Practice Safer Socialization

Latest Updates:

As City leaders continue to evaluate Key Health Indicators in our response to COVID-19 and take steps to cautiously reopen our City, it remains just as important that everyone continues to practice the basics: wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, wear a mask, cover your coughs and sneezes, avoid touching your face, contact your primary healthcare provider if you feel sick, and notify your supervisor and stay home if you are unwell.

Beyond the basics, is just as important to take stock of what we have learned over the past several months since the first Stay Home Order went into effect. During this time, we have developed robust policies, guiding documents, and resources to respond to the virus, many of which can be found below. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with these materials as they provide essential information to protecting yourselves, your loved ones, and your colleagues as we enter the next phases of our response to COVID-19.

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This webpage addresses:

Resources and Guidance for Employees

COVID-19 Safety Protocols in the Workplace

COVID-19 Employee Safety During Wildfire Smoke

Employee Resources

COVID-19 FAQs

  • Here is the Guidance for Employees of the City and County of San Francisco. Please visit the DHR Frequently Asked Questions page to find answers to questions about COVID-19.

DHR Newsletters

Messages from Mayor's Office

Telecommuting

The City will do all it can to minimize health risk for our employees, consistent with DPH recommendations and occupational health standards. Where a department determines it is possible, employees who can perform their work remotely are encouraged to telecommute. Some employees, including those in the vulnerable population, may not be able to telecommute because they need to be at work in order to provide critical city services, for example, health care workers, transit operators, or those serving as Disaster Service Workers. The City will take measures in the workplace to mitigate risks. The City is encouraging departments to temporarily expand the use of telecommuting, and to consider offering flexible start and end times for shifts during this period. As you know, not all City employees have jobs that are suited to telecommuting. Review the City telecommute policy and process here: https://sfdhr.org/telecommute.

Maintaining a Respectful Workplace and Equal Employment Opportunity

A person’s risk for COVID-19 is not based on race, ethnicity or culture. As a reminder, City employees must abide by the Respect in the Workplace policy, and treat colleagues and members of the public with courtesy and respect. Discrimination of any kind is a violation of the City's Equal Employment Opportunity policies and will not be tolerated.

The EEOC enforces workplace anti-discrimination laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and other workplace rights laws.

If you wish to file a complaint, please call the EEO Helpline at (415) 557-4900 or (415) 557-4810 (TTY). Please leave your name, best phone number to reach you, your department, and a brief message of your complaint. An EEO Investigator will call you within 48 hours to acknowledge receipt of your complaint. Thank you for your understanding during this health emergency.

COVID-19 Sick Leave, Emergency FMLA, or Vacation

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the City is committed to maintaining City employee income security to the fullest extent possible, and to providing additional resources to employees who are providing front-line services during the emergency.

Accordingly, as authorized in Mayor Breed’s Supplemental Proclamation dated March 31, 2020, the Human Resources Director and the Director of Transportation for SFMTA service critical employees are implementing the following emergency leave and benefit policy changes, effective April 1, 2020.

Staying Healthy & Vulnerable Populations

Staying Healthy

We advise City employees to take the following steps to protect themselves and their families from infection:

  1. Take preventive measures such as frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based sanitizer.
  2. Wear a mask. You can cover your nose and mouth with simple non-hospital grade facial coverings when leaving home for essential activities. Acceptable cloth facial coverings include bandanas, fabric masks and neck gaiters. Fabric covers and bandanas should be washed often and re-used.
  3. Cover your coughs and sneezes, avoid touching your face.
  4. Notify your supervisor and stay home if you are sick.
  5. Get your flu shot to protect against flu or symptoms similar to COVID-19
  6. If you feel sick, please call your primary health care provider. Employees have sick leave available should they need to stay home due to illness.
    1. Kaiser members: Contact the nurse advice line listed on your insurance card
    2. Blue Shield members: Contact your primary care physician listed on your insurance card
    3. United Healthcare members: Contact your physician.

Stay up to date on this rapidly evolving situation by visiting www.sfdph.org or www.sf72.org . For more information on Disaster Service Workers visit DHR's website: https://sfdhr.org/disaster-service-workers.

