Coping with distancing, closures, and restrictions

Due to the rapid uptick of COVID-19 in our state, Gov. Jay Inslee and public health officials have imposed even tighter restrictions intended to put physical distance between people to help slow the spread of the disease. 

Even if you are staying home to practice social distancing, you can go outside;
take a walk, get some fresh air and exercise, and enjoy nature. 

“We must all be part of this battle,” Inslee said in announcing expanded limits on social gatherings. “For the next several weeks, normal is not in our game plan.” 

Here are resources and tips addressing some common concerns about coping with the new world in which we find ourselves. 

Social distancing and self-quarantine – what’s the difference?

Social distancing means taking extra measures to maintain distance – at least 6 feet -- between yourself and other people to reduce your risk of being exposed to COVID-19. 

• Stay away from others — literally.
• Forget hugs and handshakes. Substitute a wave or elbow bump.
• Work at home, if you possibly can. 
• Stay at home, except for essential outings such as buying groceries.  
• Limit close interactions with friends and coworkers (6 feet distance)
• Avoid social gatherings of 10 people or more. 

Self-quarantine means staying at home and avoiding contact with others. Generally, it applies to someone who has been tested and diagnosed with COVID-19, has symptoms of the disease (fever, cough, shortness of breath), or has been in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
For details, see:
Social distancing and quarantine; What you need to know

Statewide shut-down of gatherings over 50 were announced on March 16.

How to talk to children

With schools closed and parents teleworking, kids are at home. They may be especially confused and frightened about what’s going on. Here are resources that can help:
Talking to kids about COVID-19 
Showing up for our kids during an outbreak 

Combatting isolation

Humans being social creatures, it’s normal that we would experience some anxiety and sadness at being kept apart from our friends, coworkers and even family. As we stick close to home and keep our distance, here are some tips to reduce feelings of isolation: 

• Maintain a regular schedule.
• Connect with others virtually; text, call, or use video platforms like Facetime. 
• Stay active – stream exercise available online or get outside to bike, walk, or garden.
• Stay informed, but avoid unreliable sources of information. 

Missing the gym or your exercise class? Find online exercise
you can stream at home to stay active.

Here are other resources that may help:
We want social distancing, not social isolation 
Coming together to stay apart

Coping with stress

A disease pandemic, like any disaster or emergency, can cause fear, anxiety, and overwhelming waves of emotion. Taking steps to cope with the stress will keep you, your loved ones and your community stronger as we pull together to fight this disease. Here are some resources to help: 
Manage anxiety and stress
Coping with stress during an infectious disease outbreak
State Employee Assistance Program

Supporting our communities

No doubt about it; the measures and sacrifices we are being asked to take are tremendously disruptive to our lives. Decisions in Washington are being guided by the best available science and public health

Stay in contact with family and friends by phone, text or video-chat. 

expertise. 

We are not helpless; we can do plenty to support each other and our communities. Practice empathy and compassion for your family, friends and neighbors. We are all in this boat together, pulling in unison. 

Be especially supportive of those at high-risk of getting the disease – age 60 or above, medical conditions such as heart or lung disease or diabetes, pregnant women. And remember that people in your community may lose their livelihoods because of business closures.  

As we see images of empty store shelves, help your neighbors by only buying what you need. Overstocking and hoarding will not fight this disease. Leave some for your neighbor.

In summary: As social distancing becomes the norm, schools and businesses close, and we hunker down at home, the Insider offers more tips and resources that can help us get through this individually and together. 

Answers to questions about COVID-19 (novel coronavirus disease)

WSDA Emergency Executive Leadership Team

Are coronavirus and COVID-19 the same thing?

COVID-19 is a new (or novel) coronavirus disease that has not been previously identified. Other coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans may cause mild illness, such as the common cold. Since it is new, much is still unknown about this virus. In February, public health agencies gave this new coronavirus the name COVID-19. CO stands for corona, VI for virus, and D for disease.

Illustration created by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention

Isn’t this only a concern for Western Washington and the Seattle area?

