End of USPS COVID Protocols
Earlier this year Congress voted on and the President signed a bill that ended the COVID National Emergency in the United States. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the pandemic over as well and stated that countries should now manage COVID-19 the same way it does any other virus. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has ramped down their activities related to the pandemic as well.
Many activities related to the pandemic we had become accustomed to–include daily tracking and requiring labs to report positive tests, regular free COVID tests, mask requirements, reporting, etc. have come to an end. Many states have regulations in place that outside a health emergency they are not allowed to report positive disease testing outside their states.
With the end of the health emergency and the regulations that come with it, the Postal Service has ended all of its COVID protocols and policies. The attached memorandum was sent to the field this past weekend by the Postal Service. The memo provides this information:
- Employees are no longer required to report positive findings of COVID-19 or potential exposure.
- COVID-19 tracking for the Postal Service has been ended and past reports are being archived.
- Clearance is no longer required for return to work
- All social distancing requirements have been terminated. Including for Driver Safety Instructors.
- All standard work instructions preventing contact with other employees within six feet are no longer in effect.
There is one important line in this document all should note: “Ill employees will continue to be advised to remain at home.”
Although the emergency is terminated we all must understand the COVID-19 and other communicable diseases are still with us. Many employees are susceptible to these illnesses causing them to become severely ill and threaten their lives. The APWU implores sick employees to stay home to prevent the spread of any communicable disease and it is our position that discipline related to staying home when ill should be fought vigorously. Employees should continue to test when experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and mask up. All employees must respect those who choose to continue to mask and ask others to keep their distance.
The APWU is a family. Family respects and cares for one another.
For more information about the Discontinuance Of COVID-19 Protocols, please click on the flyer below.
