COVID-19 Update #42 03/05/2021 Important “STANDBY” Information Included

Updated COVID-19 Information

• Governor Murphy announced that all transportation workers will become eligible for the vaccine beginning March 15th.
• Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine began shipping out Monday morning
• NJDOH has created a newsletter – Vax Matters – specifically for COVID vaccine-related information. Click here for the latest edition or click here to subscribe.
• The CDC has issued guidance on: What to Expect after Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine.

• The CDC recommends masks with two or more layers of washable, breathable fabric. As  a reminder, NJ TRANSIT-supplied cloth face coverings are three-ply. 
• The CDC has issued guidance regarding quarantine for persons fully vaccinated with the mRNA vaccine. In short, vaccinated persons with an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the following criteria:

• • Are fully vaccinated (i.e., ≥2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or ≥2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine)
  • Are within 3 months following receipt of the last dose in the series
  • Have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure
    
    Persons who do not meet all 3 of the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance after exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

Supplement to Communicable Disease in the Workplace Policy

Policy 3.36A became effective for Non-Agreement Employees as of February 25, 2021. The purpose of this Supplement to Policy 3.36 is to provide revised Employee, Supervisor, and Manager responsibilities and procedures for personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance, reporting instances of COVID-19, and to set forth procedures for returning to the workplace. In addition, this Supplement provides operational provisions, in accordance with Governor Murphy’s applicable Executive Orders, including but not limited to E.O. Nos. 125, 165, and 192 (2020) as well as Transportation Security Administration Security Directive SD 1582/84-21-01, implementing President Biden’s Executive Order Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel (January 21, 2021). 

The policy can be found on @Transit or via this link.

EMPLOYEE FACE COVERING DIRECTIVES

NJ TRANSIT Corporate Policy 3.36A requires NJ TRANSIT employees to wear face coverings while working at all NJ TRANSIT locations whenever they are likely to encounter others, except where doing so would inhibit that individual’s health. Employees should report non-compliance to their managers for resolution.  

Employees should also familiarize themselves with Corporate Policy 3.16, regarding the process on employee discipline for non-compliance with NJ TRANSIT Policies.

Additionally, it is the responsibility of NJ TRANSIT personnel who bring vendors or contractors on to NJ TRANSIT property to ensure that they are in compliance with Corporate Policy 3.36A. Help to slow the spread of COVID-19 and do your part to protect yourself and your coworkers by wearing your face coverings.

NJ TRANSIT has purchased and secured enough cloth face coverings for all employees. Employees are not permitted to wear masks with logos other than NJ TRANSIT’s, or distracting graphics or messages. The only face coverings permitted for employees are:

• NJ TRANSIT-supplied cloth face coverings;
• Plain, patterned, or similar homemade or store-bought masks.

How to get your NJ TRANSIT-supplied face covering

Supervisors throughout the agency have been asked to distribute NJ TRANSIT-supplied face coverings. Before coming into the office or work location, please talk with your supervisor to receive your  NJ TRANSIT-supplied face covering(s) if you have not received yours already.

Face covering care and maintenance

According to the manufacturer, NJ TRANSIT-supplied face coverings can be washed up to 100 times before being discarded. According to the CDC, cloth face coverings should be washed after each use. More information about cloth face coverings can be found via the CDC’s Web page, “Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19.”

Important Email Addresses During COVID-19

• COVIDSAFETY@NJTRANSIT.com: For specific COVID-19 safety questions or concerns.
• CVTASKFORCE@NJTRANSIT.com: For NJ TRANSIT employees who wish to bring contractors, vendors, or essential visitors into Headquarters, GOB, and the administrative offices at Newton Avenue in Camden, or who have questions with non-medical COVID-19-related issues, questions, or concerns related to non-employees only.
• SafetyHotline@NJTRANSIT.COM: To report workplace safety issues, questions, or concerns, unrelated to COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not currently recommend use of face shields as a substitute for face coverings. Therefore, they may not be used to satisfy NJ TRANSIT’s face covering requirements.

All employees must immediately notify our Medical Department of any positive COVID-19 diagnosis – even if you have been working from home. For any and all COVID-19-related questions or developments, please call our COVID-19 Hotline, staffed 24/7, at 1-888-890-0729. See below for more information on return to work procedures. 

ALL COVID-19-RELATED ABSENCES – INCLUDING SCHOOL CLOSURES AND OTHER CHILDCARE ISSUES RELATED TO COVID-19 – REQUIRE AN MD-40 FORM TO RETURN TO WORK

An MD-40 form is similarly required for ANY absence from the office of 30 days or more. Here’s how to return to work after ANY COVID-19-related absence:

1. Call the NJ TRANSIT COVID-19 toll free hotline number (at 1-888-890-0729) at least three days prior to your anticipated date of return. This will allow adequate time to process your information and have any required documentation reviewed by Medical Services staff.
2. During your call, the hotline agent will review your case, make any necessary updates, and ask you to submit any additional documentation that may be required. Again, it is very important to contact the hotline BEFORE sending in any documentation. This will ensure that your documentation is attached to your case and expedite processing.
3. After calling the hotline, please tell your supervisor your anticipated date of return. This will allow time for scheduling assignments.
4. Once all required information has been received and processed, a member of the Return to Work Task Force will contact you via the phone number or email we have on file. They will notify you that your documentation has been received and reviewed, and complete your MD-40 (Work Status Form). Again: All COVID-19-related absences require an MD-40 in order to return to the workplace.
5. A copy of your MD-40 will be sent to you via email (or you will be required to pick up a hard copy from Medical Services in Maplewood). A copy will also be sent via email or fax to your supervisor or other appropriate individual, to notify them of your clearance to return to the workplace

Please remember: For any and all COVID-19-related questions, call the hotline, staffed 24/7, at 1-888-890-0729. Please do not directly contact the NJ TRANSIT Medical Services Department at the standard office numbers for any COVID-19-related matters. This will cause a delay in your case processing.