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington State has been climbing daily, as have deaths from the disease and the number of counties affected. Counties in both Western and Eastern Washington now have confirmed cases and deaths related to COVID-19. Public health experts expect that many more people may be carrying the virus and don’t know it or have not been tested. This is why the response to COVID-19 requires statewide mobilization.

Gov. Inslee is asking all residents of Washington to take this public health threat seriously and do everything you can to help control the spread of the disease.

Why are agency employees being encouraged to work at home?

Coronaviruses spread between people who are in close contact – within 6 feet – by droplets from coughs and sneezes carried in the air. It may also spread from touching surfaces or objects with the virus on it.

To reduce the human contact that spreads the disease, all state agencies have been directed to maximize the use of teleworking by all their employees. This protects state employees, but also reduces opportunities for the virus to spread to other areas.

Each WSDA program is identifying staff who can and will telework.

How will I know if I’m supposed to telework?

Program managers and supervisors are identifying who can reasonably work from home. It depends on what job responsibilities you are assigned and whether you are equipped and connected for remote work.

The agency’s IT team is working to increase our resource capacity that allows for teleworking by deploying needed equipment, such as laptops and cellphones. They are also working to beef up remote network access options, such as Outlook Web App, Citrix and VPN.

Do I need to have a telework agreement, per agency policy?

During this public health emergency, WSDA is suspending the agency’s telework policy (POL-HR-211) for the time being.

What about inspectors who work outside an office?

Programs that rely on field inspectors and other non-desk staff are working with their supervisors and staff, as well as consulting industry representatives, to continue providing necessary customer services, while keeping employees safe and taking measures to reduce the potential spread of this virus. Ask your supervisor about your program’s plan.

Where can we get more safety supplies, such as hand sanitizer and masks?

Our Safety Program is working hard to make supplies available. Due to high demand, shortages have developed and obtaining some supplies is not easy right now. The team is researching a number of vendors to procure what is available.

The Safety Program has procured some supplies, such as disinfecting solutions. These are being provided to the most high-risk areas. The agency’s limited stock of N95 masks are being provided to employees who are required to wear them as part of their job duties. Public health officials do not recommend that people wear masks generally. Masks can be useful in some settings to prevent the spread of respiratory illness, for instance in a health care facility.

Remember that good old soap and water works just as well for handwashing as using a chemical sanitizer. For top 10 ways to protect yourself and others, see this Department of Health blog post.

The Department of Enterprise Services (DES) has waived competitive bid requirements for goods and services directly related to the state’s response to COVID-19. See the DES webpage with more details. This page includes information about contracts for janitorial services, specific supplies, concerns about receiving mail, and increased cleaning and disinfecting in Capital Campus facilities.

What is being done to disinfect our buildings?

For the Natural Resources Building, see the DES webpage that describes increased cleaning and disinfecting activities on the Capital Campus.

Our Contracting and Procurement Office is assessing janitorial contracts for all other WSDA facilities (which are not state owned) and working with building contacts on the need for enhanced services.

Meanwhile, you can do your part by keeping your workspace clean. Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as tables, doorknobs, light switches, and stair railings, as well as your own desk, keyboard, mouse, mobile devices and vehicle.

What if I feel sick or someone I work with appears to be ill?

If you are sick, please stay home!

Protect your coworkers from disease and help control the spread. Staying home also allows you to recover more quickly.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms – fever, cough and shortness of breath - contact your health care provider. See the Department of Health’s website for guidance. DOH also has a toll-free helpline staffed from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

If you are concerned about a colleague who appears to be ill, talk with your supervisor. Managers and supervisors are required to encourage any employee to go home if they are sick. Please let your manager intervene.

What if I have no more sick leave but must stay home?

Talk to your WSDA Human Resources Program contact about options available to you. Gov. Inslee has directed State Human Resources and agency leaders to administer leave policies in ways that take into account the effect of COVID-19 on employees and their families.

Will testing and treatment be covered by insurance for those who get sick?

