The rapidly escalating challenges from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) global outbreak present critical workforce issues for federal agencies to assess and address, says the US Government Accountability Office (GAO). As a result, GAO has issued some key considerations that agencies should consider to protect their workforce and the members of the public with whom they interact. 

Some key considerations for federal workers' reentry to workplaces include:

•  As federal agencies manage operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and plan for their employees to safely return to workplaces, GAO's prior work has shown that it is important for agencies to identify mission essential functions that cannot be performed remotely when deciding who needs to return to the office.
• Agencies should also consider the exposure risk level and local conditions when deciding whether to reopen offices across the country. To protect employees as they reenter the workforce, it will be important for agencies to have appropriate protection measures in place. For example, agencies should consider how they can ensure adequate distribution of hygiene supplies. They should also consider changes to the work environment to reduce workplace hazards, and implement social distancing strategies.

The U.S. Census Bureau offers an example of how an agency suspended and resumed operations under the current pandemic, notes GAO. In March 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau suspended field operations of the Decennial Census and took a phased approach to resuming operations at its area census offices. As of June 11, all area census offices had resumed operations. Key aspects of resuming operations at area census offices included: (1) taking a phased approach to restarting operations, such as resuming operations that required less physical interaction first; (2) making operational changes to minimize face-to-face interactions; (3) addressing worker safety concerns; and (4) communicating pandemic plans to ensure continued operations.