After weeks of imploring the Scott Administration to begin vaccinating frontline staff working in each of Vermont’s six correctional facilities against COVID-19, the Vermont State Employees’ Association (VSEA) is welcoming today’s news that, beginning next week, vaccinations will begin for these workers. VSEA is also applauding news that its members working in public safety, including State Police Lieutenants and Dispatchers, will also be vaccinated, beginning next week.
“VSEA is happy that the Scott Administration is adding these frontline workers to the initial phase of vaccinations,” says VSEA President Aimee Towne. “You read the recent reports about a disturbing rise in COVID cases at several Vermont correctional facilities, and you can appreciate why VSEA and its members working in corrections, public safety and a host of other frontline occupations are all wanting to be vaccinated sooner, not later. Today’s news is welcome and really encouraging, but VSEA will be continuing to press hard for additional frontline state employees to be vaccinated.”
VSEA and its members are still awaiting specific details on when, where and how the Scott Administration and the Department of Corrections and Department of Public Safety will be conducting employee vaccinations.
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Here is an excerpt from a memo sent by DOC Commissioner James Baker to employees:
This is the first stage of vaccinating Vermont DOC staff. If you are a staff member who has been re-assigned to work in a correctional facility or are frequently working in the facility to support staffing efforts, you will be eligible to receive the vaccine. There are many details to work out. I ask you to be patient, but I expect we will be starting to vaccinate staff within the next three-to-five days. Please hold off on questions until we get details worked out. This is an important and significant step forward. The vaccine is not mandatory but I urge each of you to seriously consider taking it.
Secretary of the Administration Susanne Young issued a press release, without consulting VSEA, that a return to work is being considered for some state employees, beginning in April.
Due to improving conditions, beginning April 1, State agency and department leadership will be authorized to approve requests from employees to return to the worksite based on employee preference if there is capacity to do so in accordance with the State’s Work Safe Guidance. Leadership currently may authorize employees for onsite work if 25 percent of their job duties require a return to an office setting, home internet speeds or other connectivity issues are insufficient to support full execution of job duties, and home office ergonomics or other conditions in the home environment are unsuitable for full-time remote work.
“The Administration is considering what steps it can take to maintain flexibility in remote work and work schedules in a post-pandemic environment,” continued Young. “The results of an employee survey conducted in December that was released today will help inform the decision. A majority of employees who responded to the survey expressed interest in continuing to work remotely on either a full or part-time basis.”
