EMPLOYEE DRESS CODE

As we announced last week, all employees and visitors inside any MSD facility must wear a mask when not alone at their desks and outside when social distancing is not possible.

Please keep in mind that masks must comply with the spirit of the employee dress code, and as such, employees are not allowed to wear anything that could be considered offensive to others.

COMPLETE THE SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT SURVEY BY JULY 17

As a reminder, all MSD employees are required to complete the secondary employment questionnaire by July 17, 2020. If you have not yet submitted the survey, you can find it here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2P2T5J9.

If you have already completed the survey using your legal name and department name, you DO NOT have to resubmit another survey.

Also, please note that Human Resources recommends using Google Chrome to complete this survey as some employees experienced issues with other browsers.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Public Affairs Manager

A message from Sean Hadley, Manager of Public Affairs, announcing an additional MSD employee has tested positive for COVID-19.

EMAIL SENT July 9, 2020 9:45 a.m.:

Good morning,

I would like to inform you all that this morning, we learned that an additional MSD employee tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total number of positive cases among MSD employees to date to seven.

We share this information in the spirit of transparency; however, we must also protect this employee’s privacy rights. As such, we have followed our standard practice and directly notified all employees who may have been in close contact with this person.

As always, we are taking all appropriate steps and following recommended government guidelines. This employee has not been at their worksite since receiving the positive test and will not return for at least two weeks. Similarly, all employees who were in close contact with this employee will not return to their worksites for the next two weeks or until they receive a negative test. We will also conduct a deep cleaning of all areas in which this employee had contact.

We extend our support to this employee, their family, and our entire MSD team.

As we all work together to serve our customers, situations like this serve as a reminder that the virus is still here. We must continue to take reasonable precautions to promote our own health and safety as well as the health and safety of our coworkers. Please keep following social distancing and hygiene practices both at work and in your personal lives. Remember, if you are feeling sick, please stay home, notify your supervisor, and contact your healthcare provider.

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT July 2, 2020 9:20 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Please practice social distancing and other safety measures as you celebrate the 4^th of July holiday. For more information, see “A message from Brian Hoelscher…” below.
• MSD’s new mask requirements now take effect FRIDAY, JULY 3. Employees and visitors inside any MSD FACILITY must wear masks when not alone at their desks. ALL employees and visitors who remain outside at an MSD facility are not required to wear a mask unless social distancing is not possible. Operations is developing location-specific mask requirements for its facilities. This is a change from the policy announced earlier this week. For more information, see “New mask requirements ” below.
• Cigna only covers COVID-19 viral or antibody tests at 100% when ordered by a physician. Employees who do not receive a referral from their doctor before receiving a test will be billed accordingly. For more information, see “Cigna only covers COVID-19 tests ordered by a doctor…” below.
• We are proactively stocking up on additional personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure employees have the supplies they need to serve our customers safely. For more information, see “MSD stocking up on PPE” below.
• All employees must complete the secondary employment survey by July 17. If you have already completed the survey using your legal name and department name, you DO NOT have to resubmit. For more information, see “Complete the secondary employment survey by July 17” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

A MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER REGARDING THE 4th OF JULY HOLIDAY

Employees,

As summer is now in full swing and the 4th of July holiday is upon us, I would like to take this time to remind everyone of a few things leading into this weekend and the rest of the summer. 

• Think of your fellow employees as you decide how to celebrate the holiday.
• When in public, please make sure to social distance, wear a mask, and practice proper hygiene to prevent surface spread.
• If you take all the necessary precautions and you still find yourself in a compromising situation, please make sure you inform management so we can decide on the appropriate actions.

Please keep in mind that the chances of becoming infected continue to increase, and I want you to know your health and safety are of paramount importance to us to make sure that each of you can continue to provide quality service to our customers as we work our way through this pandemic.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director & CEO

NEW MASK REQUIREMENTS BEGIN JULY 3

As Brian Hoelscher mentioned in his email to all staff on Tuesday, we have decided to update our mask and facial covering requirements.  That requirement has been updated to reflect the policy announced July 1 by St. Louis City and County leaders.

Starting Friday, July 3, all employees and visitors at Employees and visitors inside ANY MSD FACILITY must wear a mask when not alone at their desks. ALL employees and visitors who remain outside at an MSD facility are not required to wear a mask unless social distancing is not possible. Senior managers in the Operations Department are currently developing location-specific mask requirements for their facilities. They will inform employees when and where they will be required to wear masks shortly.

While employees are welcome to bring their own masks, MSD also has masks available. Operations employees can find masks among their regular PPE supplies. Employees at the Market Street office can pick up masks from the Human Resources office.

Please remember that masks are an additional precaution to help contain the potential spread of the virus and do not replace the need to continue practicing social distancing and good hygiene.

Please find St. Louis County’s mask guidelines attached.

CIGNA ONLY COVERS COVID-19 TESTS ORDERED BY A DOCTOR FOR DIAGNOSTIC PURPOSES

As both viral and antibody COVID-19 tests become more widely available, many employees have inquired about Cigna’s coverage for such tests. Cigna covers Covid-19 viral and antibody tests at 100% ONLY WHEN ORDERED BY A PHYSICIAN. Physicians may order either test if a patient is showing symptoms or has been exposed to someone who is confirmed positive with coronavirus.

At this time, Cigna does not cover the testing for general knowledge or return to work purposes. Employees who do not receive a referral from their doctor before receiving a test will be billed accordingly.

As such, if MSD asks you to produce a negative COVID-19 test before returning to work, it is in your best interest to seek a referral from your doctor before getting tested.

MSD STOCKING UP ON ADDITIONAL PPE

As part of our ongoing effort to promote a safe work environment, we are proactively stocking up on additional personal protective equipment (PPE). We continue to monitor information from public health experts to help guide our ongoing policy decisions. Recognizing that COVID-19 infections are on the rise both locally and nationally, we are taking proactive steps to ensure all employees have the necessary equipment to continue safely serving our communities.

COMPLETE THE SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT SURVEY BY JULY 17

As a reminder, all MSD employees are required to complete the secondary employment questionnaire by July 17, 2020. If you have not yet submitted the survey, you can find it here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2P2T5J9.

If you have already completed the survey using your legal name and department name, you DO NOT have to resubmit another survey.

Also, please note that Human Resources recommends using Google Chrome to complete this survey as some employees experienced issues with other browsers.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Public Affairs Manager

A message from Brian Hoelscher, Executive Director and CEO, announcing updates to MSD’s mask requirements.

EMAIL SENT June 30, 2020 1:23 p.m.:

Employees,

In recent weeks we’ve seen COVID-19 infections increase both throughout our community and among our workforce. Our priority, as always, is to promote a safe and healthy work environment. This is not only to protect our employees, but also to ensure we can continue providing our customers with a vital public health service. As such, we have decided to update our mask and facial covering requirements.

Senior management in the Operations Department are currently evaluating their facilities and developing location-specific mask requirements. Managers will inform employees at these facilities when and where they will be required to wear masks shortly.

Because approximately 150 employees work from the Market Street office on an all-day basis, executive leadership has decided to designate this as a mask-required facility. Beginning Monday, July 6, all employees and visitors to the Market Street office must wear masks or face coverings unless they are alone at their desk or in a space designed to facilitate social distancing (i.e. Board of Trustees meetings). I ask that all managers make sure that their staffs are aware of this new requirement.

Employees are welcome to bring a mask or face covering from home. However, if you need a mask, MSD can supply you with one. The Operations facilities currently have plenty of masks among their personal protection equipment supplies. Employees at the Market Street location can pick up a disposable mask from the first-floor Human Resources office.

As always, we continue to monitor and evaluate information from public health experts and update our policies as necessary. Thank you for your continued cooperation and vigilance as we work together to protect the health of our coworkers and our community.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director & CEO

A regular weekly email from Bess McCoy overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT June 26, 2020 11:52 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Two MSD employees tested positive for COVID-19. To protect the individuals’ rights, managers have informed all employees who were in close contact. For more information, see “Two MSD employees test positive…” below.
• Please review the below update from Brian Hoelscher on work from home practices and the Jake Jare Golf tournament. For more information, see “Update from Brian Hoelscher…” below.
• All employees must complete the secondary employment survey by July 17. If you have already completed the survey using your legal name and department name, you DO NOT have to resubmit. For more information, see “All MSD employees required to complete secondary employment survey…” below.
• MSD’s lease for the overflow parking lot east of the Market Street office ends June 30. All vehicles in that lot will need to be moved to an MSD parking lot before the end of the day next Tuesday. For more information, see “East parking lot at Market will be unavailable beginning July 1…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

TWO MSD EMPLOYEES TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

Late last night, we learned that two MSD employees tested positive for COVID-19. We share this information in the spirit of transparency; however, we must also protect the privacy rights of the individuals involved. As such, we have followed our standard practice and directly notified all employees who may have been in close contact with these individuals.

As always, we are taking all appropriate steps and following recommended government guidelines. These employees have not been at their worksites since they received the positive tests and will not return for at least two weeks. Similarly, all employees who were in close contact with these individuals will not return to their worksites for the next two weeks or until they receive a negative test. We have also done a deep cleaning of all areas in which these employees had contact.

We extend our support to these employees, their families, and our entire MSD team.

As we all work together to serve our customers, situations like this serve as a reminder that the virus is still here. We must continue to take reasonable precautions to promote our own health and safety as well as the health and safety of our coworkers. Please keep following social distancing and hygiene practices both at work and in your personal lives. And as always, if you are feeling sick, please stay home, notify your supervisor, and contact your healthcare provider.

UPDATE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER ON WORK FROM HOME, JAKE JARE GOLF TOURNAMENT

Please see the below message from Brian Hoelscher.

Staff,

I want to address some questions I’ve received regarding our temporary work from home policies and vacation rules, and give an update on the Jake Jare Golf tournament in which many of you participate.

As a reminder, our goal throughout this pandemic has been to continue providing an acceptable level of service while maintaining current staffing levels and promoting the health and safety of our employees, customers, and community.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced us, along with the rest of the world, to take a hard look at what we could do to promote a safe work environment. Like many businesses, we were able to adopt a limited “work from home/remote” model to meet the social distance requirements outlined by the CDC, which called for a reduction of office density by 50% (along with other significant measures).

Knowing this, I had the Directors prioritize work from home opportunities for those with compromised immune systems or other ailments, as well as those without childcare. I firmly believe these were the correct decisions. As we move forward, Directors will make adjustments only for isolated needs.

While these modifications have allowed us to continue serving our customers while promoting the health and safety of our employees under these extreme circumstances, they are not sustainable long-term. Allowing employees to work from home has:

• Reduced overall staff productivity
• Impeded staff flexibility and availability to respond to unexpected or impromptu needs
• Created hurdles for staff communication and teamwork
• Increased requirements for information technology security measures
• Increased immediate costs to provide the ability for employees to work at home and future additional expenses to maintain that additional infrastructure

In short, work from home has been necessary, but the “work from home model” is not compatible with our industry’s business model and requirements long term.

Knowing that this practice will not be sustainable leads to the question of how long work from home practices will remain. We are listening to medical and public health experts and conversing with other wastewater utilities around the country, and all indications suggest that workplace safety measures will need to be in place for at least another six months. However, if this is the case, at some point, we will likely need to evaluate whether we should allow employees who have been in the office throughout the pandemic to work from home, and in turn, bring those employees who have been working from home back into the office.

Finally, I’d like to address a question I recently received regarding the guidelines for those employees who are working from home. Here is what I was asked: “why do office employees who are working from home have to follow all of the same vacation policies (vacation safety review, use of sick leave when sick or quarantined, etc.) as office employees who are working from the office?”

The simplest answer is fairness. In the interest of promoting a safe work environment, we have asked most employees to make adjustments to their typical work routine. For some, that means adjusting their schedules; for others, it means adjusting their work location. It would not be fair to ask some employees to follow more restrictive vacation policies than others.

On a final note, as many of you know, I am involved with the Jake Jare Golf Tournament that is held every year on Columbus Day. I informed the Jake Jare Committee that MSD will likely discourage employees from participating. Anyone who does will be required to have a negative COVID test or to quarantine for two weeks before returning to work. Personally, I will not be participating.

These conditions are currently in place for all employees who are found to have participated in any sort of group activities, similar to this golf tournament, prior to Labor Day.

Feel free to contact your Director if you have any questions.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director & CEO

ALL MSD EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT SURVEY BY JULY 17

You should have received an email reminder from Raven Butts, Human Resources Office Associate Senior, with information regarding the mandatory secondary employment survey. All MSD employees are required to complete this questionnaire by July 17, 2020. If you have not yet submitted, the survey, you can find it here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2P2T5J9

If you have already completed the survey using your legal name and department name, you DO NOT have to resubmit another survey.

Also, please note that Human Resources recommends using Google Chrome to complete this survey as some employees experienced issues with other browsers.

EAST PARKING LOT AT MARKET WILL BE UNAVAILABLE BEGINNING JULY 1

You should have received an email from Janice Fenton, Finance Office Associate Senior, with information regarding the east additional overflow parking lot at the Market Street Office (the red parking lot on the below map).

