Dear Colleagues,
With the Memorial Day holiday weekend upon us, many are starting to think about summer vacations and travel plans.
In the Phase One of the Massachusetts reopening plan, which began on Monday, May 18, travelers from out-of-state are being asked to quarantine themselves for 14 days after arriving in Massachusetts, and a Safer-at-Home advisory encourages residents to limit their trips out. In Phase Two, business and recreational travel will still be discouraged, and travelers will continue to be urged to self-quarantine.
Each phase of the Massachusetts reopening plan will last a minimum of three weeks and could last longer before moving to the next phase. If public health data trends are negative, specific industries, regions, and/or the entire Commonwealth may need to return to an earlier phase.
In compliance with Phases One and Two of the Massachusetts reopening plan, the MBL is requiring all staff who are entering or re-entering Massachusetts to self-isolate for 14 days before returning to campus. The earliest this would be lifted (per state guidelines) would be June 29. Staff who self-quarantine and are not able to work remotely may use COVID-19 Bank time or vacation time based on their individual situation. Employees should work directly with their supervisors to facilitate research or work continuity.
As a reminder, we continue to strongly caution against any non-essential personal travel outside of Massachusetts until further notice. Any individual returning from out-of-state travel must self-quarantine for 14 days before returning to campus. Staff members who must travel on personal business are reminded to complete this form with information about their trip. This will help the MBL work with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to limit exposure in the event of a positive test case.
Visit the Travel Guidelines page on the coronavirus website for more information and contact your supervisor or Human Resources at hr@mbl.edu with questions.
We fully realize the disruption that these travel restrictions pose, especially as we enter the summer months. The MBL continues to prioritize the health and well-being of our staff. It is imperative that we ensure to the best of our ability that the progress that we’ve made to date to keep our community safe continues into the weeks and months ahead.
Paul Speer
Chief Operating Officer