The Health Care Authority is working with health insurance providers of public employees to ensure that testing and treatment will be covered when determined necessary by a health care provider. For more information, see HCA’s coronavirus webpage.

The Office of the Insurance Commissioner for Washington has posted a webpage to answer frequently asked questions about insurance coverage, including for health care, travel and business.

How long is this likely to last?

There is no way to know. Currently Washington State has the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and the most deaths resulting from it. The situation is evolving very rapidly. Public health officials urge everyone to stay informed and follow recommendations to prevent the spread.

Where can I get answers to questions about COVID-19?

The Washington Department of Health has the most updated and trustworthy information for our state. Please see the DOH webpage for answers to common questions, the current situation, and resources.

Other online resources:

• WSDA – Guidance documents for our customers and industries
• Gov. Jay Inslee 
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 
• Local county public health departments 

Please stay tuned to credible sources of information about this outbreak. WSDA will provide agency-specific information to employees through emails, the Connect weekly bulletin and this Insider blog.

What if I have unanswered questions?

Email Connect@agr.wa.gov with questions about WSDA’s actions and response to COVID-19. We will continue compiling questions and providing answers through this Insider blog and the weekly Connect.

In summary: The impact and spread of COVID-19 in Washington is a quickly evolving situation that is affecting WSDA employees and operations. This Insider blog provides the most current available answers to questions employees may have. 

Teleworking? Here are tips and techniques to make the most of it

Kathy Davis
Communications 

In response to the spread of COVID-19 (or novel coronavirus) in Washington, WSDA along with most other state agencies are arranging for as many employees as possible to work from home, or telework. 

Some employees are quite familiar with teleworking and do it often or almost exclusively. For many others, however, this way of working is new. Below are some tips for staying productive and effective. 

Remote Tools

Most WSDA staff can access online resources by using one of three tools for working remotely.

Outlook Web App (OWA) provides access to your Outlook email account, including your calendar, through any internet browser. Go to: https://mobile.wa.gov. When prompted, put in “ssv/” followed by your log-in name (e.g., jsmith@agr.wa.gov). Use your regular login password. 

Citrix provides access to your WSDA email, network resources and various programs (Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook) and WSDA applications from any computer. Go to: https://fortress.wa.gov/agr/citrix

VPN - If you have an agency assigned laptop with VPN set up on it, you can access your WSDA email, network resources and applications just as if you were sitting at your desk in the office.

When using Citrix or VPN, remember these are limited statewide resources and could become overwhelmed by high volumes. Limit your use to necessary activities and log off when you do not need access. 

Phones and voicemail

Employees from the Natural Resources Building, Cleveland or Yakima offices can forward desk phones to agency cellphone or access your voicemail from outside the building. 

To forward your phone:

1. Pick up the handset or press the speaker button.
2. Dial *00 plus the area code and the phone number you want to forward your calls to.
3. You should hear three confirmation beeps.

To reverse forwarding:

1. Pick up the handset or press the speaker button.
2. Dial #00.
3. You should hear three confirmation beeps. 

To check voicemail from outside the building:

1. Dial 360-407-1111.
2. When you hear the greeting hit #
3. Enter the area code and phone number of your voicemail account (it’s usually the same as your desk phone number).
4. Enter the password when prompted.

If your calls are not forwarded, keep your voicemail message updated to indicate you are away from your desk, and let callers know approximately how often you will check for messages.

You may also want to post a physical sign at your workstation letting colleagues who may come looking for you know you're teleworking and how they can contact you.   

Teleconferencing 

If your team is working remotely, you’ll need to find alternatives to personally gathering in a conference room. Many WSDA staff use third-party conferencing (such as WebEx and Zoom). A number of these service providers are experiencing high-volume demand, which may affect your use or the quality of the service. Use for essential purposes only. 

Establishing teleconferencing etiquette can help make the experience easier and more productive. 