MSD’s lease for the additional lot overflow parking near the FBI building (not the hotel parking lot) ends on June 30, and all vehicles in that lot will need to be moved to an MSD parking lot before the end of the day next Tuesday.

With our current office dedensification measures, we do not have an immediate need to acquire additional parking, however, we are in contact with companies that may have additional parking available when the need arises in the future.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Bess McCoy

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT June 22, 2020 7:36 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• The Board of trustees designated June 19, 2020, as a holiday in observance of Juneteenth Day. Employees will need to adjust their timecard during the next payroll period. For more information, see “Board of Trustees designates June 19 as a holiday” below.
• We will send a separate notification when employees test positive for COVID-19. To protect employees’ legal right to privacy, we are unable to share any personal information. For more information, see “New notification process…” below.
• The City of St. Louis issued a statement on the Police Department’s use of force earlier this week. The full statement is attached. For more information, see “St. Louis police issue statement on use of force” below.
• Human Resources continues to look into testing for all MSD employees. We will share more details when they are available. For more information, see “Human Resources continues to look into testing…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES DESIGNATES JUNE 19, 2020, AS A HOLIDAY

The following message from Brian Hoelscher was sent to all employees on Thursday, June 18, informing them that the Board of Trustees designated Friday, June 19, 2020, as a holiday in observance of Juneteenth Day.

Staff,

The Board of Trustees has decided to designate Friday, June 19, 2020 as a Holiday, in observance of Juneteenth Day. If you have already completed your timecard, you will need to adjust it during the next timecard period.

I want to thank the Board of Trustees for recognizing the importance and significance of this day and for their swift action. Due to the timeliness and extreme importance of this message, I am asking that ALL Managers, Supervisors, Employees, get the word out As Soon As Possible to All employees.

I also want to take this time to address an important distinction between our policies and the drivers behind local government policies. As an essential service, our goal is different than the goal that is driving the opening up of the economy/society, which is to increase economic activity while at the same time making sure our health care system can accommodate the resulting increase in cases of infection and disease. Our goal is to prevent any employee from becoming infected. This will allow us to maintain service levels without furloughing employees during a time of decreasing revenues caused by the pandemic. This is also what drives our current handling of vacation requests.

I want to be clear here; MSD cannot stop you from participating in any allowed activity you wish to attend, either during your non-work days or during paid leave. However, we can require conditions for you to come back to work.  Because we are an essential service, MSD will require you to either submit a negative COVID-19 test or quarantine at home prior to your return to work if management feels you may have participated in an activity that may have exposed you to a COVID-19 infection. This includes those employees working from home.

I have directed all Supervisors, Managers, and Directors to take a conservative approach in making these decisions and require testing/self-quarantine if they have any doubt. My reason for this is to try and meet our goal of NOT having to furlough any employees due to increased costs caused by COVID-19 infections or due to decreased revenues caused by the infection. Managers and Supervisors should consult with the senior management (Directors, Assistant Directors) in their Departments if they have any questions.

I want to thank you all for your continued commitment to keeping yourself and your coworkers safe and healthy. I ask all employees to continue to take this very seriously. I suspect that like many wastewater utilities throughout the Country, we will be addressing this issue through at least the end of calendar year 2020. Thank you for your continued vigilance and dedication to our customers and our community.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director & CEO

NEW NOTIFICATION PROCESS WHEN EMPLOYEES TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

As we mentioned in the last weekly update, we learned that two MSD employees tested positive for COVID-19 last week. After informing employees about these positive tests in the regular weekly update, some employees expressed a desire to be notified about these cases sooner. We are listening to your request, and moving forward, we will send a separate notification to all staff if additional employees test positive for COVID-19.

Please keep in mind that while we share this type of information in the spirit of transparency, we must also continue to respect every employee’s legal right to privacy. As such, we are unable to share any personal information about employees who have tested positive, including their work location or shift schedule.

I can assure you that we are following all government recommended guidelines and procedures to maintain a safe working environment. As part of our standard procedures, managers have and will continue to notify all employees who have had close contact with a coworker who tested positive for COVID-19. Those employees are required to stay home for two weeks or until they receive a negative test for the virus.

ST LOUIS POLICE ISSUE STATEMENT ON USE OF FORCE

Earlier this week, the St. Louis City Mayor’s Office issued a joint statement with the St. Louis Police Chief and St. Louis Department of Public Safety regarding the use of force and training for the police department. The statement lists policies and training measures the department has previously taken and expressed support for a national registry of corrupt police officers, national standards for police training, and the hiring of mental and behavioral health specialists to assist police. Please find the full statement attached to this email.

1. LOUIS CITY, ST. LOUIS COUNTY PANDEMIC RESPONSE INFORMATION

While we are monitoring policy changes from St. Louis City and St. Louis County and including pertinent updates in these weekly emails, we also wanted to make sure employees know where to find additional information from these two sources. Please find additional pandemic response information from the City of St. Louis here, and from St. Louis County here.

HUMAN RESOURCES CONTINUES TO LOOK INTO TESTING FOR MSD EMPLOYEES

As we mentioned last week, Human Resources is looking into setting up testing for all MSD employees. While we do not have any updates on this process at this time, we wanted to assure you all that we will share all information and answer all questions as soon as details are available.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT June 12, 2020 12:09 p.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Two MSD employees have tested positive for COVID-19. To protect the rights of the individuals involved, managers have informed employees who were in close contact. For more information, see “Two MSD employees test positive…” below.
• St. Louis County Executive has recommended all County residents get tested for COVID-19. Human Resources is working on setting up testing for ALL MSD EMPLOYEES, and we will share details as they become available. For more information, see “St. Louis County Executive expands COVID-19 testing recommendations” below.
• Practices to facilitate workplace distancing will remain through Labor Day (September 7) and could be extended further. This includes practices such as staggered start and end times, work from home, and alternating days in the office, as well as canceling outside travel, outside activities, and onsite meetings with external entities. For more information, see “Workplace distancing measures extended…” below.
• Capacity limitations have been set for all district conference rooms to help facilitate social distancing. For more information, see “Conference room capacities limited” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

TWO MSD EMPLOYEES TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

This past week, we learned that two MSD employees tested positive for COVID-19. We share this information in the spirit of transparency; however, we must also protect the privacy rights of the individuals involved. As such, we are following our standard practice of directly informing employees who may have been in close contact with these individuals.

As always, we are taking all appropriate steps and following recommended government guidelines. These two employees have not been at their worksites since they received the positive test, and they will not return for at least two weeks. Similarly, all employees who were in close contact with these individuals will not return to their worksites for the next two weeks or until they receive a negative test. We have also done a deep cleaning of all areas in which these employees had contact.

We extend our support to these employees, to their families, and to our entire MSD team.

While this news hits much closer to home than we would like, it is a poignant reminder that the virus is still in our community. Many health experts have warned that as distancing mandates loosen, there is the potential for a second wave of infections. We must continue to be vigilant and take reasonable precautions to promote our own health and safety as well as the health and safety of our coworkers and our community. Please continue following social distancing and hygiene practices both at work and in your personal lives. And as always, if you are feeling sick, please stay home, notify your supervisor, and contact your healthcare provider.

ST LOUIS COUNTY EXECUTIVE EXPANDS COVID-19 TESTING RECOMMENDATIONS

Earlier this week, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page recommended that any county resident who has had frequent contact with people outside their home should be tested for the coronavirus regardless of whether they are showing symptoms.

Human Resources is currently working on setting up testing for all MSD employees. We do not have the details on this process yet, but we understand this will likely raise many questions. Please be assured that we will share all details and answer all questions as soon as we are able.

WORKPLACE DISTANCING MEASURES EXTENDED THROUGH LABOR DAY

As part of our continuing effort to promote the health and safety of all MSD employees, senior leadership has decided to extend workplace distancing measures through Labor Day (Monday, September 7). This applies to changes such as staggering start and end times, requiring employees to work from home, and alternating days in the office, as well as limits on outside travel, outside meetings and activities, and onsite meetings with external entities.

Our goal continues to be promoting a healthy and safe work environment for all employees, and we are continually monitoring the situation to determine the best time to begin removing these modifications. As always, we will revisit this plan and could extend it further if it is necessary to promote a healthy workplace.

CONFERENCE ROOM CAPACITIES LIMITED

In addition to extending workplace distancing practices, we have also limited the capacity of conference rooms throughout the District. Capacity restrictions are based on the size of the conference room, and we have placed signs outside of each conference room denoting its capacity limit.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

THANK YOU

Lastly, I would like to once again express my sincere gratitude to all of you for the commitment you continue to show to our customers and to our community. To say we are living in an unsettling time is an understatement. And yet through all of this, our customers continue to rely on us, and we continue to provide quality service always.

I am not alone in being grateful for the work you are doing. We have received several letters, emails, and social media posts thanking you all for your dedicated service to our community. I have attached one such email from a grateful customer.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT June 5, 2020 9:38 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Please continue to maintain six feet of distance from other employees when possible. This applies to all activities, including meetings, indoor or outdoor lunch breaks, outdoor walks, and casual conversations. For more information, see “Safety reminders…” below.
• Elevator occupancy is limited to two people at a time to help employees maintain an appropriate distance. For more information, see “Safety reminders…” below.
• Please continue to disinfect shared resources after you use them. For more information, see “Safety reminders…” below.
• Please refrain from using conference room phones for personal calls to reduce the possible spread of coronavirus. For more information, see “Safety reminders…” below.
• Please continue practicing social distancing during personal time. Employees who participate in an activity where social distancing guidelines are not followed will be asked to either provide a negative coronavirus test or wait two weeks before returning to work. For more information, see “Continue social distancing…” below.
• Many cities in the St. Louis region have recently issued curfews. MSD employees are required to follow all local orders and ordinances where they live. For more information, see “Cities issue curfews” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

A MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HOELSCHER

I want to take a moment to address what has been happening in St. Louis and around our country this past week.

First and foremost, MSD must prioritize the health and safety of our employees.  The service we provide to our community is essential.  We will continue to monitor the situation daily and make sure our employees are safe while doing their jobs.

Secondly, MSD will never condone racism and will always believe in all Americans’ right to free speech, whether that be in casual conversation or in the form of protest.  We all have a voice, and all deserve a platform from which to share the beliefs we hold dear.

Lastly, I will remind you all that one of the core principles of MSD’s foundation is fostering an inclusive environment where the color of your skin, gender, or sexual preference have no bearing on how you’re perceived or treated.  I believe this to be paramount, not only to a healthy workplace but to a healthy society.

As always, if any employee feels the need to discuss this issue or any other issues, you are always welcome to contact me at blhoel@stlmsd.com or (314) 768-6245.

Brian Hoelscher
Executive Director and CEO

SAFETY REMINDERS – MAINTAIN SIX FEET OF DISTANCE, DISINFECT SHARED RESOURCES

As part of our continuous effort to promote a safe and healthy work environment, I would like to remind employees to continue practicing social distancing and other safety measures at work.

First, please continue to maintain six feet of distance from other employees whenever possible. This applies to all activities, including meetings, indoor or outdoor lunch breaks, outdoor walks, and even casual conversations.

To help employees maintain appropriate distance, we are limiting elevator occupancy to two people at a time.

Second, please continue to disinfect any shared resources after you use them. This includes shared workstations, conference room phones, and all other communal resources.

To help reduce the possible spread of the coronavirus, we are also asking employees to refrain from using conference room phones for personal calls. Instead, if you need to make a personal call from a conference room, please use a cell phone.

MSD leadership continues to evaluate and adopt policies to promote a safe work environment; however, we all play a critical role in keeping our coworkers and our community healthy. Thank you for doing your part to contribute to a healthy and safe workplace.

CONTINUE SOCIAL DISTANCING DURING PERSONAL TIME

As local authorities continue to loosen restrictions on business operations and public gathering, I would like to remind employees to please keep social distancing guidelines during personal time.

In recent weeks, local authorities have issued warnings regarding large-scale incidents where these guidelines may have been compromised, including those celebrating Memorial Day at the Lake of the Ozarks and those participating in public demonstrations after the death of George Floyd. As a reminder, employees are always required to follow social distancing guidelines and maintain proper hygiene practices. Employees who participate in an activity where social distancing guidelines are not observed will be asked to either provide a negative coronavirus test or wait two weeks before returning to work. In either case, the employee will need to use appropriate paid leave during that time.

CITIES ISSUE CURFEWS

Many cities in the St. Louis region have recently issued curfews in response to the unrest. As a reminder, MSD employees are required to follow all local orders and ordinances where they live. These curfews limit people from leaving their homes during specific hours unless they are traveling to or from work, are credentialed media, or have a medical emergency.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT May 29, 2020 10:52 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• MSD has finalized a new Infectious Disease Policy. For more information, see “New Infectious Disease Policy in place” below.
• Staff is researching alternative options to facilitate Brian Hoelscher’s annual District Talks. In the meantime, Brian is regularly visiting different MSD facilities and remains available by email or phone. For more information, see “MSD working on an alternative format for District Talks” below.
• St Louis County issued a travel advisory recommending residents who did not social distance over Memorial Day weekend self-quarantine for two weeks or until they receive a negative test for COVID-19. This advisory does not change MSD’s policy regarding personal travel. For more information, see “St. Louis County Issued a travel advisory…” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

 

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

NEW INFECTIOUS DISEASE POLICY IN PLACE

Senior leadership recently finalized a new Infectious Disease Policy to better prepare the District for a pandemic or other similar situation in the future. This policy takes into consideration many of the lessons we have learned in responding to the current pandemic and is guided by our current priorities: protecting the health of our employees and community while providing our customers with an acceptable level of service. Human Resources will be sending out a mandatory review request via the Learning District at some point next week. We ask that you be on the lookout for this notification and acknowledge it.  In the meantime we we asked that you please take a moment to review the policy and as always, submit any questions to msdcorona@stlmsd.com.

