Essential staff employees are responsible for staffing essential DHS functions during periods of reduced services because of hazardous weather conditions who report to duty to maintain basic minimum services.

• Supervisors identify essential staff needed to sustain basic service. If is good practice to update the list every quarter or each time staff changes positions.

Examples of basic services include, but are not limited to, responding to emergency situations, answering telephones, operating switchboards, sustaining reception duties, issuing emergency benefits and services, and issuing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards for emergency food benefits.

• Notify staff of their designation with a prepared document.

Supervisor will choose staff members who will be essential and advise them of their designation. This information will be relayed to the AAII where it will be shared with the County Director for each county.

• Make documentation available to all staff and your Regional Office.

Reduced Services or Office Closures

Refer to Essential Staff Designation Document for an example.

Policy: OKDHS: 2-1-33.1

For further guidance regarding Inclement Weather Policy see SOP

• For text and email notifications, select “Office Status” from the InfoNet home screen. Then click the link to have text or email notifications sent to your device. Enter your information and you will receive updates as they happen. The Intranet is only available when on a work computer. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services internet webpage also has office status.