Refer to
Saskatchewan.ca/covid19
for the most up-to-date information from the province and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
HR Information for managers and employees
March 31, 2020 - 3:00 p.m. Most recent changes in red.
Information is changing rapidly and will be updated as it changes.
- Is government planning to move employees around to different jobs because of COVID-19?
Yes. Government has already begun moving employees who are available to meet the increased demands for critical public services.
- How will employees be redeployed?
The Public Service Commission will be sending out a skills survey to government employees to collect information on employee skills and availability. Additional information on the process will be available shortly.
- Does a person need to provide a doctor’s note to "clear" them to return to work following a period of self-isolation or illness?
No. To ensure we are not burdening the health care system, managers should not be requesting doctor’s notes prior to clearing employees to return to work, even if they have been exposed to or infected with COVID-19. Employee may return to work after a period of self-isolation if they are asymptomatic and have not been re-exposed. More information.
FULL Questions and Answers - (updated March 31/20 at 3:00 p.m.).
Working from home-PSC guidelines
March 20, 2020 - 1:47 p.m.
Working from home requires individuals and their managers to work in
a different way, communicate closely, and connect regularly. The following
guidelines provide support to employees working from home.
General Guidelines for Working from Home
Managers who have employees working from home should maintain regular contact with employees to ensure the work from home arrangement is effective.
Employees working from home must adhere to the terms and conditions of employment, relevant collective bargaining agreements, legislation, regulations and policies.
Employee working from home should be available to their managers, teams and clients during regular working hours.
No in-person contact with clients/stakeholders should occur while working from home.
Work from home must be in a designated space, appropriate to the nature of the work, and meet occupational health and safety requirements.
Employees working from home must ensure that adequate safeguards are in place to protect confidential information (Clean Desk Security Policy,
Workstation Checklist).
Employees working from home should use equipment and supplies provided by the employer in accordance with the
Government of Saskatchewan's Information Technology Acceptable Usage Policy (PS 1103).
March 27, 2020 - 10.30 a.m.
Please
print this guide before you leave the office. That way you have full
instructions when you are disconnected. If additional issues arise, Taskroom
is accessible from any internet connection (e.g. your phone or personal
computer). You do not need to be connected to the network.
It is strongly advised that you take your work computer home, even if it is a desktop. This guarantees the best and most secure connection to all of your work applications and files. In the event that a government computer is not an option, contact the Service Desk for more options: itoservicedesk@gov.sk.ca, +1 (306) 787-5000.
1. Technology options
2. User security guidelines
3. Things to do BEFORE you leave the office - (e.g. changing your password, installing all updates)
4. How to pack up your workstation
5. How to work from home using a Government of Saskatchewan computer, optimizing your connection and VPN.
- All Government of Saskatchewan computers (including desktops) are now equipped with VPN. You do not need to request a token to access VPN.
- Limit the use of VPN to leave room for others.
- A VPN connection is not required if you’re accessing systems such as Sasktel IBC, Email, Skype for Business, ServiceNow, OneDrive, or Taskroom.sp.saskatchewan.ca and other public websites.
6. Accessing Office 0365 with any device and any internet connection
You can connect to Word, Outlook (email), PowerPoint, Excel, Skype, SharePoint, OneNote, OneDrive etc. with any internet connection and any device. You must have
Multifactor Authentication (MFA) set up.
- If you are accessing from your government computer, you will have full functionality.
- If you are accessing from a personal computer or phone your functionality will be limited.
- If you already have MFA, double check your preferences to ensure you are not using an office phone. If you are using an office phone you will need to change your preferences to use a cell phone and/or an authenticator app.
7. Hot-spotting Hot-spotting allows you
to access the internet from your computer when you don’t have Wi-Fi by using the data from your cell phone
Video-conferencing and telephone calls
-
Be mindful of when to use your phone and when to use Skype. Skype is the best option if you need video chat and/or need to present material, otherwise using a phone is recommended.
- Use Facetime for a two-person video call if you and your colleague have work iPhones.
- Schedule conference calls outside of the peak times of 9 to 11 a.m. when possible. Calls with lower participant count can use the 3 to 6 way calling function on your phone set or using IBC Soft Client.
- Videoconference meetings: Skype for Business is a tool that can be used to hold videoconference meetings on any government device equipped for two-way audio. Please refer to the
Skype Video Conference Guide for detailed instructions.