COVID-19 Child Care: School-Age Tuition Assistance Program

The New Jersey School-Age Tuition Assistance Program can help you pay for care for your school-age child in need of child care as a result of COVID-19 remote learning schools schedules. To be eligible for this assistance, you must be:

• a NJ resident;
• your child must be attending school remotely, either part-time or full-time; and
• your annual gross household income must be $150,000 or less.

Click here for more details.

Flexible Work Arrangements for Non-Agreement Employees Due to COVID-19-Related School Closures

Policy 3.36B became effective as of 9/22/2020 for Non-Agreement Employees. The policy outlines the guidelines for requesting flexible work arrangements in order to care for minor and dependent children (age 18 and younger) during the school year due to COVID-19 related closures and/or remote learning requirements. The policy can be found on @Transit or via this link.

OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL ADVISORY UPDATES

New Jersey strongly discourages all non-essential interstate travel at this time.

Travelers and residents returning from any U.S. state or territory beyond the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) should self-quarantine at their home, hotel, or other temporary lodging following recommendations from the CDC:

• If travel is unavoidable, travelers should consider getting tested with a viral test (not an antibody test) 1-3 days before the trip and again 3-5 days after the trip.
• If travelers test positive, they should self-isolate for at least 10 days and should postpone travel during that time.
• If travelers test negative, they should quarantine for a full 7 days after travel.
• If testing is not available (or if the results are delayed), travelers should quarantine for 10 days after travel.

The advisory is no longer specific to certain states. Because of the rising number of case counts across all states, there is an increased risk of spread of COVID-19 upon return from any travel.

The self-quarantine is voluntary, but compliance is expected. Travelers arriving from areas with increasing COVID-19 cases may wish to postpone their travel to the region if they are unwilling or unable to follow the quarantine advisory.

Travelers and those residents who are returning from states and territories beyond the immediate region should quarantine at their home, or a hotel or other temporary lodging. Individuals should leave the place of quarantine only to seek medical care/treatment or to obtain food and other essential items.

The state asks that anyone who travels to New Jersey from a state/territory outside the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) complete a voluntary online survey to provide information about where you are traveling from and your destination.

If you choose to provide this information, it will be shared with local New Jersey Public Health authorities and other third parties when required by law. Local health departments will contact you to remind you to self-quarantine and offer assistance including information about testing locations.

Please note that this advisory does not apply to individuals:

• Who are returning to New Jersey after traveling outside of the state for less than 24 hours or those traveling to New Jersey for less than 24 hours – Even where travel is less than 24 hours, however, individuals are still discouraged from engaging in non-essential travel to other states to the extent possible.
• Who are in transit through the state to another destination, provided that the time spent in the state is only the amount of time necessary to complete the transit, make use of travel services, such as a highway rest stop, or make necessary travel connections.

For answers to commonly asked questions, refer to the Department of Health’s Frequently Asked Questions about the self-quarantine for travelers.

Essential Travel

Essential travel would include, for example:

• Individuals traveling to and from the state for work.
• Individuals traveling to and from the state for medical reasons, including individuals providing comfort and support to a patient.
• Military personnel traveling to the state by order or directive of a state or Federal military authority.
• Individuals traveling to comply with a court order, such as child custody.

Essential Personnel

Please note that NJ TRANSIT workers have been deemed critical infrastructure employees and are exempt from the quarantine recommendation. Individuals who routinely work in New Jersey and Delaware are exempt, as well. Of course, numerous people travel back and forth between New Jersey and Delaware for work each day, but are encouraged to work from home if possible. 

NJ TRANSIT employees are urged to take advantage of the COVID-19 testing provided by NJ TRANSIT, Agile Urgent Care, and Accurate Laboratories. Testing is available at the following locations:

• Agile Urgent Care Services: 20 Meadowlands Pkwy, Secaucus, NJ 07094
• Accurate Diagnostic Labs: 180 Lincoln Highway, Edison, NJ 08820
• Prompt Medical Care: 636 Easton Ave, Suite 2, BLDG 2, Somerset, New Jersey 08873
• Accurate Diagnostic Labs: 515 South Broad Street, 2nd Floor, Trenton, NJ 08611-1819
• Accurate Diagnostic Labs: 1364 Route 72 West, 1st Floor, Manahawkin, NJ 08050
• Accurate Diagnostic Labs: 9 Hospital Drive, Suite B8, Toms River, NJ 08755-6425

Registration for this service is required. You may register online at njt.agileurgentcare.com.

Please find a comprehensive list of COVID-19 testing sites in New Jersey as of February 22, 2021. This list includes new COVID-19 testing options for NJ TRANSIT employees in north, south, and central New Jersey, as well as state and county testing sites. Private testing sites can be found via the link on the bottom of the document.