Change to Sheltering in Place Order

Governor Kemp has issued several executive orders that include provisions regarding Sheltering in Place (SIP).  Once the order for all Georgians to shelter in place expired, an SIP order was put in place for Georgians who meet specific criteria for higher risk of severe illness (as defined by the CDC).  Criteria includes being 65 years of age or older, residing in a nursing home or long-term care facility, and a variety of medical conditions.

Employment in specific types of organizations (Essential Services and Critical Infrastructure) and positions (minimum necessary activities for any company/organization) has been included as an exception to the SIP orders.  Most FCPL employees do not fall under these exceptions.  We asked employees to let us know if they meet the higher-risk criteria and have worked with each employee individually to identify telework and leave options. 

The current (May 12^th) SIP order is different from previous orders in that it includes the broader activity of “engaging in gainful employment” as a permitted activity for higher-risk individuals (Exec. Order 05.12.20.02, page 6).  With this change, the Library will allow higher-risk staff to return to working onsite. 

This does not mean that it is appropriate for all higher-risk employees to return at this time.  This is a personal decision to be made in consultation with an employee’s medical providers.  We will continue to offer telework options for responsibilities that can be done remotely, but this is not realistic for many positions.  We are finding that some positions lend themselves to teleworking for part of their weekly hours, but other responsibilities need to be done onsite.   

As the initial shock of the pandemic transitions to learning to coexist with COVID19, higher-risk employees will need to consider at what point and even if they will be able to return to work in the new normal.  As you know, we have put many social distancing, PPE, and sanitizing protocols in place to reduce the risk of transmission, but we will never be able to guarantee zero risk for staff and patrons.  I understand that it is difficult to make personal and work decisions right now due to so much uncertainty, but we do need to recognize that we will be living with COVID19 for some time.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your specific situation, please contact a member of Human Resources.