MSD WORKING ON ALTERNATIVE FORMAT FOR DISTRICT TALKS

Around this time, Brian Hoelscher would normally be scheduling visits to each MSD facility for his annual “District Talks.” Current safety precautions prohibit us from holding District Talks in their usual format, but we are working to find alternative options to resume these talks as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, Brian remains committed to regular two-way dialogue with employees throughout the District. Although since the pandemic has started he cannot meet with employees in large groups as he would with his traditional District Talks, so he continues to visit different MSD facilities, as time allows, to talk with individual employees or smaller groups. His regular “open door” policy is also still in place. Employees are welcome to contact him directly at blhoel@stlmsd.com or (314) 768-6245. Employees who would prefer to communicate anonymously can do so by emailing msdcorona@stlmsd.com and requesting that their identity remain undisclosed.

1. LOUIS COUNTY ISSUED A TRAVEL ADVISORY. MSD EMPLOYEES MUST CONTINUE SOCIAL DISTANCING DURING PERSONAL TRAVEL

This past Monday, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health issued a travel advisory and advised that anyone who did not practice social distancing over the Memorial Day weekend self-quarantine for 14 days or until they receive a negative test for COVID-19.

The travel advisory also encouraged employers to ask about recent travel and social distancing behaviors when screening workers for returning to their Jobs.

This travel advisory is in line with MSD’s current policy for personal travel. As a reminder, employees may travel for personal reasons without penalty if all local (county and municipal) and state stay at home requirements at their place of residence and the vacation location allow pleasure trips at the time the trip is taken. Employees are still required to follow social distancing guidelines and maintain proper hygiene practices when traveling for personal reasons. When an employee requests to use paid vacation or comp time, their supervisor will inquire as to what activity the employee has planned. If an employee is unable to demonstrate that social distancing and appropriate hygiene practices will occur, MSD will require that the employee either provide a negative coronavirus test or wait two weeks before returning to work. In either case, the employee will need to use appropriate paid leave during that time.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT May 22, 2020 10:52 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Practices to facilitate workplace distancing will remain through July 4 and could be extended further. These practices include staggered start and end times, work from home, and alternating days in the office. For more information, see “Workplace distancing measures to remain through July 4” below.
• Sick leave policy revisions do not affect employees’ ability to use EFMLEA or EPSLA leave. For more information, see “Changes to the sick leave policy to not affect EPSLA/EFMLEA leave” below.
• Work-related travel, group activities, outside events, and on-site meetings with outside individuals are canceled through July 4. This cancelation could be extended further. For more information, see “Work travel, outside meeting restrictions to remain through July 4” below.
• Employees requesting vacation or comp time use must demonstrate that their planned activities will follow social distancing and hygiene guidelines. Employees who do not follow social distancing and hygiene guidelines will need to provide a negative coronavirus test or take two weeks of leave before returning to work. For more information, see “Vacation requests must demonstrate social distancing, proper hygiene” below.
• MSD will update its information on file for employees holding outside employment. For more information, see “MSD to update outside employment information” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

As I mentioned in last Friday’s regular weekly update, we are working on permanent policy updates to better prepare the District for future situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. We hoped to share those policies this week, however, we are still finalizing the official updates.

As such, I would like to use this week’s communication to clarify some of the questions we received after last week’s email.

WORKPLACE DISTANCING MEASURES TO REMAIN THROUGH JULY 4

MSD has taken several steps to facilitate social distancing at work, including staggering start and end times, requiring employees to work from home and alternating days in the office. While at this time, it is still in the best interest of our employees and our community to continue efforts to keep workplace density low, MSD will eventually begin transitioning back to standard work practices.

Our goal, as always, is to promote a healthy and safe work environment, and we are continually monitoring the situation to determine the safest time to return to regular work practices. This could occur as early as July 4, but will not happen any sooner.

Please note that employees who are working from home will be notified prior to being asked to return to the office.  If you are currently working from home, please look for that notification around July 4.

As always, this plan will be revisited in the future and could be extended if it is necessary to promote a healthy work environment.

WORK FROM HOME PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO EMPLOYEES WITH FMLA, ADA CONDITIONS

When we begin transitioning to standard work practices, employees without FMLA or ADA qualifying conditions will be the first ones chosen to return to their offices. If you are working from home and feel you have an FMLA or ADA qualifying condition that does not allow you to report to your workplace, please be sure to submit the appropriate application form and make sure your evaluation has been completed. If you have questions about these processes, please contact Chris Tumminia, Human Resources Manager, at ctumminia@stlmsd.com or 314-768-6207. In addition, MSD will be reviewing the status of those who request or must renew their status against the changing work situation.

CHANGES TO THE SICK LEAVE POLICY DO NOT AFFECT EPSLA/EFMLEA LEAVE

As I mentioned in last week’s email, starting May 30, employees will only be allowed to use sick leave for situations under the standard sick leave policy. Since March 13, MSD had allowed for flexibility in consideration of sick leave use for situations such as non-FMLA approved childcare or uneasiness because of the pandemic. Beginning May 30, sick leave requests and usage will revert back to the original sick leave policy and will be managed as such.

This policy reversion does not affect employees’ ability to use leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) or the Emergency Family Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA). Employees who wish to apply for leave under EPSLA and/or EFMLEA are still entitled to do so until December 31, 2020. If you have questions about the use of this leave, please contact Tracey Coleman, Director of Human Resources, at 314-768-6215.

WORK TRAVEL, OUTSIDE MEETING RESTRICTIONS TO REMAIN THROUGH JULY 4

As we announced earlier this month, senior management extended the work-related travel restrictions for all employees through July 4, 2020. All outside travel, group activities, out of office work events, and on-site meetings with outside individuals are canceled unless you have approval from your Department Director. As always, this plan will be revisited in the future and could be extended if it is necessary to continue promoting the health of MSD employees.

VACATION REQUESTS MUST DEMONSTRATE SOCIAL DISTANCING, PROPER HYGIENE

As we announced earlier this month, employees may travel for personal reasons without penalty if all local (county and municipal) and state stay at home requirements at their place of residence and the vacation location allow pleasure trips at the time the trip is taken. Employees are still required to follow social distancing guidelines and maintain proper hygiene practices when traveling for personal reasons.

As such, when an employee requests to use paid vacation or comp time, their supervisor will inquire as to what activity the employee has planned. If an employee is unable to demonstrate that social distancing and appropriate hygiene practices will occur, MSD will require that the employee either provide a negative coronavirus test or wait two weeks before returning to work. In either case, the employee will need to use appropriate paid leave during that time.

MSD TO UPDATE OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

In the near future, MSD will update its records on employees who hold a second job outside of MSD. MSD will ask these employees for updated information on workdays, hours, and location of employment for review and approval.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Have a safe and pleasant Memorial Day weekend, until next Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT May 15, 2020, 12:05 p.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• MSD is delaying the needed 1.5% rate increase scheduled to take place in July 2020 until October of 2020 as an additional measure to assist customers financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. For more information, see “An update on MSD finances, payroll impacts” below.
• Salary increases for C Schedule and Unclassified employees will take effect with the first paycheck in October 2020. It is yet to be determined if these raises will be retroactive to the start of the fiscal year. For more information, see “An update on MSD finances, payroll impacts” below.
• Negotiations for A, B, and BT Schedule employees are underway. Wage increase amounts and conditions will be part of those negotiations. For more information, see “An update on MSD finances, payroll impacts” below.
• Senior leadership are finalizing permanent policy updates and hope to be able to share them by the end of next week. For more information, see “Policy updates to be finalized, shared next week” below.
• Starting May 30, employees will only be allowed to use sick leave for situations per the standard sick leave policy. For more information, see “The modified sick leave policy will end on May 30” below.
• When MSD begins to loosen dedensification efforts, work from home priority will be given to employees with an FMLA or ADA qualifying condition. If you have such a condition that prohibits you from returning to your workplace, please make sure your application has been submitted and approved. Find more information under “Work from home priority will be given to employees with FMLA or ADA qualifying conditions” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

AN UPDATE ON MSD FINANCES, PAYROLL IMPACTS

While the COVID-19 virus is primarily a public health concern, we know that our customers are also suffering from the economic impact of the pandemic. To assist our customers through this challenging time, we are delaying the needed 1.5% rate increase scheduled to take place in July of 2020 until October of 2020. As a reminder, we are also currently suspending late charges and fees for delinquencies on all previously up-to-date accounts.

While it is important that we take these steps to assist our customers, we must also keep in mind that MSD is not immune to the economic impact of the pandemic. While we anticipate having measurable data on revenue reductions in the next month, we know that increased delinquencies and reduced billable water usage will cause a loss of revenue.

Our goal of maintaining our current workforce and service level has not changed. We can accomplish that goal mostly through the continued excellent management of our investments and finances, as well as the cost-effectiveness of the capital program. However, it will be essential that we monitor our expenditures, delay expenses that can be delayed, and continue to seek cost-effective solutions to serve our customers.

While we believe we can sustain the current financial situation without any layoffs, there are some implications employees should be aware of:

C-Schedule and Unclassified (civil service) employees:

MSD’s Board of Trustees has begun the approval process for the changes in pay ranges for C Schedule and Unclassified employees. This action will only change the pay ranges and will not result in any merit increases.

Also, reviews for C Schedule and Unclassified employees are underway. As part of that process, employees will be informed of their scheduled salary increases, which will take effect with the first paycheck in October 2020. As to whether these raises will be retroactive to the start of the fiscal year has yet to be determined.

A, B, and BT Schedule employees:

Negotiations for A, B, and BT Schedule employees had been delayed but have since resumed. The amounts and conditions of any wage increases will be part of upcoming wage negotiations.

POLICY UPDATES TO BE FINALIZED, SHARED NEXT WEEK

As you are aware, we have adjusted many of our standard policies over the last few months in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guiding each of these modifications has been the same consistent priorities: protecting the health of our employees and our community while providing our customers with an acceptable level of service.

While we have been adjusting our policies to address the current situation, we have also been considering permanent policy updates to better prepare the District for similar situations in the future. We plan to finalize and share these policies by the end of next week. However, today’s email includes information on two areas that will see the most significant and immediate impact: the use of sick leave and work from home opportunities.

Please review the updated policy information below as it may affect your current situation, and please look for the finalized policies next week.

THE MODIFIED SICK LEAVE POLICY WILL END ON MAY 30

Beginning Saturday, May 30, employees will only be allowed to use sick leave for situations under the standard sick leave policy.

Since March 13, MSD has allowed the consideration of the use of paid sick leave for any situation that was related to the coronavirus pandemic. Such situations included but were not limited to non-FMLA approved leave for school closings or other childcare disruptions, and non-FMLA or ADA approved leave for discomfort with coming to the workplace because of the pandemic.

Again, beginning May 30, employees will no longer be allowed to use sick leave for situations that fall out of the scope of the standard sick leave policy.

Please keep in mind that MSD previously committed to award no fewer than four floating holidays in 2021 to every employee who worked for MSD for all of 2020. As such, the use of sick leave for a qualifying condition will not hinder an employee’s ability to earn floating holidays next year.

WORK FROM HOME PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO EMPLOYEES WITH FMLA OR ADA QUALIFYING CONDITIONS

While at this time, it is still in the best interest of our employees and our community to continue efforts to keep workplace density low, at some point, MSD will begin transitioning back to standard work practices.

Concerning working from home, MSD will prioritize employees with an FMLA or ADA qualifying condition when considering the use of work from home. While we do not currently have a plan for returning employees to their usual work location, employees without FMLA or ADA qualifying conditions will be the first ones chosen to return to their offices when we resume regular work practices.

As such, if you are working from home and feel you have an FMLA or ADA qualifying condition that does not allow you to report to your workplace, please be sure to submit the appropriate application form and make sure your evaluation has been completed. If you have questions about these processes, please contact Chris Tumminia, Human Resources Manager, at ctumminia@stlmsd.com or 314-768-6207. In addition, MSD will be reviewing the status of those who request or must renew their status against the changing work situation.

1. LOUIS CITY, COUNTY TO BEGIN REOPENING MAY 18

Like we mentioned last week, the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County announced plans to loosen stay-at-home orders beginning next Monday, May 18. These new guidelines do not change MSD’s policies. MSD employees are still required to follow local orders. Any employee who violates the orders where they live will be required to take two weeks of leave before returning to work.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A regular weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last weekly email.