• Designate a facilitator who will direct the process.
• At the starting time, the facilitator can call on each invited participant to confirm who’s on the call (roll call). 
• Participants should be sure to mute their phones when not talking to reduce ambient noise. 
• Use a roundtable process to ask for input or comments on agenda topics. 
• To avoid confusion, participants may want to identify themselves before speaking. 
• If more than one person starts talking at once, the facilitator should call on each individual in turn. 

Managing email and public records 

Email may be the primary means of communication among your colleagues (no more cube popping or hallway conversations). 

Remember to use your agency-issued email account only for agency business. Using any other (e.g. personal) accounts is prohibited by policy. Do not forward business emails to or from agency accounts to personal accounts; your personal account will no longer be protected from public disclosure. 

Be sure to follow all agency policies regarding records management and retention, transmitting confidential information, and public disclosure. See Chapter 6; Records and Privacy on our policy page.  

Use diligence in managing your email traffic. Delete thread duplicates and transitory messages you do not need to do your job. Use subfolders to file messages by topic for later reference and save your inbox for urgent items only. For more tips, see the factsheet "Email Records Management" Publication number 653. 

General resources and help

To learn more about resources for WSDA employees, see this webpage: https://agr.wa.gov/employees.aspx 

If you need IT assistance, contact the Service Desk:

• Email: servicedesk@agr.wa.gov
• Phone: 360-902-2008
• Submit a ticket

In summary: WSDA, along with other state agencies are following guidance to maximize telework capacity in response to the COVID-19 public health risk situation. If you are new to teleworking, Insider offers some tips to stay productive and connected.

COVID-19 – What you can do

Patrick Capper
Deputy Director

Prevent the spread - wash your hands often.

The situation around COVID-19 (or 2019 Novel Coronavirus) in Washington State is developing very quickly. I want to summarize and reiterate the information and recommendations you may already be hearing from state, local and federal public health agencies.

The following are the most important actions you can take to help WSDA and our state respond to COVID-19.

Prevent the spread

We can all help prevent the spread of this and any other virus by practicing the standard, common-sense methods recommended every cold and flu season.

Wash your hands often. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Sanitize frequently touched surfaces.

Protect others

If you are feeling sick, stay home and stay away from others. WSDA supports employees who need to be home to recuperate and protect their colleagues from the spread of illness. Talk to your

Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. 

supervisor about teleworking options.

If you are concerned that you may be at risk for COVID-19, call your doctor or health care provider before going to a hospital or doctor’s office. Health professionals will advise you about steps to take.

Prepare at home and work

As we would prepare for any emergency, such as a major earthquake, make sure you have the supplies you need at home and a household plan.

At work, we can prepare for the possibility of increased absences – due to illness, school closures, or being redirected to help with response. In your work unit, consider how you will cover each other’s work, how staff could work from home, and how you might prioritize the most essential responsibilities.

Stay informed

For the most accurate and credible information about COVID-19 – what it is, how it spreads, symptoms, and how best to respond – look to the expertise of public health agencies.

For Washington, our state Department of Health (doh.wa.gov) is the best place to start. Their webpage about the virus has the latest updates, plus resources and recommendations for every concern.

I assure you the WSDA leadership takes this public health threat very seriously. We are coordinating daily with our emergency management and safety staff, as well as our state, local and federal partners.

Thank you for continuing to focus on your work and the agency’s mission. Now more than ever, I encourage everyone to support each other in staying safe and healthy.

In summary: You can take specific actions to reduce the threat posed by COVID-19 (or Novel Coronavirus). Taking steps to prevent, protect and prepare, WSDA employees can keep themselves safe, support each other, and help our state respond to this public health risk.

Participation and positive responses increase in 2019 employee survey

Patrick Capper
Deputy Director

The results are in! WSDA staff responded to the 2019 Employee Engagement Survey last October, and I am excited to share the results with you. 

Achieving a more representative sample of employee feedback was our primary goal. 

And I’m happy to announce that nearly 70 percent of our agency employees responded to the survey. That represents a big jump in participation compared to 2017 when 46 percent took the survey.  

Thanks to every one of you who took the time to complete this important survey. Your feedback really matters!

