COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Updates & Resources for City Employees

As Durham, the state of North Carolina, and our entire country face the unknowns of COVID-19, the City’s top priority is to maintain essential services for our community while protecting the health and safety of our residents and employees.

This page will continue to serve as a resource for City of Durham employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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LATEST STATUS Updates for Employees

COVID-19 Policies & Guidance

Indoor & Outdoor Mask Use

Effective January 18, 2022, City employees are now required to wear, at minimum, 3-ply disposable masks. Learn more about new mask requirements for City employees (PDF).

Under Durham's indoor mask requirement, ALL City of Durham employees and visitors are required to wear masks indoors until further notice. Under the City's new quarantine protocols (PDF), employees will also be required to wear masks outdoors for a designated period of time following a positive COVID-19 test and/or COVID exposure.

All Policies & Guidance

In addition to the mask use guidance indicated above, employees should continue following all other policies and guidance detailed on this page.

Employee Work Status

On-Site Service Levels

City Hall continues to be open Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Details about operating hours for other City facilities/services can be found on the City of Durham Service Updates & COVID-19 Guidelines web page.

Flexible Work

The City has officially launched its Flexible Working Arrangements policy (PDF)*. While the policy rolls out, departments are encouraged to continue supporting flexible work options for their employees whenever possible.

* Please Note: This policy is only available on CODI, so employee login will be required to view.

Changes to Work Status

As a rule, any employee whose work location is expected to materially change will be provided at least 30 days notice whenever possible. Some exceptions may apply. If you have questions about your work status, please consult with your supervisor.

Vaccines & Boosters

Reporting Requirement

City employees are strongly encouraged to verify their COVID-19 vaccination and booster vaccination via CoVerified.

Employees who have not reported their status as fully vaccinated (initial series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or initial Johnson & Johnson vaccine) must submit to weekly COVID-19 testing. View the Mandatory COVID-19 Testing policy (PDF).

Vaccine & Booster Requirement

At this time, the COVID vaccine (including the booster shot) is not mandatory for any City employee.

Incentives


City of Durham employees who verify that they are fully vaccinated (initial series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or initial Johnson & Johnson vaccine) and/or verify that they have received their COVID-19 booster shot may be eligible for 1) paid time off as part of the City’s new Earned Preventive Care Time (formerly Wellness Day) policy and 2) wellness credit* for the upcoming benefits year.

For a limited time beginning January 10, 2022, employees who have verified their booster status in CoVerified will also be entered to win additional prizes like gift cards.

* Additional details about FY22-23 wellness requirements coming soon. 

Eligibility

All City employees are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine and booster shot. Please visit the CDC's website for additional guidance around vaccine and booster shot eligibility.

Following COVID-19 Policies & Guidance

Employees should continue following all policies and guidance detailed on this page, regardless of their vaccination status.

COVID-19 Testing

Mandatory Testing Requirement

Effective November 1, 2021, City employees who have not reported their status as fully vaccinated (initial series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or initial Johnson & Johnson vaccine) must submit to weekly COVID-19 testing. View the Mandatory COVID-19 Testing policy (PDF).

To be removed from the testing program, employees must first submit a copy of their completed vaccine card to HR using CoVerified.

On-Site Testing Clinics

Employees who qualify are encouraged to take advantage of the City's two on-site testing clinics. Appointments should be scheduled directly through CVS Health®.

This Week in Positive COVID-19 Cases, Quarantines & Vaccination Rate at City of Durham

Click on a chart to view the full-size version.

612 total positive COVID-19 cases at the City since March 2020 as of January 24, 2022.
211 new positive COVID-19 cases at the City in January as of January 24, 2022.
Number of quarantined City employees at the beginning of each week. 3 for week of January 24, 2022.
85% of City of Durham employees are confirmed and verified as fully vaccinated as of January 24

CoVerified: COVID-19 Management Platform

CoVerified logo

To support safety while the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the City of Durham has launched a new COVID-19 management platform for City employees called CoVerified. CoVerified is a service that assists with uploading vaccination cards, test results, and more.

All City employees will need to register with CoVerified using the instructions detailed below.

  1. What Does CoVerified Do?
  2. LOGIN & REGISTRATION

Should I use CoVerified to report...

Symptoms/Illness?

No. At this time, employees should continue to contact HR Connect if they are feeling unwell or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Reporting of symptoms/illness will transition to CoVerified in mid-late February 2022.

Testing?

No. At this time, employees should continue to contact HR Connect if they or someone in their household has been tested for COVID-19, even if the person receiving the test is asymptomatic. Reporting of testing will transition to CoVerified in mid-late February 2022.

Test Results?

Yes. Results from tests completed at an on-site City of Durham clinic through CVS Health will be automatically loaded into CoVerified by HR, but all other test results must be directly uploaded to CoVerified by the employee.

Vaccination or Booster?

Yes. You can also log into your CoVerified account to confirm whether or not Human Resources has verified your vaccination/booster.

Overview of Guidance for City Employees

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Masks/Face Coverings
ALL employees are now required to wear, at minimum, a 3-ply disposable mask while working indoors unless they are alone in a closed office. With a few exceptions for employees who recently tested positive for COVID or were exposed to COVID, generally speaking, employees do not have to wear a mask while working outdoors. Read more about guidance for mask use (PDF).

