Dear Employee:
Please know how proud I am of your resilience and commitment to stopping the spread of
COVID-19
throughout our community. The quick action taken by all County employees to implement and communicate the protective measures put in place within our workspaces are making a big difference in the spread of the virus, as well as keeping everyone safe. I am also grateful that I can count on each one of you to help protect your coworkers and the community as we work together to provide critical services.
We continue to expand protective measures to reduce the spread of germs and COVID-19. For those employees who are still coming into work and interacting with the public or other staff in close proximity, we strongly encourage you to wear a mask. If you are isolated in an office by yourself, a mask is not necessary. We have obtained masks and other protective gear for employees, which have been distributed to each department. We will distribute more protective gear, as needed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines some helpful guidance on
how to properly wear and clean a cloth face mask
.
Please remember to continue practicing social distancing and keep at least six feet between yourself and others. Simply wearing a face mask is not a substitute for social distancing. I also want to remind you of the importance of washing your hands frequently and
taking other precautions
to protect yourself and others. Department directors and division managers remain open to hearing from you regarding observations and suggestions that will enhance workplace safety, while also helping you continue to best serve our residents.
While employees and residents are strongly encouraged to stay at home as much as possible until further notice, I am keeping the future beyond COVID-19 in mind. Returning to normal business operations within the County and throughout our business community is a very delicate task that I do not take lightly. As a result, I have formed the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force comprised of large and small business owners, health care professionals, tourism and lodging officials, business chambers, entertainment, and education representatives for advisement on creating a plan on how and when to begin safely reopening our community.
During these stressful times, it can be beneficial to shift our thinking from challenge mode to opportunity mode. I firmly believe professional development helps each of us become stronger and more knowledgeable in our profession, while also giving us the skills and tools to excel further.
As a County employee, you have access to a variety of resources and learning opportunities that cover a wide range of subject areas. Whether you are a supervisor looking to grow and develop your team or an employee interested in expanding your skills,
myOCLearn
has hundreds of courses available and ready to use. If you have not had the opportunity to explore what myOCLearn has to offer, review the
myOCLearn User Guide
to see what courses are available.
Special courses are available through May 15 on topics such as Mental Health, Working Remotely, Leading Virtual Teams, and Handling Stress. To access these special courses, log in to
myOCLearn
, clic
k on Self-Assign, and search for “Open Sesame.” I think you will find these courses beneficial on a professional and personal level.
Thank you again for your support, hard work and dedication. You play a vital role in making sure we can continue County operations by providing essential services to our community.