EMAIL SENT May 8, 2020 11:56 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Temperature checks will be in place at all facilities beginning Monday, May 11. For more information, see “Temperature checks at all facilities beginning next Monday” below.
• All work-related outside travel is canceled through July 4. This restriction may be extended at a later date. For more information, see “Work-related travel restrictions extended through July 4” below.
• Louis City and St. Louis County plan to begin reopening by May 18. We are monitoring these guidelines. Employees are still required to follow all local orders in their place of residence. For more information, see “St. Louis City, County to begin reopening May 18” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last weekly email below.

TEMPERATURE CHECKS AT ALL FACILITIES BEGINNING NEXT MONDAY

Beginning Monday, May 11, temperature checks will be done at all MSD facilities. Employees are required to have their temperature checked before entering any MSD facilities. Anyone registering a temperature over the CDC-recommended 100.4 will be asked to return home and seek appropriate medical attention.

Employees who register a temperature below 100.4 will be given a wristband to indicate they have had their temperature taken and will be free to move between MSD facilities.

As a reminder, this measure does not replace the need to continue practicing social distancing and maintaining good personal hygiene. Please continue to wash your hands regularly, keep six feet of separation, follow local and state stay at home orders, and inform MSD of any potential exposure.

WORK-RELATED TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS EXTENDED THROUGH JULY 4

To continue promoting the health of MSD employees, senior management has extended the current work-related travel restrictions for all employees through July 4, 2020. All outside travel, group activities, and meetings are canceled unless you have approval from your Department Director. As always, these restrictions will be revisited in the future and could be extended if senior management agrees that it is necessary to protect the health of the District.

LOUIS CITY, COUNTY TO BEGIN REOPENING MAY 18

We are aware that St. Louis City and St. Louis County plan to begin lifting stay-at-home restrictions by May 18 and are monitoring these guidelines.

As with previous changes to local and state orders, these updates do not alter MSD’s policies. All MSD employees are still required to abide by local orders. Any employee who violates the orders where they live for any reason other than essential travel (work, grocery store, pharmacy, medical visit, etc.) will be required to take two weeks of leave before returning to work.

Please keep in mind that as public places begin to reopen, the likelihood that an employee will bring the coronavirus to work will increase. Please continue your vigilance in practicing social distancing, workplace disinfection, and proper hygiene.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Regular bi-weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last bi-weekly email.

EMAIL SENT May 1, 2020 10:50 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Employees may travel without penalty if they follow stay-at-home requirements in their place of residence and the vacation location. Employees who live in a state or county that does not allow personal travel must continue following those local orders. For more information, see “Employees must follow local orders regarding travel” below.
• Employees should continue to follow their current work schedules. Efforts to reduce daily density at MSD facilities and offices, including changes to employee schedules or workplaces, remain in place. For more information, see “Work schedules and dedensification efforts have not changed” below.
• We are eliminating the Tuesday edition of the regular COVID-19 update email beginning next Tuesday. We will continue to send a weekly update on Fridays and urgent communications as needed. For more information, see “COVID-19 updates will take place on Fridays moving forward,” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

As we mentioned in last Tuesday’s communication, Governor Parson recently announced the first phase of the reopening plan for the State of Missouri, and many local counties have begun to announce similar plans.

Our priorities remain the same: Protect the health and safety of our employees and our community while continuing to provide our customers with responsible stormwater and wastewater management.

Like Brian mentioned last week, as areas begin to reopen, the likelihood that an employee will bring the coronavirus to work will increase. As such, it will be critical that we all continue practicing social distancing, workplace disinfection, and proper hygiene.

We have received several questions regarding how county and state reopening guidelines affect our policies, and I would like to use this email to address some of those questions.

EMPLOYEES MUST STILL FOLLOW ORDERS WHERE THEY LIVE

MSD’s policy regarding stay-at-home orders has not changed. All MSD employees are still required to abide by the orders where they live. Any employee who violates the orders where they live for any reason other than essential travel (work, grocery store, pharmacy, medical visit, etc.) will be required to take two weeks of leave before returning to work.

EMPLOYEES MUST FOLLOW LOCAL ORDERS REGARDING TRAVEL

Lifts on stay-at-home orders do not change MSD’s policy for work-related outside travel. This travel remains canceled through the end of May and possibly beyond if senior management agrees that is necessary to protect the health of the District.

With regards to personal travel, employees may travel without penalty if all local (county and municipal) and state stay at home requirements at their place of residence and at the vacation location allow pleasure trips at the time the trip is taken. However, if it is found that there is a reasonable suspicion that an employee came into contact with an infected individual or a location with a high rate of infections, that employee will be required to stay home for two weeks, once they return, using either sick leave, vacation leave, or comp time. There is a good possibility that the employee may not be eligible for FMLA coverage.

If any local (county or municipal) or state stay at home requirements at an employee’s place of residence or the vacation location do not allow pleasure trips at the time the trip is taken, that employee will be required, once they return, to take two additional weeks of paid vacation time or comp time, not sick leave. There is a good possibility that the employee may not be eligible for FMLA coverage.

In all cases, employees must discuss these issues with their manager or supervisor as part of the leave approval process.

WORK SCHEDULES AND DEDENSIFICATION EFFORTS HAVE NOT CHANGED

As I mentioned above, changes in local stay-at-home orders make it especially important that we continue to promote a safe and healthy work environment for all employees. As such, all efforts to decrease density at our offices and facilities, including staggered start and end times, alternating schedules, and work from home schedules, remain in place.

COVID-19 UPDATES WILL TAKE PLACE ON FRIDAYS MOVING FORWARD

Beginning next week, we are eliminating the Tuesday edition of the regular COVID-19 update email. We will continue to send a weekly update on Fridays to recap any new developments. We remain committed to providing you all with timely and accurate information, and as we have done before, we will continue to share important developments as needed.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Regular bi-weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last bi-weekly email.

EMAIL SENT April 28, 2020 10:15 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Temperature checks at some facilities may be delayed due to the national thermometer shortage. For more information, see “Temperature checks may be delayed” below.
• The recently announced statewide recovery plan does not change MSD’s policies. All MSD employees are still required to abide by local stay-at-home orders. For more information, see “Governor Parson announces statewide recovery plan” below.

Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last bi-weekly email below.

TEMPERATURE CHECKS MAY BE DELAYED

We have successfully implemented temperature checks at all three yards, as well as the Bissell Point, Lemay, and Grand Glaize wastewater treatment plants. We are also prepared to begin temperature checks at our other facilities; however, we are waiting on the delivery of the remaining thermometers. Human Resources ordered these supplies in mid-March, but due to the thermometer shortage, the delivery has been delayed. We will continue to inform you all as we learn more and will implement temperature checks at the remaining facilities upon once these supplies arrive.

GOVERNOR PARSON ANNOUNCES STATEWIDE RECOVERY PLAN

Yesterday, Missouri Governor Mike Parson announced the first phase of the “Show Me Strong Recovery Plan” to begin reopening the state on May 4. While the statewide stay-at-home order ends on May 3, many local orders, including those for St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis, are still in effect.

The statewide recovery plan does not change MSD’s policies. All MSD employees are still required to abide by local stay-at-home orders. Any employee who violates the orders where they live for any reason other than essential travel (work, grocery store, pharmacy, medical visit, etc.) will be required to take two weeks leave before returning to work.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Regular bi-weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last bi-weekly email.

EMAIL SENT APRIL 24, 2020 10:50 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Brian Hoelscher shared MSD’s plans as areas in our region begin to reopen in an email to all employees on Wednesday, April 23. As businesses and other gathering spaces open, it will be more critical than ever that we continue practicing physical distancing and good hygiene to keep ourselves, our coworkers, and our families healthy. For more information, see Brian Hoelscher’s “COVID-19 Announcement” email from Wednesday, April 23.
• A limited supply of hand sanitizer is available in Human Resources. Find more under “Hand sanitizer is available in human resources” below.

Please note that the list above is only a brief overview of new information since our last bi-weekly correspondence. Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last bi-weekly email below.

MSD IS PREPARING FOR AREAS IN THE REGION TO REOPEN

We have begun hearing varying strategies from government authorities throughout our region as they plan when and how to start loosening stay-at-home orders. As Brian Hoelscher mentioned in his email on Wednesday, MSD leadership is preparing for these changes and reviewing best policies and practices to support employees through the reopening process. If you have not already done so, please take a moment to read Brian’s message. As these restrictions loosen, it will increase the likelihood of exposure to the virus,  and it will be more important than ever that we all practice physical distancing and proper hygiene in our personal and professional settings.

HAND SANITIZER IS AVAILABLE IN HUMAN RESOURCES

We continue to look for resources to help employees stay healthy while we work together to serve our customers. Last week, we procured several face masks that were made available for employees. This week, we obtained a limited supply of hand sanitizer. These items are available for MSD employees to pick up from the Human Resources office.

We will continue to look for additional resources to help employees safe and healthy and will purchase other supplies as they become available. Thank you for doing your part to keep yourself and your coworkers healthy by practicing physical distancing, maintaining proper hygiene, and following stay at home orders.

PLEASE CONTINUE PRACTICING PHYSICAL DISTANCING

We have recently heard from employees who are concerned about their coworkers not practicing physical distancing at work. The CDC recommends everyone maintain at least six feet of distance when possible. These guidelines apply to all activities, including meetings, lunch breaks, outdoor walks, and even casual conversations.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Until Tuesday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

A message from CEO Brian Hoelscher on MSD’s plans as businesses and gathering places reopen.

EMAIL SENT APRIL 23, 2020 10:57 a.m.:

Employees,

I would like to thank you all for the effort you have shown to continue serving our customers while keeping your coworkers safe during these trying times. I am inspired by the support you have all shown for one another, our customers, and the community we serve. Your commitment makes all the difference.

As I have stated before, our goal is to maintain current service and staffing levels through the duration of this crisis, and by working together, I believe we can achieve that goal. We know that the road to recovery will be long, and that your safety is essential for us to continue serving our community through that gradual process.

Our community has truly come together over the last several weeks, and there is evidence that we are flattening the curve. We anticipate certain areas in our community will begin to reopen for business and community gatherings. As these areas reopen, the probability that an employee will bring the coronavirus into our workplace will increase. Our management team continues to look for ways to improve staff safety, reduce density in our facilities, and support you through this process. I ask that you continue to do your part to ensure the safety of your coworkers, as well.

We all play a critical role in keeping our community and coworkers healthy. As restrictions on gatherings and business operations loosen throughout our region, it will be more important than ever that each of us continues to do our part by maintaining social distancing, workplace disinfection, and proper hygiene in the workplace. We must also remain cautious and aware, to ensure that any employees showing signs of possible infection not enter the workplace.

This pandemic has disrupted our lives, our work, and our community in countless ways. It has also brought out some of the best in us, including your continued dedication to serving our customers and vigilance in considering the welfare of your coworkers in all your actions. I remain inspired by your resilience and am optimistic that together we can overcome this challenge and move forward to a brighter future.

Brian Hoelscher
Executive Director & CEO

Regular bi-weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last bi-weekly email.

EMAIL SENT APRIL 21, 2020 10:50 a.m.:

Colleagues,

As we are all adapting to the “new normal” of working together to serve our customers through this pandemic, I am pleased to inform you that we have no new updates since last Friday. Thank you all for your flexibility and dedication over the last several weeks. All of us have had to make adjustments. Still, it is that spirit of adaptability and cooperation that will allow us to achieve our goal of maintaining current service and staffing levels through the duration of this event. Thank you.

Please know that leadership continues to look for additional ways to promote a safe working environment, and we will be sure to inform you of any new updates as they become available.

We also continue to monitor and respond to questions through the MSDCorona@stlmsd.com inbox. Please continue to send your questions, and we will respond to them as quickly as possible.

Below you will find the copy from last Friday’s bi-weekly email which contains the most recent updates. As always, you can find all official communication related to COVID-19 online at MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona.

Until Friday,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Regular bi-weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last bi-weekly email.

EMAIL SENT APRIL 17, 2020 10:29 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Local authorities have extended stay-at-home orders. MSD employees are still required to abide by these orders through their duration. Find more under “Local Stay-at-Home- Orders Extended” below.
• Cloth face masks are available in Human Resources. Supplies are limited to one per employee. Find out more under “Cloth Face Masks are Available…” below.
• EFMLEA does NOT provide employees with additional leave. It adds eligibility for employees to use their 12-weeks job-protected leave under traditional FMLA. Find out more under “EFMLEA Does Not Provide Additional Leave…” below.

Please note that the list above is only a brief overview of new information since our last bi-weekly correspondence. This is not meant to be a detailed explanation of each change, just a summary. Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

Please find the most recent updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last bi-weekly email below.

LOCAL STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS EXTENDED

In recent days, several local authorities have extended stay-at-home orders. These extensions do not change MSD’s policies. All MSD employees are still required to abide by local stay-at-home orders. Any employee who violates the orders where they live for any reason other than essential travel (work, grocery store, pharmacy, medical visit, etc.) will be required to take two weeks leave before returning to work.

