What Does the Stay at Home Order Mean for You?

To: OAPSE Members
From: Executive Director Joe Rugola
Re: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Emergency and Stay at Home Order
Governor DeWine has ordered all workers not engaged in “essential” work or activities to remain at home for the next two weeks.
What does this mean for OAPSE members?
The bottom line is that the governor’s order to stay at home does not fundamentally change the existing arrangements that have been in place since schools closed to students on March 16. OAPSE members continue working to ensure children, their families and the communities we serve continue to get the services they need.
The March 22 stay-at-home order from the Ohio Department of Health states that “it is consistent with and does not amend or supersede prior orders regarding the closure of schools.”
Educational institutions are part of the essential function of the state of Ohio and will continue to operate under the guidelines as established March 12 in the governor’s original order that closed schools.
Libraries, Head Start agencies, departments of developmental disabilities and other jurisdictions continue to operate in coordination with their employers and local boards of health.
OAPSE is still on the job for you.
In compliance with the governor’s stay-at-home order concerning labor unions, we are able to continue to service our members and their needs. All offices are functioning. At the state office, we are working with minimal staff, but we are operating to ensure we stay in contact with locals and resolve any problems you may have.
Of course, we are following physical distancing protocols and other safety mandates and recommendations from the state and Ohio health officials.
Any OAPSE member who has a concern or problem needs to be in touch with their local union leadership so they can alert OAPSE staff and we can address these problems.
Thank you for the work you are doing to keep Ohio students, families and our vulnerable populations cared for and safe during this crisis.
Please continue to check our website, our Facebook and Twitter pages and your email for important updates.
And click here for expanded information about the new federal coronavirus legislation impacting paid leave.
Ohio Department of Health
Also, we know many of you are at work cleaning our schools, preparing and delivering meals, and taking care of children and our communities. Please send us photos of this important work — with names and local unions — so we can post to our social media accounts and share with all Ohioans how important the work of OAPSE members is to our communities. And please be mindful of physical distancing as you take photos of the important work you are doing!