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Illness
Employees should stay at home if they are feeling ill, even with symptoms unrelated to COVID-19. Read more about our temporary employee wellness policy (PDF).

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Testing Notification
City employees are required to notify Human Resources if they or someone in their household has been tested for COVID-19, for any reason and regardless of symptoms. This initial notification of testing should be sent to HR Connect.

Graphic of COVID test results

Reporting Test Results
Employees should upload all COVID-19 test results to CoVerified. Note that results from tests received at either of the City's on-site clinics will be automatically uploaded to CoVerified by HR.

Graphic of a person quarantined at home

Quarantining
All employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 must now quarantine for at least five days. Quarantine and related protocols following an exposure will vary depending on the employee's symptoms and vaccination/booster status. Read more about quarantine protocols (PDF).

Graphic of COVID-19 test tubes

Mandatory COVID-19 Testing
City employees who have not reported their status as fully vaccinated (initial series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or initial Johnson & Johnson vaccine) must submit to weekly COVID-19 testing. Read more about our mandatory testing policy (PDF).

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Sharing Vehicles 
ALL employees must now wear a mask at ALL times while in a City vehicle with one or more passengers. Read more about guidelines for sharing a vehicle (PDF).

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Cleaning of Personal & Shared Workspaces
The General Services Department will continue to thoroughly clean and disinfect common areas and surfaces, but employees are responsible for cleaning and disinfecting their personal work areas and equipment. Read more about employee cleaning protocols (PDF).


View a comprehensive overview of all workplace protocols for on-site employees (PDF). Failure to follow these protocols could result in disciplinary action under the revised Safety Program policy (PDF).

Working On-Site FAQs

  1. Cleaning & Air Quality
  2. PARKING
  3. Rec Classes & Facilities
  4. Supplies

If you are returning to in-person work, we recognize that you may have questions about what the City is doing to keep employees and visitors safe during COVID-19. When it comes to creating a safe and healthy working environment, our General Services team has the answers.

Read General Services' answers to your FAQs about cleaning protocols, air quality, and more (PDF).

COMPLETE Policies & Guidance for City of Durham Employees

Please click through the following tabs to review the City of Durham’s official COVID-19 policies and guidance for employees:

  1. HUMAN Resources
  2. RISK MANAGEMENT
  3. purchasing
  4. Technology Solutions


Policies:

Mandatory COVID Testing (PDF)

Temporary Employee Wellness (PDF)

Overview of Leave Options:

All employees hired before May 1, 2020 have been granted 5 weeks of COVID leave. Relaxed sick leave is an additional option for eligible employees managing certain COVID-19 related issues. Otherwise, normal leave request procedures should be followed at this time. 

Overview of Quarantine Protocols:

COD Quarantine Protocol 010322 Opens in new window

Click the image above for a full-size PDF version.

Temporary HR Policy Timeline

Current Policies

Policy Name
 Effective Date
 Last Updated
 Expiration Date
March 13, 2020
 March 25, 2021
 In effect until further notice
Mandatory COVID-19 Testing (PDF)
 October 18, 2021
 October 18, 2021
 In effect until further notice
Modified Grievance Process (PDF)
 October 18, 2021
 October 18, 2021
 In effect until further notice

Expired Policies

Policy Name
 Effective Date
 Last Updated
 Expiration Date
Temporary Leave & School Closures (PREVIOUS VERSION)
 March 30, 2020 May 31, 2020 May 31, 2020
Temporary Premium Pay March 30, 2020 June 19, 2020 June 19, 2020
Temporary Personal Travel March 13, 2020 June 30, 2020 June 30, 2020
Temporary Business Travel
 March 13, 2020
 September 30, 2020
 September 30, 2020
FFCRA Emergency Sick & FMLA Leave
 April 1, 2020
 December 31, 2020
 December 31, 2020
Temporary Shared Leave Donations for School Closures
 August 24, 2020
 June 30, 2021
 June 30, 2021
Temporary Severe Weather
 November 23, 2020
 June 30, 2021
 June 30, 2021
Temporary Leave & School Closures (NEW VERSION) August 24, 2020
 June 30, 2021
 June 30, 2021

Communication With Employees

The City uses a variety of methods to communicate with employees, but this page and the channels below will be the primary means of communication during the COVID-19 pandemic:

Woman typing on laptop computer

City Week

City Week, our weekly employee newsletter, is your best source for reliable, up-to-date communication from the City during COVID-19.

All City of Durham employees are signed up to receive City Week each Monday to their DurhamNC.gov email address. If you are not receiving City Week to your email and would like to, please email Hannah Watts.

You can also sign up to receive City Week by text alert.

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PAPA

PAPA (Public Affairs Priority Alerts) is the City’s emergency notification system used to provide time-sensitive information and emergency updates to employees, including those related to COVID-19 and its impact on City employees. You can expect to receive PAPA alerts via email, phone, and/or text depending on your personal settings.

To learn more about PAPA view the PAPA How-to Guide (PDF), including how to update your contact information on page 7.

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Human Resources

Visit Human Resources’ homepage for HR Connect hours, additional HR resources, and more.