CLOTH FACE MASKS ARE AVAILABLE IN HUMAN RESOURCES

We continue to look for opportunities to help employees stay safe and healthy while we work together to serve our customers. As part of that effort, we have obtained several cloth face masks which are available for employees in Human Resources. Supplies are limited, and employees may take one mask while supplies last.

The CDC recently recommended the use of cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of the Coronavirus. Please find additional information on these recommendations as well as best practices on the CDC website.

Please keep in mind that wearing a face mask does not replace the necessity of practicing physical distancing and good hygiene. It is critical that we continue to maintain the CDC-recommended 6-feet of distance, continue to wash our hands regularly, and continue to inform MSD of any possible exposure to COVID-19.

We will continue to look for additional resources to help employees stay safe and healthy. We are continuing to purchase additional supplies as they become available. Thank you for doing your part to keep yourself and your coworkers safe and healthy by practicing physical distancing, maintaining proper hygiene, and following stay at home orders.

EFMLEA DOES NOT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LEAVE; IT ADDS ELIGIBILITY TO FMLA

We have received a few questions with regards to the new Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) leave options that we would like to clarify.

Please keep in mind that EFMLEA does NOT provide employees with additional FMLA leave. Instead, it adds new eligibility criteria to allow employees to use their traditional FMLA leave. As such, each employee remains entitled to a total of 12-weeks of FMLA leave over a 12-month period whether that leave is used for a reason related to COVID-19 (EFMLEA) or a traditional FMLA-related reason.

For example, if an employee had already used six weeks of job-protected leave under FMLA due to a surgery in December, that employee is only entitled to an additional six weeks of leave under EFMLEA or FMLA through December of this year (FMLA leave is calculated on a rolling calendar year basis).

Similarly, if an employee used the EFMLEA benefit for a reason related to COVID-19, the employee would not have access to additional leave for traditional FMLA reasons during the remainder of the 12-month period.

If you have additional questions about EFMLEA, please submit them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

UNTIL TUESDAY

Although we saw a decrease in new updates to share with you this past week, we still plan to send bi-weekly updates to ensure you receive the latest information in a timely fashion. Please share any questions or concerns with your supervisor or send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Thank you.

Sean

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Regular bi-weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last bi-weekly email.

EMAIL SENT APRIL 14, 2020 11:15 a.m.:

WHATS NEW?

• Temperature checks began at Sulphur on Monday. MSD plans to have this measure in place at all MSD facilities by April 30. If you arrive at your work location after regular temperature checks have ended, please see your supervisor Find more under “Temperature Checks have Begun at Sulphur” below.
• MSD is meeting or exceeding all recommendations in the CDC’s new guidelines for critical workers. Find out more under “New CDC Guidelines…” below.

Please note that the list above is only a brief overview of new information since our last bi-weekly correspondence. This is not meant to be a detailed explanation of each change, just a summary. Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

In our ongoing effort to keep you informed of new developments as we continue to serve our customers through this pandemic, please find the most recent updates since our last bi-weekly email below.

TEMPERATURE CHECKS HAVE BEGUN AT SULPHUR

We are happy to announce that we began temperature checks at the Sulphur yard yesterday, Monday, April 13. The current plan is to start temperature checks at all yards by the end of this week and to continue rolling out this new measure to all locations by the end of the month. Your manager will inform you when temperature checks will begin at your site.

If this procedure has begun at your work location and you arrive after regular temperature checks have ended, please see your supervisor for further instructions.

As a reminder, this new safety measure is in addition to and does not replace other protocols, including physical distancing, good hygiene practices, and following stay at home orders.

If you have additional questions about temperature checks, please see my bi-weekly email from last Friday, April 10, or email your questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

NEW CDC GUIDANCE FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS

As we mentioned last Friday, the CDC recently issued new guidelines for the safety of critical workers. We have reviewed these new guidelines, and I am happy to announce that our current practices meet or exceed all safety recommendations. As such, our current policies will continue with no change.

MSD FINANCES AND STAFFING

If you did not read Brian Hoelscher’s message regarding MSD’s finances in my bi-weekly email from last Friday, April 10, I highly encourage you to revisit it. I would like to reiterate a few key points from that address briefly.

First, we have seen from other wastewater utilities throughout the country that a crisis like this will impact MSD’s finances.

Second, our goal throughout this pandemic is to continue providing our customers with essential services while maintaining our current staffing levels.

And third, after evaluating the likely impact over the next year, senior staff has determined that we can achieve our goal of maintaining our service and staffing levels if we are smart with our expenditures over the next year.

Like every part of this crisis, this will be a team effort. Now more than ever, we must be prudent and conscious of how we spend our customers’ money so that together we can address not only the health crisis but the economic crisis as well.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

UNTIL FRIDAY

While today’s email had fewer new items than recent updates, we will continue to provide bi-weekly emails to ensure you all are receiving the most-recent information. Please share any questions or concerns with your supervisor or send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Thank you.

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Regular bi-weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last bi-weekly email.

EMAIL SENT APRIL 10, 2020 11:19 a.m.:

We recognize that you all have received a significant amount of information regarding COVID-19 recently. We ask that, at minimum, you review the “What’s New” section in each bi-weekly email to stay current on this rapidly evolving situation. Thank you.

WHATS NEW?

• We will begin checking employee temperatures at certain MSD sites next week, and plan to have this measure in place at all MSD facilities by April 30. Employees who register a temperature above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit will be asked to stay home for three days. Find more under “MSD to Begin Temperature Checks” below.
• MSD is positioned to maintain current service and staffing levels through this pandemic if we are smart with our expenditures over the next year. Find out more under “A Message from CEO Brian Hoelscher on MSD’s Finances” below.
• The CDC issued new guidelines for the safety of critical workers. We are reviewing those guidelines and hope to have more information next week. Find out more under “CDC Issues New Guidance…” below.

 Please note that the list above is only a brief overview of new information since our last bi-weekly correspondence. This is not meant to be a detailed explanation of each change, just a summary. Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

As we continue to work together to serve our community through this global crisis, I would like to provide you with some updates since our last bi-weekly correspondence.

MSD TO BEGIN TEMPERATURE CHECKS

As we continue to deal with the spread of COVID-19, we remain focused on the health and safety of our coworkers and our community. Today we are sharing an additional step we are taking to promote a safe and healthy workplace.

In an effort to ensure that employees are healthy when they arrive at work, we will begin temperature checks at worksites. Anyone registering a temperature over the CDC-recommended 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit will be asked to return home and only come back to work after having gone three days without a fever.

Employees who register a temperature below 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit will be given a sticker to indicate they have had their temperature screened and will be free to move between MSD facilities.

To allow for social distancing, employees will remain in their vehicle throughout the temperature check process. Employees will not be required to arrive at work early to complete the temperature check, however, employees must be in line for their temperature check by the start of their normal shift.

We will begin the rollout of this new measure next week and plan to have it in place at all MSD facilities by April 30.

Please keep in mind that this new measure does not replace the need to continue practicing social distancing and maintaining good personal hygiene. Please continue to wash your hands regularly, keep six feet of separation, follow local and state stay at home orders, and inform MSD of any potential exposure.

A MESSAGE FROM CEO BRIAN HOELSCHER ON MSD’S FINANCES

Employees,

Over the last month, we’ve watched the COVID-19 pandemic radically and quickly transform the world as we knew it. This health crisis presents a significant challenge because its impact extends beyond our health and into several areas of our lives.

You’ve likely read about the deep economic impact of COVID-19, and I want you to know that MSD is positioned to withstand this situation, so long as we take prudent steps to control expenditures now.

We are providing an essential service during this crisis, and our goal is to maintain our current service and staffing levels.

Senior staff has evaluated the potential impact on revenues for a one-year period based on the experiences of other wastewater utilities throughout the country and our own experiences here locally, such as the 2008-2009 economic downturn. Based on this analysis, we can maintain our service and staffing levels through this pandemic if we are smart with our expenditures over the next year.

We are taking measures to ensure that we can navigate the financial challenges ahead. I have asked all departments to limit the accumulation of comp time and the expenditure of overtime unless absolutely needed. I have also asked that they consider the use of multiple shifts, using shift differential pay instead of overtime if feasible. Finally, I am asking that all expenditures, that are not critical to district operations and can be delayed, be delayed. You may also see us take actions to address customer affordability issues, such as delays in scheduled rate increases.

Understand this: None of this works without the right people to pull it off, and I have always believed we have the right people. Our entire staff is always conscious of making sure we spend our customer’s money wisely, and it is that same commitment that will allow us to persevere together. If we continue to put the interests of our fellow employees and our customers first, we will be able to address the economic and safety issues of everyone at MSD. We will get through this.

I couldn’t be prouder of the work that each of you are doing to protect one another and our community. Thank you all for your efforts now and in the future.

Brian Hoelscher
Executive Director & CEO

CDC ISSUES NEW GUIDANCE FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS

As some of you may have heard, the CDC recently issued new guidelines for the safety of critical workers. I want you to know that we are aware of these new guidelines and are reviewing how they impact our current policies and procedures. We hope to have further updates on this next week.

STAFF SAFETY

In addition to checking employees’ temperatures each day, we continue to look for ways to keep employees safe while serving our customers, and we ask that you do the same. If you feel your work environment does not allow you to maintain social distancing or if you have a suggestion to improve your own safety or the safety of your coworkers, please talk to your supervisor or manager.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

UNTIL TUESDAY

Once again, I want to thank you all for your hard work and commitment through these tough times. As we all work to serve our customers, I will continue to serve you by providing timely and accurate information. Please share any questions or concerns with your supervisor or send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Thank you.

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Regular bi-weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last bi-weekly email.

EMAIL SENT APRIL 7, 2020 2:00 p.m.:

We recognize that you all have received a significant amount of information regarding COVID-19 recently. We ask that, at minimum, you review the “What’s New” section in each bi-weekly email to stay current on this rapidly evolving situation. Thank you.

WHATS NEW?

• Two MSD employees have tested positive for COVID-19. To protect the rights of the individuals involved, managers will inform employees at the locations involved. Find more in the email announcement from Brian Hoelscher on Monday, April 6.
• EPSLA and EFMLEA have been added to timecards for employees who qualify. Additional information on how to fill out your timecard or supplement pay under these acts is available below. Find more under “How to Fill Out Timecard…” below or contact Human resources at 314-768-6207.
• If you want to adjust your city earnings taxes due to altered working conditions, please talk to your manager. Find more under “City Earnings Tax Adjustments” below.
• Missouri Governor issued a statewide stay at home order effective through April 24. As will all other state and local orders, MSD employees are required to abide by this order. Find more under “Missouri Governor Issues Stay at Home Order” below.

Please note that the list above is only a brief overview of new information since our last bi-weekly correspondence. This is not meant to be a detailed explanation of each change, just a summary. Additional information and resources are available at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. Please submit questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

—–

Colleagues,

While we continue to work together to help our community through the COVID-19 pandemic, this past week brought that fight much closer to home. As Brian Hoelscher announced in an email yesterday, two MSD employees have tested positive for COVID-19.

We share this information in the spirit of transparency, but we also understand this can cause heightened anxiety. It is understandable if this news causes stress and concern. Please keep in mind that the use of paid time off and unpaid leave without penalty remains available for any employees concerned about being at work. If you are feeling sick, please stay home, notify your supervisor, and contact your healthcare provider.

Our team was prepared, and all appropriate steps were taken based on the recommended government guidelines. Along with taking every necessary precaution and following every protocol, we are deep cleaning all areas these employees were in contact with, in addition to the sanitizing and disinfecting that is being done several times a day throughout all locations.

I, along with the entire MSD family, extend my support to these employees, their families, and our whole community.

We are living in a time of high stress and uncertainty, but it is also a time when the work we do is most critical. I am not alone in being grateful for the work you are doing. We have received several letters, emails, and social media posts thanking you all. I would like to share one such letter from State Representative Tommie Pierson, Jr.

LETTER OF THANKS FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE TOMMIE PIERSON, JR.

Mr. Hoelscher,

We are facing a crisis that our world, nation, state, and community have never seen before. COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the lives, health, and routines of us all. There are those in certain professions who have been steadfast through all of the chaos. You and your colleagues, along with our other first responders, have kept our communities safe. On behalf of my family and constituents of North St. Louis County, we THANK YOU!

As we get through this, and we will get through this, please do not hesitate to let me know how we can best support you and your team.

Sincerely,

Tommie Pierson, Jr.
State Representative

HOW TO FILL OUT TIMECARD FOR EPSLA/EFMLA LEAVE

As of April 1, the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Act (EFMLA) provide additional leave options for employees impacted by COVID-19.

To qualify for this leave, employees must first be approved by calling MSD’s FMLA source at 1-877-462-3652.

Beginning on this week’s timecard, employees who qualify for either of the above leave options will see a new dropdown option on their timecard. Please find additional information on qualification criteria as well as how to complete your timecard on the attached EPSLA EFMLA Timecard Info document.

Under certain conditions, EPSLA and EFMLA pay employees at a reduced rate of their usual pay. Employees in these situations have the option to supplement their pay by using their accrued leave. If you qualify for EPSLA or EFMLA at a reduced rate and would like to supplement your paycheck, please complete the attached Emergency Paid Sick Leave Supplement Selection Form and return it to Human Resources at payroll@stlmsd.com.

