LDH Employee Guidance - updated 8/31/2022

LDH COVID-19 Vaccine Employee Attestation Form

Return to Work Matrix

As a reminder, all LDH employees are expected to return full-time to the worksite no later than August 9, 2021. LDH has created this Return to Worksite Matrix in an effort to answer some of the most common scenarios and questions employees may have in anticipation of returning to the worksite. 

Phase 3 Guidance for LDH Employees

On Wednesday, March 3, 2021, Governor Edwards announced Louisiana moved into a modified Phase 3.   At this time, all LDH staff should continue following approved work arrangements until new guidance on returning to the workplace is provided by Human Resources.  

Social distancing, mask requirements, and other best practices that minimize close contact must be adhered to for all employees reporting to the workplace.  Additionally, all employees should adhere to this guidance when not at their worksite to minimize their risk of infection.

Appointing authorities and/or supervisors do have the discretion to require employees to report to the workplace for business reasons or other work-related issues, but should continue do so only on an as needed basis to minimize the risk of exposure.

Employees reporting to the workplace:

• Must wipe down his/her workspace prior to leaving each day
• Should limit his/her movement only to those offices and areas necessary within the workplace

LDH continues to keep the safety of our staff as a top priority. Questions?  Contact Human Resources at 225-342-6477.

Guidance and Resources

Quick Tips to help find the COVID19 Information you need:

• Interactive Table of Contents – scroll through the Table of Contents and click on specific topics and guidance.
• Use a keyboard shortcut - Ctrl+F to open the navigation pane, search for a word or phrase in the search box.
• Use the toolbar at the top of the document and click on Find – to open the navigation pane and search for a word or phrase in the search box.
• See the New Special Leave chart that provides information on COVID19 related leave category available to all LDH employees.    Leave chart located in Appendix 1.
• Guidance on Work Domicile and Telework
• LDH School Reopening Guidance for Employees
• LDH School Reopening FAQ’s and Reminders
• LDH School Reopening Request for Schedule Change Form
• Guidelines for Identifying Eligible Administrative Activities in the Case of a Natural Disaster/Emergency Conditions or Public Health Crisis
• LDH Policies & Forms

COVID-19 Questions & Concerns

To give employees a single point of entry to report concerns, ask questions, etc. HR has created an email address:  LDH-HRCV19-Report@la.gov

Cybersecurity Important Notification – Zoom

As individuals continue the transition to online Zoom meetings, the State’s ESF-17 Team strongly recommends everyone inform the individuals that could schedule Zoom meetings to take following steps to ensure your Zoom meetings are properly secured:

• Require passwords for all Zoom meetings
• Never post Zoom links over public platforms \ social media
• Set screensharing to “Host Only”
• Update Zoom all applications
• (iOS/MacOS/Windows10)
• Use the “Waiting Room” for Zoom meetings open to public participation
  • A virtual staging area that stops your guests from joining until you’re ready for them.
  • Meeting hosts can customize Waiting Room settings for additional control and personalization.
• Monitor your meeting “participant list”
  • Conduct a roll call prior to the start of your meeting to ensure all participants are accounted for
• Turn on “Play sound when participants leave or join”
  • Alerts host when someone joins or leaves the meeting

If you become victim of a teleconference hijacking or “Zoombombing” please report the event to the State’s Cyber Crimes Unit (CCU) @ Louisiana State Police Fusion Center:  1-800-434-8007 (or by email  LaFusion.Center@la.gov) as soon as possible.

LDH Work from Home Expectations and Updated Telework Expectations

Please review and ensure you understand LDH Work from Home requirements for Supervisors and Employees as outlined in COVID-19 No.4 LDH Employee Guidance, available on the LDH COVID-19 webpage. All LDH employees Working from Home, and their supervisors,  are responsible for adhering to these requirements. Telework Employees - please note changes to procedures below:

Working from home or Telework:

Not all positions lend themselves to work from home. The work from home option is available if the employee has the appropriate equipment to work from home or the assigned job duties are capable of being performed from home.  Appointing Authorities and/or the supervisor may assign duties outside the employee’s normal job duties in an effort to allow the employee to work from home and to ensure all necessary work is being performed.  

Expectations for those supervising work from home employees:

• Supervisors are responsible for creating and issuing written expectations for employee work schedules and work product for those working at home. The supervisor is also responsible for ensuring each employee acknowledges having received and read the written expectations.
• Supervisors are responsible for implementing and monitoring a productive work schedule for each employee working from home during this event.
• Supervisors must maintain regular contact with their employees, including establishing a reporting requirement system to facilitate contact for the employee to receive the assigned work.
• Supervisors are responsible for ensuring employees are timely completing all assigned work. 

Expectations of employees working from home:

• Employee must acknowledge in writing receipt of the supervisor’s written expectations.
• The employee must be able to supply any needed equipment as agreed upon by the Appointing Authority that cannot or will not be provided by LDH. 
• Each day the employee works from home, he/she shall itemize in writing the tasks he/she performs while working at home and the number of hours and minutes devoted to each task.  The employee shall submit this written documentation to his/her supervisor no later than the last day of the applicable pay period or more frequently if directed to do so by the Appointing Authority.  Documentation of tasks performed and hours worked at home shall be kept on file by the unit’s Time Administrator for audit purposes.
• Each employee must provide a phone number where he/she can be reached and must be available via telephone during work hours.
• During the employee’s agreed upon work hours, each employee must promptly respond to any work-related phone calls, all emails, text messages, and/or other forms of remote communication.  Employees must also participate in all scheduled conference calls.
• Employees must follow the current LDH policies regarding obtaining prior approval for normal A-leave and B-leave, as well as K-time, unless otherwise specified herein.  

Employees currently working under LDH Teleworking Policy Number 82.1:

If an employee already has an approved Teleworking Agreement per the policy, that employee may continue to work under the schedule within that agreement; however, if the need arises, that employee may be required by the Appointing Authority to report to work at the primary work site as designated by the Appointing Authority.  Any employee who currently has a part-time Teleworking Agreement may be changed to full-time Teleworking Agreement as agreed upon by the Appointing Authority.

HR-48 and HR-48B Forms

Effective Mon, 6/22/2020, employees can begin utilizing the new and improved HR-48B (Disaster Operation Time Sheet), Rev. 6/2020. The purpose of this time sheet is to obtain documentation of disaster operations work that will meet Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements for reimbursable time and to accurately capture all hours worked during a State declared emergency situation.  This sheet is to be utilized for persons working from home or any site INCLUDING the Emergency Operations Center, GOHSEP or Shelter.

• HR-48B Instructions
• HR-48B Template

Expenditure tracking and payroll instructions for COVID-19On March 10, 2020, via Memorandum OSRAP 20-16, state agencies were notified of the requirements to track all expenditures and lost revenues relating to or resulting from COVID-19. 

In order to expedite Expenditure Approval related to COVID-19, the Expenditure Tracking Form will ALSO serve as the Expenditure Freeze Form.  The Expenditure Tracking Form is to be signed by the Budget Unit Head/Supervisor or LDH EOC Fiscal Chief.  NO FURTHER SIGNATURES will be needed to approve the expenditure for COVID-19.  This form should be submitted to vendor payments with invoice payment request, to travel for travel related expenses, and with P-Card Statements in lieu of the Expenditure Freeze form for COVID-19 Expenses.  Include Gina Meyer on all submissions of COVID-19 expense request.  

Please review the following documents for more information:

• Expenditure Tracking and Payroll Instructions
• Emergency Expenditure Capture Form
• Projected Expeditures Template