As we approach the holiday season, many of us are making plans to spend time with our loved ones. This year COVID-19 has disrupted many aspects of our daily lives— including this winter holiday season. With infection rates surging across the country, now is the time for everyone to remain vigilant and minimize opportunities to spread the virus— keeping everyone safe and healthy.

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued holiday travel guidance that “postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others this year,” and urging Americans to make “other plans, such as hosting a virtual gathering.” Read more.

Nonessential travel, including holiday travel, is not recommended. Travel outside of the Bay Area will increase your chance of getting infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, and spreading it to others after you return. On November 17, 2020, the Department of Public Health issued a Travel Advisory to address concerns over nonessential travel, including holiday travel. Learn more about holiday travel .

Specifically, the Department of Public Health Travel Advisory identifies the following key recommendations:

  • If you engage in non-essential travel to states or countries outside of California, self-quarantine for 14 days upon return to California.
  • If you travel out of the Bay Area and participate in high risk activities while travelling, self-quarantine for 14 days from the time you return. Higher risk activities include:
    • Spending time within 6 feet of people you do not normally live with, while you or anyone around you was not wearing a face covering - especially if you were indoors. This includes holiday gatherings and meals.
    • Traveling on planes, buses, trains, public transportation, or other shared vehicles if face masks were not worn at all times by both you and the other people in the vehicle.

For City employees who choose to travel for nonessential reasons or gather in groups outside their household and determine that they should follow the recommendation to self-quarantine based on the reasons above:

  • If your job duties can be performed remotely, you may be able to telework for the duration of your recommended self-quarantine period;
  • If your job duties cannot be performed remotely, you should discuss your time off request with your supervisor and add the recommended 14-day quarantine period to your leave request. Should you choose to self-quarantine for the recommended 14-day period, Vacation, Floating Holidays, Executive or Administrative Leave must be used. You may not use Sick Leave , COVID Sick Leave or Emergency Sick Pay to self-quarantine after non-essential travel. For this reason, essential workers are strongly discouraged from nonessential travel over the next several weeks. Before reporting to work, employees must take and pass the symptoms check.

City requirements for reporting to work and use of sick leave benefits remain unchanged. Employees may use Sick Leave (SP), COVID Sick Leave (COV) or Emergency Sick Pay (ESP) for qualifying reasons. The following link describes the bases for using these leaves COVID-19 Paid Leaves . Please reach out to your supervisor and/or Human Resources representative if you have any questions.

Thank you for continuing safe and healthy practices like wearing your face covering, keeping at least 6-feet away from others, and washing your hands regularly.

We are all in this together!