CITY EARNINGS TAX ADJUSTMENTS

We continue to monitor the MSDCorona@stlmsd.com inbox and use those questions to update the FAQ document. Thank you to everyone who has submitted questions.

We recently received a question about how working from home impacts city earnings tax for employees who work in St. Louis City and reside outside of the city. This issue is being handled and tracked by each department. If you are interested in adjusting your city earnings tax payments due to these circumstances, please talk to your manager.

MISSOURI GOVERNOR ISSUES STAY AT HOME ORDER

As many of you may have heard, Governor Mike Parson issued a stay at home order for the state of Missouri effective April 6 through April 24. As with all other state and local orders, MSD employees are required to abide by this order. Employees who violate any stay at home order for any reason other than outlined exemptions will be required to take two weeks leave before returning to work.

STAFF SAFETY AND DENSITY REDUCTION

The health and safety of our employees remains a top priority. Among other efforts to reduce potential exposure, we continue to look for ways to reduce daily density in our office locations. As of March 27, we had reached our immediate goal of reducing office daily density by 50 percent, which allows us to comply with CDC’s Guidance for Businesses and Employers.

Much of the essential work we do cannot be done from home. We have implemented several preventative health measures for employees across the district including increasing the intensity and frequency of cleaning and adjusting operations to ensure the recommended social distancing guidelines. We will continue to follow official recommendations and look for additional ways to keep employees safe, and we ask that you all do the same. Please continue to maintain appropriate hygiene practices, follow social distancing guidelines, abide by the mandates in the stay-at-home orders, and inform MSD of any potential exposure inside or outside the workplace.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

UNTIL FRIDAY

My commitment to you remains to communicate openly, accurately, and frequently. As we have additional information, you will be the first to know. I also encourage you to share your questions or concerns with your supervisor or send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Thank you for your support and help in keeping yourself and your co-workers safe in these uncertain and unprecedented times.

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Email from CEO Brian Hoelscher updating employees on two employees who tested positive for coronavirus as well as the Missouri Governor’s statewide stay at home order.

EMAIL SENT APRIL 6, 2020 9:25 a.m.:

Good Morning Employees,

I would like to inform you of two important developments that are affecting our MSD family:

1. Direct impact on some our MSD employees.
2. The state-wide-order recently issued by Missouri Governor Mike Parson.

Yesterday (Sunday) we were informed that two employees tested positive for the coronavirus.

To protect the rights of the individuals involved, but at the same time be transparent with the employees, the managers of the locations involved will inform those employees that their location was impacted.

Please note the information below along with additional steps we are taking to ensure the health and safety of our team.

Site #1

• The individual at Site #1 has not been at work for the past 10 calendar days.
• With the positive test, this individual will not report to their work location for the next two weeks.
• 3 other individuals who worked with this employee have also not been at work for the past 10 calendar days.
• These 3 individuals will not report to work for the rest of this week.
• Additional cleaning will be done today at the specific employee work locations affected.

Site #2

• The individual at Site #2 has not been at work for the past 11 calendar days.
• With the positive test, this individual will not report to their work location for the next two weeks.
• 2 other individuals who worked with this employee report back to work next week.
• These 2 individuals will not report to work for the rest of this week.
• Additional cleaning will be done today at the specific employee work locations affected.

Again, please respect the privacy of the employees involved when communicating with your fellow employees.

Finally, the recent order by the Governor of Missouri that take effect today joins similar restrictions that were imposed by the Governor of Illinois.

This does not change the work situation at MSD but does guarantee that all MSD personnel are under essentially the same requirements in their personal lives, no matter where you live. Additional information on this will be included in the Tuesday communication.

However, I do want to take this time to ask employees to notify their Managers/Directors if they find that the distancing/hygiene measures taken by MSD have been difficult to follow so we can make any needed improvements.

Brian

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director & CEO

Regular bi-weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last bi-weekly email.

EMAIL SENT APRIL 3, 2020 12:50 p.m.:

We recognize that you all have received a significant amount of information regarding COVID-19 recently. We ask that, at minimum, you review the “What’s New” section in each bi-weekly email to stay current on this rapidly evolving situation. Thank you.

WHATS NEW?

• EPSLA and EFMLEA both went into effect on April 1, providing additional leave options for employees. For more information, please look for your specific situation in the “How will I be paid if impacted by COVID-19?” document or contact Human resources at 314-768-6207.
• Visitor access at Market Street is now restricted to a designated area in the front lobby. Employees will need to use the rear entrance or the door on the right at the front entrance to access the building. Find more under “Market Street Restricts Public Access” below.
• Louis County Department of Public Health initiated a new Rapid Notification Order to accelerate the official notification process for COVID-19 test results. Find more under “St. Louis County Initiates Rapid Notification System” below.
• We are looking into delays regarding changes to deferred compensation contributions and hope to have more information by next Friday. Find more under “We are looking into Deferred Compensation Change Delays” below.

Please note that the list above is only a brief overview of new information since our last bi-weekly correspondence. This is not meant to be a detailed explanation of each change, just a short summary.

 

Colleagues,

As we continue to work together to serve the St. Louis region through this unfamiliar situation, I would like to share the following updates with you.

WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION ON EPSLA & EFMLEA

As a reminder, the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) went into effect on April 1. These acts provide leave options if you are diagnosed with COVID-19, required to quarantine or isolate due to possible exposure, or need to care for a loved one.

Please note that qualifications and benefits vary depending on different situations. If you believe you qualify for these benefits, please look for your specific situation in the “How will I be paid if impacted by COVID-19?” document created by Human Resources to find more information. If you have questions about your specific situation, please direct them to Human Resources at 314-768-6207.

MARKET STREET RESTRICTS PUBLIC ACCESS

In our continuing effort to protect employees while still serving our customers, MSD has closed the cashier window and restricted public access at the Market Street office. Visitors access is limited to the revolving doors at the front entrance through which they will have restricted access the designated visitor area in the front lobby. This area will allow members of the public to deliver packages, drop off bids, and make payments using a drop box, however, they will not have access to the rest of the building.

With these measures in place, employees who enter the Market Street office through the front entrance will need to use the door on the right as you face the building. As a reminder, both this door and the rear entrance require swiping an employee ID to enter.

Although the cashier window is closed, there are several other ways customers can pay bills including the online bill-pay portal or the designated drop box. Employees can also sign up to have their bill automatically withdrawn from their paycheck or use interoffice mail to deliver a check to the cashier.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY INITIATES RAPID NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

This week, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health initiated a new Rapid Notification Order to accelerate the official notification process for COVID-19 test results in St. Louis County. Here is an excerpt from their recent COVID-19 update:

The St. Louis County Department of Public Health’s Rapid Notification Order goes into effect today, April 2, 2020. The order is intended to enhance and accelerate the notification process and minimize confusion. Ultimately, the order will result in DPH being able to save lives while providing the public with the best information available as expeditiously as possible.

As previously noted, DPH will require any laboratory company or healthcare provider who receives a positive test result for COVID-19 to report that finding to DPH immediately, but not later than six hours after notification of the result. Additionally, healthcare providers will be required to report a death, if that death is caused by or from complications of COVID-19, to DPH immediately, but not later than twenty-four hours after the time of such death. Furthermore, negative test results will also have to be submitted immediately, but not later than twenty-four hours after notification of the result.

If both positive and negative results are being reported in a systematic fashion, DPH will eventually have the ability to report the overall amount of tests being administered with confidence. This is a benchmark DPH is striving for.

The Rapid Notification Order is attached and can also be viewed at www.stlcorona.com.  

NOTE FROM BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Chairman Yates asked that we share the following message to MSD employees:

I would like to thank you for your exceptional dedication to serving the St. Louis region as we work through this unprecedented situation. We are all coping with the uncertainty of not knowing how long it will be before we return to “normal.” That you continue to move ahead in your work under such extraordinary circumstances is a tribute to each one of you and your character, your values, your strength and your commitment to MSD’s critical role in the well-being of our customers and our communities. Because of your dedication, MSD’s customers have one less thing to feel uncertain about in these unsettling times. On behalf of myself and the entire Board of trustees, thank you.

WE ARE LOOKING INTO DEFERRED COMPENSATION CHANGE DELAYS

We have received questions from employees about delays in adjusting their deferred compensation retirement plans. We are working with Vanguard to determine the cause of the delay and hope to have more information prior to next Friday’s communication.

TRAVEL AND MEETING POLICY STILL IN PLACE

As a reminder MSD has cancelled all outside meetings, activities, and travel without authorization from your department director through May 25. Employees are also required to follow local stay-at-home orders when not at work. We will continue to monitor the situation and update these policies as necessary.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Regular bi-weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last bi-weekly email.

EMAIL SENT MARCH 31, 2020 12:55 p.m.:

We recognize that you all have received a significant amount of information regarding COVID-19 recently. We ask that, at minimum, you review the “What’s New” section in each bi-weekly email to stay current on this rapidly evolving situation. Thank you.

WHATS NEW?

• Employees are NOT required to exhaust all their time accrual balances before leveraging the benefits outlined in Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) or Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA). Find more on the FAQ Document.
• Employees can sell-back all vacation balances above the 10-day minimum balance through the end of the calendar year (December 18, 2020). Find more on the FAQ Document.
• The Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act has two pay caps. Find more on the FAQ Document.
• Dependent care deductions to an FSA can be altered. Find more on the FAQ Document.
• No employee has tested positive or been exposed to anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Find more under “No employees have known exposure to COVID-19” below.
• All policies regarding social distancing, local stay-at-home orders, and employee travel remain in effect through Memorial Day. Although federal guidelines for social distancing were recently extended through the end of May, MSD’s policies remain in place through Memorial Day. Find more under “Policies Remain in Place through Memorial Day” below.
• Employees may wear casual dress beginning April 6.Regular rules for Casual Dress Days as outlined in the Dress Code and Personal Appearance Policy still apply.

Please note that the list above is only a brief overview of new information since our last bi-weekly correspondence. This is not meant to be a detailed explanation of each change, just a short summary.

—–

Colleagues,

In our ongoing effort to keep you informed of new developments as we continue to serve our customers through this pandemic, please find the most recent updates since our last bi-weekly email below.

THREE NEW POLICY UPDATES SINCE TUESDAY

We continue to monitor the MSDCorona@stlmsd.com inbox and use those questions to update the FAQ document. Thank you to everyone who has submitted questions. Based on those questions, we have several policy updates since last week:

• Several people asked whether employees needed to exhaust accrued leave before using leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) or the Emergency Family Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA). No, eligible employees are NOT required to extinguish their accruals before leveraging available leave under EPSLA or EFMLEA. More information on eligibility is available in the leave overview document
• MSD will relax the current restriction on vacation sell back. The requirement for the remainder of this calendar year will be that employees may sell back all but 2 weeks of vacation balance. Tracey Coleman will address this in more detail by a separate communication.
• While this is not a policy change, we also received a question about employees wanting to change Flexible Spending Account deductions for dependent care due to schools and daycares being closed. Dependent care can be altered with a qualified life change. Please find more information on qualifying life changes in the FAQ document. If you would like to change your FSA deductions for dependent care, complete the “Change in Life Event” form located on Inside MSD and return it to benefits@stlmsd.com.

NO EMPLOYEES HAVE KNOWN EXPOSURE TO COVID-19

Yesterday, I sent an email, from Brian Hoelscher, clarifying some rumors employees may have heard. I want to reiterate that MSD leadership continues to monitor developments, and to the best of our knowledge, no employee has tested positive or been exposed to anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

POLICIES REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH MEMORIAL DAY

As many of you know, the President recently extended federal social distancing recommendations through the end of April. Please keep in mind, this does not change our current policies regarding social distancing, local stay-at-home orders, and employee travel.

• Employees are still encouraged to practice social distancing and personal hygiene best practices both at home and at the workplace.
• Employees are still required to follow all local stay-at-home orders. Employees who violate these orders will be required to take two weeks of leave before returning to work.
• MSD has cancelled all travel without authorization from your department director through May 25.

EMPLOYEES MAY WEAR CASUAL DRESS BEGINNING MONDAY, APRIL 6

Beginning next Monday, MSD will relax office dress code and allow for casual dress until further notice. Regular rules for Casual Dress Days as outlined in the Dress Code and Personal Appearance Policy still apply.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

UNTIL FRIDAY

Thank you again for your dedicated service to the St. Louis region.

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Email from CEO Brian Hoelscher.

EMAIL SENT MARCH 30, 2020 1:00 p.m.:

Employees, there have been rumors spreading through the District that an MSD employee has tested positive for the coronavirus. Those rumors are false. As we have done in the past, MSD will continue to make sure that those individuals who feel they have been in contact with another individual who may be infected will be sent home for 14 days after the contact.

If an MSD employee is found to be infected with novel coronavirus, MSD will take the appropriate actions to quarantine individuals who may have been in contact with that person as well as disinfecting those parts of the workplace that have been impacted. Fortunately, that has not happened as of today.

