Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Department of Commerce (DOC) has taken a measured and managed approach — focused on employee health, safety, and well-being — to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and the impact on our workforce, while ensuring the continuity of Mission Critical work across our 13 Bureaus. We are committed to ensuring your safety and continue to make decisions based on the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, public health best practices, and guidance from the Administration.

On January 20, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 13991: Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing. This EO, which is part of the Administration’s National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, states:

“It is the policy of the Administration to halt the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by relying on the best available data and science-based public health measures. Such measures include wearing masks when around others, physical distancing, and other related precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Put simply, masks and other public health measures reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when communities make widespread use of such measures, and thus save lives.” – President Joseph R. Biden, 2021

In accordance with President Biden’s EO, the DOC continues to make significant strides and provide overarching guidance and policies to its Bureaus in all areas of COVID-19 workplace safety. For example, the DOC developed and implemented numerous policies and initiatives including:

The DOC also formally established the DOC COVID-19 Coordination Team to oversee our efforts and ensure the health and safety of our workforce. In response to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum 21-15, Memorandum 21-25, EO 14042, EO 14043, and Safer Federal Workforce Task Force Agency Model Safety Principles (updated 9/13/21), the DOC COVID-19 Coordination Team developed and enhanced its COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan. In implementing EO 14042, the Department will comply with all relevant court orders, including by following relevant OMB and Safer Federal Workforce Task Force guidance. The purpose of our COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan, outlined below, is to provide minimum mandatory safety guidance for all DOC employees, on-site contractors, and any individuals interacting with the DOC workforce.

For any questions about the DOC COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan, please contact the DOC’s COVID-19 Coordination Team Lead Zack Schwartz (Zschwartz@doc.gov).

Overview

The goal of the Department’s COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan is to ensure the health and safety of our Federal workforce.

Our COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan builds upon the Department’s framework for safe workplace operations and includes updated health and safety policies, protocols, and essential COVID-19 work requirements consistent with Federal policies and guidelines, including:

• Latest guidance from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Latest guidance from the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force)
• Latest guidance from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on preparing workplaces for COVID-19
• Latest guidance from OMB, Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and General Services Administration (GSA)

The DOC COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan includes:

• Current Department-level and Bureau-specific policies
• Future policy enhancements, implementation plans, and timelines
• Communication strategy for employee, contractor, and visitor COVID-19 updates

The DOC COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan is a living document. The DOC COVID-19 Coordination team will continue to assess and refresh this plan over time as conditions warrant, and guidance from the CDC, OMB, and other Federal agencies evolves.

DOC Bureaus & Offices

The DOC will adhere to all applicable laws and guidelines and will follow a tailored rather than “one-size-fits all” approach to empower its Bureaus & Offices (“Bureaus”) to craft policy and make decisions based on the needs of their workforce, including reentry decisions and phased approaches. The DOC continues to maintain close coordination with its Bureaus for continued implementation of health and safety policies outlined in the COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan based on the needs of their workforce and environment. In addition to addressing Bureau-specific safety challenges, the DOC ensures all employees, on-site contractors, and visitors are aware of the requirement to comply with CDC guidelines and have access to COVID-19 resources and information, as outlined in our COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan Socialization Framework. The DOC COVID-19 Coordination Team regularly coordinates with the DOC to discuss and review Bureau-specific plans and policies to ensure they are aligned to all Federal policies and guidelines.

DOC COVID-19 Coordination Team

The DOC COVID-19 Coordination Team is responsible for championing health protocols established by the CDC and regularly reviewing pandemic-related data, guidelines, and workplace safety needs across Bureaus. The DOC COVID-19 Coordination Team meets regularly to review compliance with agency COVID-19 workplace safety plans and protocols, consider potential revisions to DOC COVID-19 workplace safety plans and protocols pursuant to guidance from the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force and current CDC guidelines, and evaluates any other operational needs related to COVID-19 workplace safety. The Team includes representatives from Human Resources, Occupational Safety & Health, Executive Leadership, the General Counsel Office, and Public Health Experts.

The core members of the DOC COVID-19 Coordination Team include:

• Acting Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration
• COVID-19 Coordination Team Lead
• Associate Deputy General Counsel of the Office of the General Counsel
• Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration and Director Office of Facilities and Environmental Quality (OFEQ)
• Associate Director of Office of Space and Building Management
• Manager of Occupational Safety and Health at Herbert C. Hoover Building (HCHB)
• Director of the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM)
• Director of Occupational Safety and Health
• Health Scientist from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• A representative from the Office of Safety, Security, and Asset Management (OSSAM)

The DOC COVID-19 Coordination Team also includes representation from all Bureaus including:

• Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
• Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)
• U.S. Census Bureau (USCB)
• Economic Development Administration (EDA)
• Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs (OUS/EA)
• International Trade Administration (ITA)
• Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
• National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
• Office of the Secretary (OS)

COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan