COVID Guidance
What it means to be COVID safe has changed following updates to health safety guidance and availability of vaccines and boosters.
Guidance on employee safety is focused on continued attention to prevention and on limiting COVID-19 exposure. To learn what you can do to keep yourself and others COVID Safe see detailed information in DHR’s Managing COVID-19 in the Workplace Guidance or check out the below sections for frequently asked questions from employees.
Am I up to date on my vaccinations?
COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are your primary defense against serious illness and hospitalization. Staying up to date on your vaccinations means receiving your primary vaccination and boosters, when eligible. Details on first and second booster eligibility can be found at https://sf.gov/information/get-your-booster .
- Don't have your booster? Make an appointment .
- Questions on the booster? Check out the Frequently Asked Questions .
All employees are encouraged to update their booster vaccination status in People and Pay. Review the detailed instructions .
Do I mask?
Masks are no longer required in most public indoor settings, but are still highly recommended. Your coworkers or the public may choose to continue to wear masks, even when they are not required. Please respect the choices others make for their health.
Using N95s/KN95s or a cloth mask over a surgical mask is the most effective. Employees may request a mask from their department. Review the updated City masking guidance .
All employees must mask after a shortened quarantine, a close contact exposure, or in an outbreak. Your department human resource professional will alert you if you fall under any of the above scenarios.
Feeling sick?
Do not come to work if feeling sick.
Employees are required to do a daily health screening for COVID-19 symptoms, but do not need to submit the answers. COVID symptoms include:
- Fever over 100.4° Fahrenheit
- Chills (shivering a lot)
- Cough
- Difficulty breathing
- Fatigue or soreness
- Loss of smell or taste
- Sore throat
- Headache
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Diarrhea, feeling sick to your stomach, or throwing up
If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, feel sick, or have a known COVID-19 exposure take a COVID-19 test. Find out more about your COVID-19 testing resource guide .
Unsure if you have COVID-19 symptoms? Call the 24 hour COVID-19 Nurse Advice Line at 1(855) 850-2249.
I’ve had a close contact with someone with COVID, now what?
A close contact is defined as being in shared indoor airspace for more than 15 minutes total over 24 hours with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 regardless of whether either party wore a face covering. After a close contact, if you do not have COVID-19 symptoms you should continue to work.
Following a close contact, all employees must wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure, monitor for any COVID symptoms and recommended to have a COVID-19 test between days 3-5 (ideally a rapid antigen test). Here are more information on COVID-19 testing and test availability .
Read more about the DHR’s Managing COVID-19 in the Workplace Guidance and additional information on what to do following exposure.
Departmental Personnel Officers are responsible for conducting the workplace contact tracing, for more information visit DHR's Workplace Contact Tracing guidance.
I have COVID, now what?
After a COVID-19 diagnosis, employees must quarantine for at least 5 days from the onset of symptoms or from the test date if they had no symptoms. Employees who have COVID must wear a mask for 10 days.
Additional guidance for employees following COVID-19 illness:
- Department of Public Health Isolation & Quarantine Guidance
- DHR’s Managing COVID-19 in the Workplace Guidance and information on returning to work following illness.
- Available leaves for city employees with COVID.
Test results must be uploaded by the employee in the self-service portal in People & Pay as soon as possible and before they return to the workplace. For employees without regular access to a computer or internet service, departments may assist the employee with uploading test results.
What do I do if there is an Outbreak (3 cases in 14 days) at my worksite?
An outbreak is more than 3 cases in 14 days at a worksite. In the case of an outbreak all employees at the worksite must wear a mask until there have been 14 days with no new infections, and test at least weekly.
For further guidance on outbreaks, read more about the Managing Outbreaks/Multiple Infections of COVID-19 .
What leaves do I use?
To support employees in staying safe and healthy, the below leave options have been made available.