Please remember that the only way MSD can successfully get through this pandemic is if employees think about their fellow employees by maintaining appropriate social distancing in their personal lives, stay at home if they have any symptoms similar to COVID-19, or notify us if you believe you have been in contact with someone who may have the novel coronavirus so we can make sure you stay at home for an appropriate period of time.

Thanks to everyone for helping all of MSD’s employees get through this pandemic.

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director & CEO

Regular bi-weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last bi-weekly email.

EMAIL SENT MARCH 27, 2020 11:53 a.m.:

We recognize that you all have received a significant amount of information regarding COVID-19 recently. We ask that, at minimum, you review the “What’s New” section in each bi-weekly email to stay current on this rapidly evolving situation. Thank you.

WHATS NEW?

• All information on leave related to COVID-19 can be found in the “How will I be paid if impacted by Covid-19?” document created by Human Resources. Find more on the “How will I be Paid…” Document.
• Staying at a weekend home is equivalent to staying at home as long as it results in no additional potential exposure. MSD may still take action if the weekend home is in a publicized hot spot as determined solely by MSD. Find more on the FAQ Document.
• Employees with health issues that make them particularly susceptible to the effects of COVID-19 are eligible for up to twelve weeks of leave under FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) with doctor approval. Find more on the FAQ Document.
• Senate approves CARES ACT. Find more under “We’re Monitoring the Stimulus Bill” below.
• All Board of Trustee meetings will be streamed beginning with next Tuesday’s Committee meetings. Find more under “Board Meetings Will Be Streamed” below.

Please note that the list above is only a brief overview of new information since our last bi-weekly correspondence. This is not meant to be a detailed explanation of each change, just a short summary.

—–

Colleagues,

As we continue to work together to navigate this unprecedented situation, I would like to remind you all of our goal – to ensure our community continues to receive our vital service while working together to keep ourselves, our coworkers, and our community healthy. We can only achieve this goal by working together, and I thank you all for doing your part. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed.

Message from Brian Hoelscher:

I want to personally thank you all for your dedication to the St. Louis community during these unfamiliar times. Our customers are relying on us to continue providing a vital service, and you have all demonstrated an extraordinary level of commitment. As I and the rest of our leadership team take action to follow best practices for employee safety while still ensuring service to our customers, I want to remind you that we all play a critical role in keeping each other healthy. For the sake of your fellow coworkers, please continue to follow stay at home practices when not at work and observe social distancing practices while at work. Now more than ever, we must all be mindful not only of ourselves, but of each other as we work together to serve our community through this difficult time.

POLICY UPDATES SINCE TUESDAY

Thank you to everyone who has submitted questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com. We are reviewing all questions and answering them as quickly as we can. We are also using these questions to update the FAQ document as appropriate. After every update, we are adding a brief note to the “What’s New” section at the top of the document and adjusting the “Last Updated Date” for all updated questions. To make it easier to find changes, we are also highlighting all new updates since the last bi-weekly correspondence.

We recognize that with the changing situations, there has been what feels like an overabundance of new information. We are doing our best to communicate it clearly and concisely. If you do nothing else, please pay attention to the “What’s New” section at the top of each bi-weekly email and review the highlighted sections on the FAQ document on Tuesdays and Fridays. And as always, continue to send your questions to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

WE’RE MONITORING THE STIMULUS BILL

On Wednesday, March 25, the Senate approved the CARES Act.  This is the $2 trillion emergency stimulus bill to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.  The bill is now with the House of Representatives and could be voted on as early as today (Friday).  As things evolve with the CARES Act, we will keep you updated.

BOARD MEETINGS WILL BE STREAMED

In order to maintain social distancing guidelines, we will be streaming all Board of Trustee meetings beginning with next Tuesday’s Committee meetings. Please look for additional details on how to view the streamed meetings in an email to follow.

PLEASE CONTINUE SOCIAL DISTANCING

We have met our stated immediate goal of reducing daily density in our office locations by 50 percent. We will continue to look for other ways to reduce potential exposure for employees.

As a reminder, please continue to do your best to maintain social distancing guidance. The CDC recommends everyone maintain at least six feet of distance when possible. These guidelines apply not only during regular office activities, but also to meetings, lunch breaks, and even during outdoor walks.

STAY INFORMED

As always, please find the most up-to-date information on the website at www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona. There you will find the most recently updated FAQ document, all COVID-19 emails, and a list of printable resources. If you have additional questions, please send them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com.

UNTIL TUESDAY

Once again, I thank you all for your dedication to your community and your coworkers. We all play an essential role in helping our region and each other through this extreme situation, and I cannot thank you enough for the extraordinary commitment you continue to demonstrate. Thank you.

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

An email from Sean Hadley with information from Human Resources on questions related to employee leave.

EMAIL SENT MARCH 26, 2020 7:37 a.m.:

Dear Colleagues,

Many of you have had questions about the impacts of leave related to care for oneself, family members, employees who have not accrued sick leave, and employees without access to their regular childcare. Attached is a document from Human Resources that should answer those questions. Please take a moment to review it and if you have any questions please feel free to email: msdcorona@stlmsd.com or contact Human Resources.

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Regular bi-weekly email from Sean Hadley overviewing new information since the last bi-weekly email.

EMAIL SENT MARCH 24, 2020 12:21 p.m.:

WHAT’S NEW:

• Stay-at-home orders: All employees are required to abide by local “stay-at-home” and “shelter in place” orders. Employees who violate these orders will be required to take two weeks leave before returning to work. These orders exempt travel related to work. See Brian Hoelscher’s 3/23/20 email.
• Employee letter: Please print the letter from Brian Hoelscher exempting MSD employees from shelter in place or stay at home orders for work activities. Carry this letter with you during your commute and during any travel throughout your workday. See Brian Hoelscher’s 3/23/20 email.
• Employee travel: Local orders prohibit all non-essential travel. Employees who violate these orders will be required to take two weeks leave before returning to work. These orders exempt travel related to work.
• COVID-19 Website: Please use www.MSDProjectClear.org/msdcorona for web updates moving forward. See “Communication Channels” below.
• Proposition Y: Proposition Y has been exempted from the upcoming election. See “Proposition Y” below.
• Late Fees Waived: Late fees for MSD bills due through June 30, 2020 are waived for all accounts that have not been in a delinquent status within the last 90 days. See “Late Fees Waived” below.

Please note that the list above is only a brief overview of new information since our last bi-weekly correspondence. This is not meant to be a detailed explanation of each change, just a short summary.

—–

Colleagues,

I would like to start by thanking you all for your patience and flexibility during these uncertain times. We are navigating uncharted territory, and as I am sure you are aware, information is changing rapidly. We in Public Affairs are working fervently to inform you about these changes as quickly as possible, and we appreciate your understanding and patience.

Prior Correspondences

Since our last bi-weekly email, you have received two correspondences: one from me on Friday afternoon, and one from Brian Hoelscher yesterday afternoon. I have attached those emails for your reference.

I have also added a “What’s New” section at the top of my email summarizing new information since our last bi-weekly correspondence. This is meant to be a brief overview of new information, not a detailed explanation of policy. Please review the “What’s New” section, and if you haven’t done so, please read Brian’s email from yesterday.

Communication Channels

Website: We are aware of issues with the COVID-19 page on the MSDProjectClear website and are currently working on a solution. Moving forward, please use www.MSDProjectClear.org/MSDCorona for web updates moving forward.

FAQ Document: Since last Friday, several government agencies have issued new orders in response to COVID-19. These orders have resulted in policy changes to paid leave, travel, and employee activities outside of work. While these policy changes were included in Brian’s email yesterday, we are working to update the FAQ document to reflect those changes. The current FAQ document has a “last updated” date of 03/20/2020, which you can find at the top of the page. Please look for a revised document with a more recent published date for current policy.

MSDcorona email: Thank you to employees who have sent your questions to MSDcorona@stlmsd.com. Due to the specificity of some questions and the fluidity of the situation, we may not be able to answer every inquiry in detail at this time, but all inquiries are being reviewed. Please continue to use this channel for official COVID-19 questions.

Proposition Y

MSD filed petitions to both the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County courts on Monday, March 23. Both courts agreed with our petition below:

1. Prop Y be removed from the general municipal election ballot, if such removal can be accomplished without unreasonably difficulty and not less than eight weeks before the date of the general municipal election;
2. In the alternative, the Election Board shall not count any votes cast on MSD Proposition Y in the general municipal election scheduled for June 2, 2020, and including as said election rescheduled

This means that Prop Y will not be included in the June 2020 election, but will appear on the April 2021 ballot.

Late Fees Waived

In order to assist our customers during these challenging times, the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) will waive late fees for MSD bills due during the period March 23, 2020 through June 30, 2020 for all accounts that have not been in a delinquent status within the last 90 days. In addition, we are also continuing our commitment to working with customers who may have difficulty paying their wastewater bills by encouraging them to apply for our customer assistance program. Customers that qualify can have their sewer bills reduced by 50%. Information regarding the program can be found on our website at https://msdprojectclear.org/customers/billing/customer-assistance-program/.

Until Friday

Thank you again for your patience as we in Public Affairs work to keep you informed, for your commitment to our community as we work together to ensure continued service, and your vigilance in doing your part to keep yourself, your coworkers, and your community healthy.

Thanks,

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Email from CEO Brian Hoelscher regarding local Shelter in Place and Stay-at-Home orders, efforts to reduce workplace density, and impacts on district revenue.

EMAIL SENT MARCH 23, 2020 4:22 p.m.:

Employees,

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all of you for your dedication to serving our customers and our community during this unprecedented situation. During these are extraordinary times we are all in this together and we will get through it by working together.

Since our last communication on Friday, several changes have occurred at national, state, and local levels. I would like to update you on how those changes impact district policy:

• During the afternoon of Friday, March 20, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, issued a “stay-at-home” order which took effect on Saturday, March 21, 2020.
• Saturday, March 21, Mayor Lyda Krewson and County Executive Dr. Sam Page issued “stay-at-home” orders which took effect today, Monday, March 23.
• St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann did not issue a “stay-at-home” order but did issue a limit on social gatherings that took effect Friday, March 20. County Executive Ehlmann also said that “St. Charles officials will continue to recommend residents stay at home except to go work or procure the services they feel are essential.”
• Jefferson County Executive Dennis Gannon issued a “stay-at-home” order Monday, March 23, that takes effect Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

All MSD employees are required to abide by these directives or recommendations outlined in the documents attached. Employees who violate this order for any reason other than the outlined exemptions below will be required to take two weeks leave before returning to work. Employees will be allowed to use paid leave during their absence, and any employee without the necessary amount of paid leave will be required to take unpaid leave without penalties.

The stay-at-home orders have an exemption for essential workers which includes MSD employees. The order also lists several permissible activities outside the home such as going to the grocery store, pharmacy, doctor’s office, hospital, laundromat, bank, gas station, public parks, and restaurants for carryout food. This order is in effect through April 22. Thank you in advance for following this order.

As you all know, we provide an essential service to our community. It is crucial that we continue to provide an acceptable level of service, especially at a time when the failure of any of our systems or slow reaction times to flood or heavy rain events can be catastrophic to our customers also dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Our customers need us now more than ever, and we stay committed to them as we come together as a community to address this public health threat.

Our local and state leaders have demonstrated that they also understand the vital nature of the services we provide. Both the stay-at-home order issued in St. Louis City and St. Louis County, as well as the shelter in place order issued by the Governor of Illinois, include exemptions for utilities and governmental agencies that allow us to continue serving our community. Further, the shelter in place order specifically exempts work related to critical infrastructure such as our Capital Improvement and Replacement program. This work is not only required by our consent decree, but it is also crucial to the health of our community and our local water environment.

To ensure we can continue providing these vital services, I have attached a letter asking any official enforcing the above orders to allow MSD employees to continue necessary work-related travel. Please print this letter and carry it with you during your commute and during any travel throughout your workday.

While it is essential that we continue serving our customers, we have taken action and continue to investigate ways to decrease the daily density at our office facilities. We must consider not only workspaces, but the number of people using bathrooms, hallways, stairwells, lunchrooms, meeting rooms, and other common spaces. Our immediate goal is a 50% reduction through requiring employees to work at home, share shifts, alternate days, etc.

In addition, we are also taking steps to decrease the daily density at our system facilities such as eliminating group meetings at the Plants and staggering start and end times for the Yards.

Our management team will continue to look for ways to minimize the number of employees in our facilities while ensuring we continue to provide our customers with this essential service. We all play a crucial role in keeping our community and our coworkers healthy. Our measures to reduce density along with your disinfection protocols only work if we all do our part. This includes maintaining appropriate hygiene practices,  following social distancing guidelines, abiding by  the mandates in the local stay-at-home order, and  informing MSD of any potential exposure outside the workplace.

There is another item that staff should be aware of. This pandemic, as it has in other parts of the country already, will decrease our monthly revenues due to higher delinquencies and lower measured water usage. MSD’s goal is to maintain the current level of staffing through this emergency without lay-offs. You will find management reducing our expenses by limiting overtime and comp time except in only the most needed circumstances as well as reducing outside vendor expenses where possible.

You have all shown extraordinary effort to date to help us get through this crisis. I thank each one of you for your profound dedication to your community and your coworkers – even in these extreme circumstances.