Even with the bump in participation, we saw increased positive responses to nearly all the survey questions. 

The biggest improvements in positive responses, with increases of 5 percent or more, were recorded for:

• Having the tools and resources to do our jobs effectively.
• Receiving performance feedback from supervisors.
• Being satisfied with our job.
• Willing to recommend the agency as a great place to work.
• Receiving clear information about agency changes. 

Only two areas went down slightly or remained flat. Those involved knowing how the agency measures success and receiving recognition for a job well done. 

The statements that received the highest positive responses (ranked always, almost always or usually) reveal that most employees have the support, clear expectations and adequate resources to be successful in their jobs. We also learned that most employees feel that their supervisors treat them with dignity and respect. See the “Successes” chart for details. 

The statements that received the lowest percentage of positive responses show that we have work to do to fully engage, inform, and support staff. While many of these improved, we will be working to bring these scores up even more in the next survey. See the “Improvement Opportunities” chart for details. 

Along with Associate Deputy Director Jason Ferrante, I have met with each of the assistant directors to review survey results for their individual divisions and discuss improvement plans. 

All levels of agency leadership will discuss these results and talk about next steps at a forum in Olympia on March 11. 

You can find several detailed documents reporting the 2019 survey results on the WSDA Performance and Planning Management Office’s intranet webpage. These include results of the agency-specific questions we added, as well divisional break-downs of the data.

As we develop initiatives to address the areas that need improvement, please watch your employee communication channels, such as this Insider blog and the weekly Connect, to stay up-to-date on developments.

Thanks again to everyone who took the survey, and to all WSDA employees who work every day to advance our mission. 

In summary: A big jump in agency participation was among the good news from results of the 2019 State Employee Engagement Survey. Deputy Director Patrick Capper unveils highlights from our survey results.

Agency’s safety, health, and risk services merged

Kathy Davis
Communications

From left, Jason Gambill, Ron
Hussung, and Robert Ambriz. 

Progress toward protecting WSDA workers’ safety and health is being waged on many fronts. The various specialty areas that advance safe, healthy workplaces, as well as protecting the agency from risks, have now been consolidated under one umbrella – Enterprise Risk Management Services (ERMS). 

Under the leadership of Ron Hussung, a mighty four-person team carries a broad range of responsibilities that serve all of WSDA. Each specialty is now designated as a separate program within ERMS, which is part of the Administrative Services Division. 

The biggest change is the addition of two new functions to the ERMS suite of services. 

Stacy Laney providing resource material
at the 2019 safety and wellness fair.

The Health and Wellness Program and Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Program are now part of ERMS. Stacy Laney has served as WSDA’s wellness coordinator for 14 years and has a bachelor’s degree in community health education. In 2018, she also took on responsibility for the agency’s CTR efforts. 

Health and Wellness Program

Health and wellness promotion aims to increase healthy behaviors, reduce health care costs and absenteeism, and improve staff recruitment and retention. 

Among her responsibilities as wellness coordinator, Stacy supports the state’s SmartHealth incentive, diabetes prevention, smoking cessation programs, and blood/platelet donation drives. She works closely with the Natural Resources Building Wellness Committee and Health Care Authority’s Washington Wellness staff to offer workshops, activities and resources for employees. 

Commute Trip Reduction Program

Photo courtesy of Sound Transit.

The state’s CTR program aims to reduce air pollution, traffic congestion, and fuel consumption by encouraging employees to use alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles for their work commute. CTR promotes options such as buses, vanpools, carpools, biking, and walking. 

Through CTR, employees can get free transit passes and earn incentive payments for using commute trip alternatives for at least half of each month. 

Enterprise Risk Management Program

The concept of enterprise risk management may be the least understood, but has a profound impact for our agency. It involves identifying and minimizing risks that threaten WSDA’s mission and capital. 

Property damage and injury claims resulting from work-
related vehicle crashes add up to big costs for the agency

For instance, just as most people have insurance coverage for homes and vehicles, WSDA carries multiple insurance policies to protect our assets, such as vehicles and property, as well as protecting against cyber liability and covering employees who may travel abroad. 