Vulnerable Populations

The Department of Public Health has provided additional guidance on minimizing exposure for vulnerable populations.

Vulnerable populations are those who:

  • Are 60 years old and older
  • Have health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease and weakened immune systems.
  • Have disabilities that may put them at a higher risk of infection or severe illness because of their underlying medical conditions, including those with limited mobility who cannot avoid coming into close contact with others who may have been infected; people who have trouble understanding information or practicing preventive measures; and people who may not be able to communicate symptoms of illness.
  • Are pregnant. Based on available information, pregnant people seem to have the same risk as adults who are not pregnant. However, pregnant people have changes in their bodies that may increase their risk of some infections and have had a higher risk of severe illness when infected with viruses from the same family as COVID-19 and other viral respiratory infections, such as influenza.
  • Are experiencing unsheltered homelessness (those sleeping outside or in places not meant for human habitation). Sleeping outdoors often does not provide protection from the environment, quick access to hygiene and sanitation facilities, or connection to healthcare.

The guidance advises vulnerable populations to limit outings, avoid large gatherings, telecommute if possible, stay home if they are sick, and avoid people who are sick. If you have a health condition and are unsure whether it places you in the vulnerable population, ask your personal health care provider. If your health care provider advises you to stay away from work and you cannot work remotely, you may use any accrued leave. If you are a vulnerable individual and believe you have a job you can do from home, please discuss this option with your supervisor.

Disaster Service Workers (DSW)

All City and County employees are designated by State law as Disaster Service Workers (DSWs). This means that when the Mayor declares a local emergency, employees may be deployed to different work sites than usual, or be asked to perform work duties or tasks that are different from their regular work responsibilities. If you are telecommuting and performing nonessential work, or if you are on paid furlough, you may be called to take a DSW assignment. As a DSW, you cannot refuse a DSW assignment when your department contacts you. However, if you are called to a DSW assignment, you will not be required to do work you are not qualified to do. In addition, employees may volunteer for a DSW assignment. If you are interested in doing so, please complete this survey.

Some employees may not be available for work or a DSW assignment during this time due to illness or childcare responsibilities. If this is the case, you must be on sick or other approved leave. DHR has provided additional guidance. The DSW Assignments and Employees Leave (04/07/20) will provide more information.

If you have questions about the responsibilities of a DSW, please speak with your department’s human resources representative.

Resources for Disaster Service Workers:

The City values and appreciates those who have been activated to serve as disaster service workers in response to the COVID-19 emergency. Click the below links for more information on resources available to support activated DSWs and essential workers:

  • COVID-19 Caring for SF Caregivers: Mental health and self-care resources provided through the San Francisco Health Services Behavioral Health Network. Read more on COVID-19 Caring for SF Caregivers (04/30/20) .
  • Childcare for DSWs and Essential Workers: Mayor London N. Breed announced on April 9 that San Francisco’s emergency child and youth care centers will remain open until at least June 2 in order to support the City’s first responders, healthcare workers, and other essential City employees. To sign up and read more about the Childcare for DSWs and Essential Workers, visit the SF Emergency Child & Youth Care Program .
  • Front Line Worker Housing: As of Fall 2020, the City is offering Isolation & Quarantine (I&Q) hotel rooms for qualifying City employees that are medically mandated. To learn more, read HSA’s I&Q Hotel Room Q&A . For additional information, please call the I&Q hotline at (628) 652-2820.
  • City Test SF: The City has opened two COVID-19 test sites to expand testing capacity for essential workers and residents with barriers to healthcare. For more information on testing eligibility and to make an appointment, visit CityTestSF .

Volunteer Opportunities

Join San Francisco’s response to COVID-19. Healthcare professionals and other healthy adults are needed to assist in the City’s response. If you would like to volunteer, check out the opportunities below. Thank you for your service during this unprecedented public health emergency.

Labor

DHR is in close consultation with the Department of Public Health to keep our workforce safe. We are also committed to keep our partners in labor informed as this situation continues to evolve. Labor partners can will be directly updated from our Employee Relations Division and can also use The California Labor & Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) as a resource.