Brian Hoelscher
Executive Director & CEO

Email from Sean Hadley regarding the Shelter in Place order issued in Illinois.

EMAIL SENT MARCH 20, 2020 3:45 p.m.:

To All MSD District Employees,

We continue to monitor the recent  and rapidly changing developments with regards to the COVID 19 pandemic.  Around 3pm the Governor of Illinois issued an order for Illinois residents to “shelter in place” starting at 5pm on Saturday, March 21 until April 7^th.  In the order the Governor outlined the following:

• Essential workers asked to continue work, mentioned utilities.
• All non-essential business must stop and work from home if they must
• Enforcement means being good citizens
• Law enforcement monitoring, action only as necessary

MSD is considered an “ESSENTIAL” services provider, which means all MSD employees should report to your normal work location, or alternate work location, as previously determined and scheduled with your supervisor.   If you have any questions or concerns you should contact your immediate supervisor.

Email message from Sean Hadley with details on MSD’s COVID-19 communication channels and a message from Brian Hoelscher.

EMAIL SENT MARCH 20, 2020 9:30 a.m.:

***PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS AND/OR PRINT IT AND TAKE IT HOME WITH YOU FOR FUTURE ACCESS***

Dear colleagues,

I recognize that we are all monitoring the development of the coronavirus pandemic with feelings of concern and uncertainty. We are all in uncharted territory, not just here at MSD but across the globe. Our priorities, however, are simple: protect our staff and ensure the essential services we provide are not interrupted.

In line with those priorities, our objective in Public Affairs is to keep our customers and employees informed during these uncertain times. As such, we will be sending regular communication on Tuesday and Friday mornings regarding MSD’s COVID-19 policies.

In addition to those communications, we have also established three channels employees can use to stay informed during this evolving situation:

• A list of Frequently Asked Questions and an email address to submit additional questions (MSDCorona@stlmsd.com).
• A private page on the MSD Project Clear website with all communication related to COVID-19.
• A page on the employee intranet with all communication related to COVID-19.

Please find additional information about these channels and instructions on how to access them below the brief message from Brian Hoelscher.

A message from Brian Hoelscher

Employees,

Please note this new Covid-19 communication platform. Among other things it will archive all past communications, provide access to outside sources of information such as Public Health Departments, provide a list of frequently asked questions, and provide a portal for employees to ask additional questions. Starting today, a new posting will be published every Tuesday and Friday until further notice. Also please feel free to make suggestions on additional content to be included. Again, I ask all individuals to remember that the key to making MSD employees safe are the actions of the employees themselves. MSD is doing everything we can to make sure we continue to maintain current staffing levels and provide an acceptable level of service, but we cannot do that without the help of our employees. Just so you know, MSD is currently working on determining how to maintain operations in light of the inevitable decrease in revenues occurring from this event. We are also working to make sure that all MSD employees that must report to the normal worksite will be allowed to do so. Finally, we will be formalizing employee notification of potentially significant contacts made outside of the workplace so that appropriate action can be taken. More information on those items later. Thanks again to all of the employees in thinking of their fellow employees.

Brian

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director and CEO
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District

Please find additional information on the COVID-19 communication channels as well as instructions on how to access these channels from work and from home below.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
URL: bit.ly/38Z5rql

We are centralizing all policy-related information in a “Frequently Asked Questions” document and will update it on an ongoing basis. When you click on the document, it will download as a PDF. You may have to approve the download by clicking “open” or “save” at the bottom of your browser page.

PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT TO FIND THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION REGARDING MSD’S COVID-19 POLICIES. This document will also be posted in the MSD Project Clear Website (see below) and included in our regular communication.

The document is housed on Dropbox. Please note that you DO NOT need a Dropbox account to access the document.

If you have questions about MSD’s policies as they relate to the COVID-19 response, please submit them to MSDCorona@stlmsd.com. Due to the fluidity of this situation, we may not be able to answer every question at this time, but all inquiries will help us assess the developing concerns.

WEBSITE
URL: bit.ly/2QvfBso

To ensure employees have access to the most recent information in a situation that can evolve rapidly, we have established a private page on the website where all communication regarding COVID-19 will be posted in a chronological order. This page will also have access to the most recent version of the FAQ document.

This page is private and is not searchable. As such, you will need to click on the above link and/or type the above URL into your web browser to access this page.

INTRANET
URL: insidemsd/director/Pages/COVID19.aspx (only accessible from MSD network)

In addition to the website page, the FAQ document and all previous COVID-19 communication will also be posted in chronological order on the intranet. Please note that this page is only accessible if you are connected to the MSD network.

ACCESSING INFORMATION

As noted at the top of the email, I recommend that you forward this email to your personal email address and/or print it and take it home with you. This email includes links to important resources for staying informed while you are at work or at home. If you are using a printed version of this email, you can type in the below URLs into any web browser to access each resource:

• FAQ document: bit.ly/38Z5rql
• Web page: bit.ly/2QvfBso
• Employee intranet page: insidemsd/director/Pages/COVID19.aspx (only accessible from MSD network)

In addition, I would like to remind employees that you can access your MSD email from home.

If you are using VPN through an MSD laptop, you can access our email the same way you would from the office.

You can also access MSD email from any web browser or personal device. The process is different for those who have been migrated to Office 365 and those who have not.

To access MSD email with Office 365:

Through a web browser –

• Step 1: Go to www.office.com in your web browser.
• Step 2: Sign in using your MSD credentials

Using the Outlook App –

• Step 1: Search and install the ‘Microsoft Outlook’ app from the App Store/Google Play Store
• Step 2: Open the app and sign in using your MSD credentials

You can adjust the settings to send notifications straight to your phone like you normally would with any other app. You do not need to log in every time to access new emails as they will be sent to you like any other message.

To access MSD email without Office 365:

• Step 1: Open any browser and enter “msdmail.stlmsd.com” into the address bar
• Step 2: Enter in your MSD username and password
• Step 3: Click the link that pops up on the next screen to access your inbox (on some devices, you will be required to enter in your email and password 1 more time)
• Step 4: Enter in your full MSD email and password and access your inbox
  Since this is through your browser, you will not receive notifications for new emails so make sure to periodically sign in and check your inbox.

If you have questions about accessing your email through your web browser, contact the IT service desk at (314) 768-6330 or itservicedesk@stlmsd.com.

UNTIL NEXT TUESDAY

I would like to thank you all for your patience and flexibility during these turbulent times. This is an evolving situation, and we will work with our internal team and partner agencies to provide updated information as it becomes available. Information may change over time; please use the above resources to find the most recent information.

Thank you all for your vigilance and commitment to keeping our team and our community healthy and safe. Your individual actions can help curb the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to closely monitor this situation and make updates as needed to ensure we are doing everything we can for our customers, employees and community.

Sean Hadley
Manager of Public Affairs

Email message from CEO Brian Hoelscher informing employees about upcoming communications, postponement of the Proposition Y vote, policies regarding childcare, and the District’s financial status.

EMAIL SENT MARCH 17, 2020 9:30 a.m.:

All Employees,

As with this entire situation, another change in plans, I am going to communicate with you one more time in this fashion.

I have information on four topics I want to pass on to you –

1. COMMUNICATIONS
   The next communication you receive will be produced by Public Affairs. It will be a formal communication that allows, among other things, retrieval of previous communications, access to outside information regarding COVID-19, as well as a question and answer (FAQ) portal. The first communication will come out at the end of this week.Starting next week, update meetings on the coronavirus response will be held on Monday and Thursday, with employee communications going out on Tuesday and Friday.
2. PROPOSITION Y
   Last night the Board of Trustees directed the staff to take measures with the Circuit Court that effectively pulls the Proposition Y ballot from the April 7 election.Because of the coronavirus response, staff has been unable to effectively educate the public on the details of the proposition. Also, we don’t believe it is appropriate for our customers to be forced to go to the polls for an MSD proposition that does not have to be held on April 7th.Because of how the rate proposal is developed, MSD has until the April 2021 election to ask the voters whether or not they want to authorize MSD additional bonding authority to pay for the next four years of the wastewater capital program.
3. CLOSING OF SCHOOLS AND DAYCARES
   For those of you with children 16 and under who are affected by the closure of schools and daycares, MSD has expanded how you can use paid leave to address this issue.Starting with the pay period beginning Saturday March 14th, we are treating this situation as a sickness in the family. You are no longer restricted to using only three (3) consecutive days of sick leave to care for the children for this purpose.In addition, paid sick leave used for this purpose will not count towards the five-day counseling requirement for the use of sick leave.We know that this will not address everyone’s concerns and we know that the execution of other provisions, such as work from home, could have an impact.As always, if you have a situation that you feel is not covered, please contact your Director or immediate Supervisor to investigate.
4. FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE DISTRICT
   As you can imagine, the coronavirus response has impacted our sister utilities in other locations such as the State of Washington. They have seen an increase in payment delinquencies and a reduction in billable water volumes. Throughout this entire action, MSD’s goal is to maintain an acceptable level of service, while maintaining its current staffing levels. This may result in some reduction in production.

To accomplish this, we are looking into at least the following measures –

• Use of overtime in only essential situations.
• Use of shift work in lieu of overtime when needed.
• Filling only critical vacant positions.
• A temporary reduction in CMOM/Asset Management Consent Decree related activities, both internal and contracted.
• If absolutely needed, reduction in cash funding of Consent Decree mandated capital work.

Remember, you owe it to your fellow employees to do your part in making this work.

Thank you,

Brian

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director and CEO
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District

Email message from CEO Brian Hoelscher.

EMAIL SENT MARCH 13, 2020 2:37 p.m.:

All Employees,

Please find below the final COVID-19 update I’ve forwarded via email.
Starting next week, MSD management will be sending communications to the employees by more comprehensive and permanent methods.

We will also be better formalizing our responses to this pandemic across the entire District.

Below are a few more items for you to consider as we continue to further prepare for the COVID-19 infection.

1. The most effective tool we have to help address the current situation is each MSD employee’s respect for their fellow workers.Though the following example is not something we can enforce at MSD, my preference would be that any employee who intentionally visits a coronavirus hot spot be required to use two weeks of personal vacation at home as self-quarantine after their trip, before returning to work. Again, this is not enforceable and not something MSD will do, but I think it does give some sense of how important the coronavirus situation is.
2. MSD will use to the full extent available for its sick employees including paid time off, FMLA leave, and 28-day leave.
3. If any healthy MSD employee is required, by an outside agent, to go into an enforced quarantine, that employee will be afforded the opportunity to work from home or paid administrative leave as the situation requires.
4. There are other employee situations that could arise from this pandemic. They will be addressed on a case by case basis.
5. MSD is reviewing options to decrease the density of employees in office settings, as well as, the start and end of the work day at field locations.

We hope to have more news on this next week.

MSD will track and comply with all requirements of Federal, State, and Local authorities.

Please feel free to contact your Director if you have any questions. We will continue to provide new information to the employees as the situation develops.

Thank You,

Brian

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director and CEO
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District

Email message from CEO Brian Hoelscher.

EMAIL SENT MARCH 11, 2020 9:11 a.m.:

Employees,

Please find additional/updated information.

Management will continue to forward information by extending the previous e-mail string, allowing you the ability to keep the latest e-mail with all information-

1. All outside travel is to be cancelled unless you have approval from your Department Director. This ban is currently effective thru Friday April 17, 2020 but may be extended in the future.
2. All outside group activities are to be cancelled, postponed, or not attended without Department Director approval. Examples include Trash Bash, Customer Assistance Program events, Home and Garden Shows, Employee Activity Committee events, etc. This ban is also effective thru April 17, 2020, but may be extended in the future. For now, meetings associated with the April 7th vote will continue.
3. All internal meetings should avoid face to face contact if at all possible. If meeting face to face, maintain a 6 foot spacing between participants. Meetings with outside customers should follow the same rule and make sure hand sanitizers, etc. are available at the meeting. Employee celebration activities such as birthdays, retirements, etc., should be cancelled or postponed.
4. Employees should avoid attending any and all Board meetings unless their attendance is mandatory. Staff will start making accommodations for Board members, staff, and the public starting with the Monday night Board meeting.
5. Sanitize all MSD work and pool vehicles before and after use.
6. Additional janitorial resources dedicated to disinfecting are being brought on board for all facilities.

Managers and employees, as before, please assist in making sure everyone has access to these messages as they go out.

Thank you,

Brian

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director and CEO
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District

Email message from CEO Brian Hoelscher.

EMAIL SENT MARCH 10, 2020 9:10 a.m.:

Good Morning,

All of us at MSD are committed to the health of our employees and our community.

We also take a proactive approach to communications about important issues, so we want you to know that we are closely monitoring the novel coronavirus, (COVID-19) outbreak.

This disease continues to generate concerns in the U.S. and around the world and as you probably know, at this time there is a presumptive positive case in St. Louis County.

It is more important than ever to be considerate of your fellow co-workers and not come to work if you are sick.

Please find attached information about the COVID-19 virus.

Thank you,

Brian Hoelscher

Brian Hoelscher, P.E.
Executive Director and CEO
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District