Ron manages this program, which also maintains an inventory of potential risks to WSDA. 

Ergonomics Program

Ergonomics considers such things as equipment, positions, and movements to protect employees from the pain or injury of repetitive work. Safety officers, Jason Gambill (Western Washington) and Robert Ambriz (Eastern Washington) are both trained to conduct ergonomic assessments and recommend adjustments or equipment purchases to prevent suffering. 

Workplace ergonomic assessments can reduce or prevent the
pain of repetitive task motions and positions. 

Return to Work/Stay at Work Program

When a worker is injured on the job, both the employee and the department benefit by returning the person to work as soon as a doctor gives the OK. This could mean modifying the worker’s original job duties or placing them in a temporary position. The goal is to get employees back to their full position when they have recovered. Jason manages this program. 

Internal Emergency Management Program

This program plans, prepares for and responds to emergencies that could put our employees or workplaces at risk. These include workplace violence, weather disruptions, natural disasters such as earthquake or flood, and fires. 

Ron, Jason and Robert support this program. They plan to hire a new emergency management specialist to assist. 

To learn more about this program, read the Insider blog post from November 2019. 

Safety Program

Agency employees are probably most familiar with the work of the WSDA Safety Program. Ron, Robert and Jason work diligently to keep employees safe on the job. They have initiated many new activities and projects in recent years to improve safety. 

For instance, they have boosted two-way communication with agency employees, creating a quarterly newsletter, promoting and responding to the annual safety survey, collaborating with WSDA divisions and programs, and regularly showing up at work environments across the state. 

To access extensive resources from the Safety Program, visit their webpage on our intranet. 

Workplace risk comes in many forms, such as on-the-job injuries, emergencies, poor health, and liability. To keep WSDA employees as productive as possible, the Enterprise Risk Management Services team works to reduce and manage these risks for the whole agency. 

In summary: A small, dedicated team carries out a broad range of responsibilities with the goal of keeping WSDA employees safe and healthy, as well as protecting the agency itself from potential risks. Meet the newly consolidated Enterprise Risk Management Services.

Ken Knittle leaves fond memories with WSDA colleagues

Kathy Davis
Communications

WSDA lost a long-term and well-liked employee recently. Ken Knittle, a food safety officer for nearly 20 years, passed away in his sleep on Jan. 5. 

Ken Knittle

Ken was known for his quirky sense of humor, his dairy expertise, knowledge and enthusiasm for birdwatching, love of family, and his steady work. 

“I will miss working with him and just being able to call and ask him how to do anything dairy related,” said Kim King, who worked with Ken in the Southwest Region.

WSDA’s Food Safety Program hired Ken in March 2002. He started as a food safety officer 1 and promoted over the years to an FSO 3. 

In March, the program was prepared to present Ken with the pin and certificate recognizing him for 30 years of state service. He came to WSDA from state Correctional Industries, where he had been the dairy herd manager at the Monroe facility.

“He lit up when talking about his wife, Laurie,” another coworker, Edwin Ojukwu, remembers. “When we rode together, he would invite me into his house to say hello to her. Over the years, I met his brother, sister and his in-laws at his home.”

Ken was also an accomplished and well-regarded member of the state’s birding community. He founded “Washington Birder,” a state online bird-listing repository. He once held a record lifetime list of 175 birds spotted in each county in Washington State. 

His birding fame was featured in the news media, such as a 2011 Seattle Times story about “extreme sport” birdwatching. 

Wil Satak was Ken’s supervisor. “I will miss his deep knowledge on bird watching, his terrible corny jokes, his upbeat can-do attitude, saying ‘Sheesh’ when things got crazy, his wife’s cookies at every regional meeting, and his ready smile which he gave freely to everyone he met,” Wil said. 

In summary: Ken Knittle, a food safety specialist with WSDA for nearly 20 years, passed away on Jan. 5. Known for his humor, birding expertise, and dedication to his job, Ken will be missed by his colleagues.