Dear Colleagues,

We are continuing to closely monitor COVID-19 cases across the enterprise and at Headquarters.  We are seeing an increase in cases at some sites, and are monitoring the situation very closely.  As a reminder, our Labs, Plants, and Sites are at different phases based on the conditions at the site and in the local community.  We are continuing to work with them to do what is right and safe for all of our employees.

We received confirmation that two Headquarters employees have reported cases.  Neither case has been in any of the Headquarters buildings since the beginning of March; therefore, additional cleaning and work-related contact tracing was not necessary.  This week, there are no reports of additional Headquarters personnel as having recovered.

As I explained in my message earlier this week, we are not announcing the start of Phase 3 at this time and there is no specific date for the start of Phase 3 at Headquarters.  However, we are preparing for our eventual transition to Phase 3 at Headquarters and I wanted to provide you with the latest information in order for you to effectively plan for any upcoming decisions.  When Headquarters moves to Phase 3, federal employees will be able to request temporary increased flexibilities to address individuals’ needs, such as schooling, dependent care, and vulnerabilities. 

There’s also still time to participate in the Feds Feed Families (FFF) campaign.  So far, over 3 million pounds of food have been donated government-wide, including 66,357 pounds from DOE.  Thank you for your generous contributions.  Let’s finish strong; you have until the end of July to participate.  Visit the FFF Hub for more information. If you have questions about the campaign, please contact your office’s FFF Champion or DOE’s Agency Chair, John Dupuy.

This is a challenging time, and you may want to consider discussing your concerns with a trained Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counselor to assist in relieving grief, loneliness, fear, and stress.  Federal employees at DOE Headquarters can contact the Department’s EAP Specialist at (202) 586-4995.  Federal employees outside of the DC area may contact Espȳr at (877) 801-5752 to speak to a counselor. For additional resources, Federal employees may access the Espȳr website (the DOE password can be found on the internal EAP page).

The COVID-19 Hotline is available for reporting cases as well as for answering questions.  The COVID-19 Hotline can be reached by calling (202) 586-2683 (202-586-COVD) or by e-mailing the COVID-19 mailbox at COVID-19inquiries@hq.doe.gov.  Emails with personal information can be sent using Entrust.

With COVID-19 continuing to touch all aspects of our lives, I appreciate all you are doing for our nation during these challenging times, and know we will get through them together.  Thank you for your continued commitment and your perseverance in achieving the Department’s critical and varied missions.  Be well and stay safe.

Dan Brouillette

Secretary of Energy