Coronavirus Update

3-15-2020

A Note to the Tribal Community,

Here is a new link for all CSKT Coronavirus information  https://csktribes.org/coronavirus-update

Tribal Council took several actions Sunday to further protect the tribal community from the coronavirus. These actions were taken during a special Council meeting held March 15 after receiving extensive consultation from various officials from Tribal Health, Lake County, CSKT Law and Order, ECS, SKHA and CSKT Emergency Services.

• All Tribal employees are encouraged to consider working from home and telecommuting with supervisory approval for the next two weeks. Telecommuting will not work for all positions, but if it’s an option, please explore. This action extends two weeks from March 15. 
• Council took action to support the Nk͏ʷusm board, which decided the school will be closed for two weeks.
• Council directed the S&K Gaming Board to bring forward a plan Monday on closing the casino operations at Gray Wolf and KwaTaqNuk for two weeks. Such a closure involves a complicated system of cost and employee concerns, which must be worked out. Considerations will be made to ease the financial impact on employees.
• Two Eagle River School is currently on spring break until March 23. Council recommends the board bring in a plan to keep the school shut down for an additional week. There are considerations to navigate regarding remote Internet access and meal services provided to students.
• Council directed the Early Childhood Services Department Head to present a plan Monday for encouraging employees to work from home when possible and discuss potential facility closures.
• Council directed the Maintenance Director to adjust work schedules for roving cleaners who ensure public spaces and offices in Pablo are constantly cleaned and wiped down to further limit potential exposure to the coronavirus.
• The Department of Human Resource Development, called DHRD, was directed to come in Monday with a plan to work on providing services and protecting elders and vulnerable populations as defined by CDC guidelines (those with immune deficiencies and respiratory conditions).

Again, thank you for your efforts in keeping our people safe. The longer we can keep this viral infection away and limit our exposure, the greater service we provide. This is not convenient for anyone. Disruptions to work and essential services will happen, but if we can slow the infection and minimize the impact now, these inconveniences will be worth the effort. Please share this notice by posting around offices or sending to other people. More announcements will be posted on CSKT.ORG, your work email, RAVE Alerts and The Char-Koosta News Facebook Page, and the weekly print version of the paper.

To All Employees under CSKT including SKC, corporations, SKHA and all affiliated entities under the tribal government

Here is a new link for all CSKT Coronavirus information  https://csktribes.org/coronavirus-update

As of March 5, all non-essential work travel was cancelled. Thank you Department Heads for sorting through the tough questions and complications in carrying out that directive.

When Department Heads determine a trip is essential, permission must be obtained before filling out a purchase request for travel expenses. A written request must be sent to the Coronavirus Committee, which was established by Tribal Council Chairwoman Shelly Fyant. Council member Martin Charlo heads the committee. All requests should be sent to committee member Robert McDonald in the Communications Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Timeframe: This is a day-by-day, week-to-week situation on the travel freeze. The end to this situation is unknown at this time.

Hot Spots: Canadian Provinces Alberta and British Columbia are to be considered hot zones as of March 12. This applies to any travel done to Canada from this point on. In the United States, we are adding the state of Colorado to the previous list of states, California, Washington, Oregon, New York and Florida. Foreign hot spots: China, Iran, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Italy.

Montana Travel: We are under an essential travel mode. Essential trips through Montana do not trigger the 14-day stay home order.

Airport hubs are not considered hot spots. Travelers on essential travel who pass through hot state airport hubs are not considered traveling through a hot state.

As stated in the past, Employees who do travel to known hot spots, upon their return, they will be asked to remain out of the work place for 14 days. Department Heads may turn down PTO requests for people leaving for known hot spots. If a situation arises where an employee still travels to a hotspot, the employee should notify their supervisor in advance and discuss how the return and 14-day stay-out-of-work order will be handled. Department Heads may arrange for a person to work at home, use PTO, or if short of PTO operate on a Leave Without Pay status. Special consideration will be considered for those who are traveling for necessary medical care reasons. Employees who travel to known hot spots and return to work without telling their supervisor, if discovered, will be asked to leave the work place for 14 days and face potential disciplinary action. If there are questions, direct to the Coronavirus Committee. (Note, hotspots are always changing. If a location becomes a hot spot during a visit, upon return the employee should visit with their supervisor and plan for a 14-day stay-out-of-work order.)

Contractors who travel to CSKT offices from hot states will need to stay away so visits should be cancelled or, when possible, telecommunications should be used.

           For the safety and security of everyone, please adhere to our door access policy to limit unnecessary wandering people through our buildings. The Policy can be found on the CSKT Intranet in the docs under all documents (Security Policy)

CSKT’s Personnel Office is limiting their interviews. These changes are broken down in a separate memo.

Also, please apply social distancing measures. From the CDC COVID-19 Mitigation strategies, here are some guides.

Implement social distancing measures: Reduce activities (e.g., group congregation), especially for organizations with individuals at increased risk of severe illness.

           Consider offering video/audio of events.

• • Determine ways to continue providing support services to individuals at increased risk of severe disease (services, meals, checking in) while limiting group settings and exposures.
• • Cancel large gatherings or move to smaller groupings.
• • For organizations that serve high-risk populations, cancel gatherings of more than 10 people.

Lastly, thank you all for your efforts in keeping our people safe. The longer we can keep this viral infection away, the greater service we provide. This is not convenient for anyone. Disruptions to work and essential services will happen, but if we can slow the infection and minimize the impact now, these inconveniences will be worth the effort.

Memo from CSKT Personnel

March 12, 2020

To respond to the emerging and changing challenges posed by the expanding coronavirus, CSKT’s personnel department is making the following changes

• In person interviews will be limited as much as possible. Interviews will now be conducted by phone, teleconference or postponed
• New hire orientations will be done over the phone
• If new hires have traveled to hot states before hire – either delay hire date or arrange to find work for them to do at home for 14 days from time of leaving the hot state
• Supervisors may work with employees that are quarantined to work from home
• If an employee is quarantined and does not have PTO to cover the time off, leave sharing is only be available if a Physician Statement for leave sharing is filled out by a physician.

Please be sure to get these signs posted in all restrooms.  You may also post then in other public places in your buildings.  You can print or email these posters by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right hand corner of poster.

Please be sure to get these signs posted in all restrooms.  You may also post then in other public places in your buildings.  You can print or email these posters by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right hand corner of poster.