Dear Team DPS,
Thank you to everyone who joined us Monday for the Team DPS telephone town hall. We appreciated the opportunity to hear your questions and concerns, and we hope it was helpful in learning more about the COVID-19 vaccine, the public health order and what it means for members of Team DPS. In case you missed it, listen to a recording of the town hall in English or Spanish.
We have been working hard to map out a plan for how we can create the safest conditions possible across the district and comply with the public health order, which calls for all city employees and employees working in certain designated industries such as schools, child care, hospitals and more to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30. This requirement applies to all DPS employees, all charter school employees, contractors, and community members who volunteer in schools.
Today, we wanted to share our plan and resources to help all members of Team DPS comply with the health order. Please read this entire email to ensure you have the information necessary to meet the requirements and are aware of upcoming deadlines.
What does it mean to be in compliance with the city’s public health order?
You will be in compliance with the city’s requirements when you are fully vaccinated or have an approved exemption.
A person is considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 two weeks after they receive the second dose in a two-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or two weeks after they receive a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson/Janseen). Learn more about what it means to be fully vaccinated here. With this in mind, team members who have not yet received the vaccine will need to complete their series or single dose by Sept. 15.
There are exceptions for people with medical exemptions or sincere religious beliefs -- more information about these exceptions are shared below.
How do I provide documentation of my vaccine status or apply for a medical accommodation or religious exemption?
You will be receiving an email to your dpsk12.org account on Monday, Aug. 23. The email will provide you with instructions on how to log in to Employee Space and take action to comply with the mandate. All employees will need to take action in one of three ways:
Submit documentation of vaccine status: You will be asked to upload a picture of your completed vaccination card. We are requesting that all employees who are already fully vaccinated upload their documentation by Aug. 30.
Submit a request for a medical exemption: This form needs to be completed by both the employee and their health care provider before being uploaded. (This process will be similar to the ADA accommodation process.)
- Please note, any COVID-related medical accommodations from the 2020-21 school year will not roll over. Team members must submit a new medical accommodation request specifically for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Submit a request for a religious exemption: This form needs to be completed by the employee and uploaded into Employee Space.
- Even if you have already submitted a religious exemption through Human Resources, you’ll need to please re-submit through this system.
- Please note that all sections of the form must be completed, including a description of the sincerely held religious belief.
What happens after I upload my information?
Team members who upload their vaccine card do not need to take further action -- your status will be inputted into our database and only available by those who need to know the status, such as Human Resources representatives and your manager. Your manager will not have access to your vaccine card itself. They will only have confirmation of whether you are in compliance with the public health order.
Those who submit either a medical or religious exemption will be contacted by Human Resources with details on next steps.
What happens if you receive an approved medical accommodation or religious exemption?
DPS team members who are not fully vaccinated will be required to take additional safety measures to protect themselves and others. These measures may include masking, regular testing and other safety precautions. Specifics about additional measures will be determined at the time of approval of the accommodation or exemption.
Please note, requesting an accommodation or exemption will open additional conversations with Human Resources and your manager to determine the appropriate actions, which may include masking, regular testing, and other requirements to ensure your safety and the safety of others in the work environment. Private information will not be shared with your manager; however, they will be informed of your approved status and asked for input on what accommodations are appropriate for your role.
What happens if you aren’t in compliance by Sept. 30?
DPS is committed to not immediately terminating any employee on Oct. 1 if they are not yet fully vaccinated or don’t have an approved accommodation or exemption.
At a minimum, employees who have not taken a step toward compliance by Sept. 30 will be provided with a reminder on Oct. 1 that they are out of compliance and need to take action to avoid formal disciplinary action. If you continue to remain out of compliance, additional consequences will follow. Additional consequences and disciplinary actions include reprimands and may include dismissal.
Have more questions?
Additionally, visit the COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs on The Commons for more information about the city’s mandate and what it means for members of DPS. This page is updated regularly with new information as it’s available.
If you have specific concerns regarding your unique situation, please contact HR Connect by email at [email protected] or over the phone at 720-423-3900. Note: Due to increased volume, email and phone inquiries, HR Connect may be delayed. Please first check The Commons for up-to-date information regarding the vaccine mandate and requirements for DPS. Also, it’s important to note HR Connect team members are not medical professionals, and they are unable to answer questions regarding your personal medical situation and whether you are eligible for medical accommodation. For personal medical inquiries, please reach out to your primary care provider.
Thank you for everything you do for DPS. We know this is a time filled with uncertainty, and we appreciate your partnership in continuing to prioritize the health and safety of our students and staff.
Sincerely,
Your Human Resources Team