-
Teleconference meetings: Government’s new
IBC phone system offers tools to help
keep business running including offering personal IBC conference lines, having calls to their desk line ring simultaneously on their cell phone, making and receiving calls from any computer, and making changes to their call forwarding from anywhere. Learn
how to use these features by following the IBC phone system guides.
To use features like those described above, you need
your IBC user ID and password to access your IBC User Portal or Soft Client. If
you have forgotten your password and need it reset, please contact your
ministry’s Telephone Coordinator.
Online training for the IBC phone
system covers features that will help you work remotely. Sessions are being
offered on the first Wednesday morning and third Thursday afternoon of the
month.
|
Wednesday, April 1
at 9:30 – 11 a.m. Thursday, April 16
at 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 6 at 9:30 – 11 a.m.
|
Thursday, May 21 at
2 – 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 3
at 9:30 – 11 a.m.
Thursday, June 17 at 2 – 3:30 p.m
|
Sessions are booked for 90 minutes
to accommodate extra time for user questions. The presentation portion is
approximately 35 to 45 minutes. Email ibcproject.cs@gov.sk.ca
to register.
- Activate features by following the IBC phone system guides. To use features like those described above, you need your IBC user ID and password to access your IBC User Portal or Soft Client. If you have forgotten your password and need it reset, please contact your ministry’s Telephone Coordinator.
Microsoft OneDrive
A small number of government users recently received the OneDrive cloud application. This has become their new individual working drive, replacing their H: Drive. Files saved to this drive are saved in the cloud and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.
March 24, 2020 - 1:00 p.m.
During this unprecedented time, the Property Management Division of Central Services is committed to supporting building operations and maintenance and overseeing cleaning contracts. Government spaces are remaining open and will continue to be maintained. This includes both owned and leased spaces.
Below are Central Services’ actions to ensure appropriate cleaning in government workspaces:
We are ensuring janitorial service providers adhere to established cleaning standards and directed them to increase the frequency of disinfecting high-touch areas.
Building Operators are monitoring cleaning practices to ensure compliance and advising on-site cleaning staff of any deficiencies on a daily basis. Issues are to be brought to the attention of Building Managers who are responsible for working with managers/owners of the cleaning contractors for correction.
In leased buildings, many landlords have also voluntarily increased their cleaning practices and standards.
Where landlord-provided cleaning remains at standard levels, Central Services has arranged for additional cleaning in common areas to ensure leased buildings are being kept to the same standards as government-owned buildings.
All Building Managers are maintaining a three-month “rolling supply” of hand soap, towels and hand sanitizer. If needed, stock is being redistributed across the building portfolio until new product is received.
Hand sanitizer dispensers and disinfecting spray and/or wipes are available in all common high-use areas of buildings, as supplies permit (with the exception of the public areas in correctional centres, court facilities and particular locations where the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer is not appropriate). Additional dispensers are being installed in common staff locations.
Specific program areas can arrange for enhanced cleaning measures for their spaces at an additional cost, by contacting Candice St. Onge, Senior Provincial Planning Manager at 306-787-2275.
To facilitate a quick response when a deep clean and disinfection is required (for example, if an individual with a presumptive or confirmed case of COVID-19 has been in one of our work places), Central Services will immediately contact contractors to ensure timely and responsive action.
The cleaning contract does not include surface cleaning of individual persons’ working stations. We are also not providing hand sanitizer to individual office occupants, but are maintaining sanitizer in common areas for all to use. We each have individual responsibility to ensure we are also disinfecting our own work stations.
Central Services’ Building Managers are responsible for managing all building leases, including day leases. The Building Manager is the key contact to make these arrangements, if your program area has information to pass on to landlords such as:
office closures,
building maintenance issues,
janitorial concerns, or
scheduling of services such as day court.
As always, Central Services continues to monitor the status and planning related to COVID-19 and takes these responsibilities seriously. Central Services will seek guidance and direction from the Ministry of Health and the Government of Saskatchewan related to measures to minimize individual impacts.
Any questions or concerns regarding these services can be directed to Kelley Moore, Executive Director Northern Property Management at 306-221-4280 or Andre Laberge, Executive Director Southern Property Management at 306-787-7592.
New COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool
The Government of Saskatchewan has launched a new COVID-19 self-assessment tool to determine whether Saskatchewan residents should be tested for COVID-19. Residents can complete this assessment for themselves or on behalf of someone else, if they are not able. The self-assessment tool can be accessed
here.
Resources about COVID-19