Return to Office following change in COVID-19 risk status

Last week, two important COVID-19-related announcements were made. First, Austin & Travis County downgraded its risk status from Stage 5 to Stage 4. By existing policy, that calls for a return to the office for all staff, effective Wednesday, March 2.

Keep in mind that our hybrid 2/3 program (2 days in the office, 3 days remote for qualified positions) remains in effect. See more details on remote work at the bottom of this post.

The second major announcement came from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC.) Friday, the CDC released new guidelines for masking in the US.

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlined the new set of measures for communities where COVID-19 is easing its grip, with less of a focus on positive test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals," reported the Associated Press.

The CDC introduced a new tool to communicate risk levels in local communities and offer recommendations related to mask use and other protocols. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area.

According to the CDC, Travis County is categorized as low risk. In the low category, the CDC offers the following safety recommendations:

• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines

• Get tested if you have symptoms

Medium and high classifications carry other recommendations. See those here.

Accordingly, Texas REALTORS® will be lifting our mask requirement for employees and guests in the building, effective immediately.

With that said, we respect and support any employee's desire to continue to wear masks. We encourage where meetings occur that cannot accommodate adequate distancing between participants, masks are used. Meeting hosts and participants may request the same in smaller meetings and encouraged to accommodate with remote participation as appropriate.

As we continue to navigate through the pandemic, we are all demonstrating great flexibility and ask that we all continue to take the perspective that we are all doing the best we can to serve each other and our members in an ever-changing environment. We will continue to watch the risk status and make necessary adjustments to help protect the health and safety of employees and guests.

As mentioned above, as a reminder to most of us, we do have a hybrid 2/3 remote policy in effect at the office, providing flexible, remote work opportunities for most staff. This option provides the opportunity for positions that are eligible to effectively work from home to do so for up to 3 days a week. Eligibility and scheduling must be approved in advance by departmental directors. Here are a few guidelines for the program:

• Advance approval by supervisor required

• Eligibility determined by department director based on job duties and effectiveness – director has the ability to rescind eligibility based on ineffectiveness or non-compatibility

• Meetings that necessitate or are more effective with physical presence take precedence over remote working

• Days do not roll over or accumulate…max three per week whether they are taken or not

• Partial remote during a day constitutes a full day of remote

• Will be re-evaluated for effectiveness periodically and the program may be altered or revoked based on this evaluation

Please visit with your department director or any vice president if you have additional questions.