Continued Operations Plan

Updated: September 2, 2022

WAC’s safety plan is complementary to guidance from the Center for Disease Control, NYS Department of Health, OSHA, NYC and the policies of our WAP partners. This plan was determined based on the requirements of WAC while ensuring employee safety remains our highest priority. We are working to make sure all staff and visitors are safe and comfortable  at the office and in the field. If you have any questions or concerns, we encourage you to discuss with our Director of Operations, Amy Faulkner or our Executive Director, Ryan Naatz.

During this phase of WAC’s Continued Operations Safety Plan:

  • WAC will continue to ensure the workplaces are as safe as possible; employee safety is the highest priority.
  • WAC employees and subcontracted employees are required to wear face coverings in indoor spaces when interacting with the public. Employees who have provided documentation of their full vaccination status or weekly proof of a negative COVID test will no longer be required to wear a mask in WAC offices or in the field except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
  • All staff are required to show proof of vaccination or weekly COVID-19 tests. Staff must either provide one-time verification (CDC Vaccination Card, NYS Excelsior Pass or NYC COVID SAFE) that they are vaccinated OR provide a weekly record of a negative COVID test as evidence that they are in compliance with WAC COVID requirements.
  • All staff are encouraged to continue social distancing practices
  • Pre-scheduled in-person meetings may continue and visitors will be permitted at WAC offices. Visitors will be expected to comply with all WAC’s COVID requirements. All visitors must sign in and out of offices, affirm they are not experiencing any COVID symptoms prior to entry, wear masks at all times and practice physical distancing.
  • Employees will be notified in accordance with all legal and healthcare guidelines if there is a confirmed case that resulted in exposure at the office. Staff are required to follow all WAC requirements for COVID exposure.

All protocols will be implemented in accordance with all laws as well CDC, NYS Health Department and OSHA guidelines.

The safety plan will be continuously re-evaluated and updated as relevant guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and New York State becomes available. Employees are required to follow all local, state, federal and WAC requirements. By directive from the Executive Director, the specifics of this plan may change at any time in order to remain consistent with the guidance of health officials and to keep employees safe.

All field work is permitted for Agriculture, Forestry, Easements, Economic Viability and East of Hudson at this time. All work must be done in accordance with all safety guidelines and practices outlined in this guidance.

Pre-Arrival Screening:

If you are not feeling well, you should not be at work.

All staff and visitors are expected to complete a daily health pre-screening and should complete the following questions every day before coming into a WAC office.

1. Do you have any COVID- like symptoms and suspect you may have COVID?

If the answer to the above questions is ‘Yes’ they should notify their supervisor or WAC’s Director of Operations and stay home. Employees should stay home if they are sick. If an employee is experiencing symptoms but are well enough to work, they can request to temporarily Remote Work until their symptoms subside and can comply with the Pre-Arrival Screening process.

2. Have you been in close physical contact with anyone who is known to have laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 or anyone who has any symptoms consistent with COVID-19?

3. Have you had a positive COVID-19 test for active virus in the past 5 days, or are you waiting for results of a COVID-19 test?

4. Has a public health or medical professional told you to self-monitor,self-isolate,or self-quarantine because of concerns about COVID-19 infection?

If the answer to any of the screening questions is ‘Yes’ they should notify their supervisor or WAC’s Director of Operations for instructions.

Staff will be required to complete a COVID test if they are in quarantine for more than 5 days.

Any employee who appears to have acute respiratory illness symptoms (i.e. cough, shortness of breath) with fever upon arrival to work or who becomes sick during the day should leave the workplace immediately. If you are not feeling well, you should not be at work. Employees shall stay home until at least 24 hours after the onset of symptoms. If any employee develops COVID-like illness, they should stay home until all of the following are true:

  • Symptoms are improving Fever-free for at least 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medicine
  • (Tylenol/Ibuprofen/etc.)
  • Respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath) have improved