In a message to his 70,000-strong workforce that presumably was intended to be a pat on the back during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt made it clear that he expects "all Department employees will continue to fulfill their duties and responsibilities as assigned..."
While he continued on to say he wanted them to take "necessary steps to preserve their health and safety and attend to the needs of their families," Bernhardt added immediately after that sentence that, "(F)ailure to work earnestly at this critical time would be disruptive to our Department's important mission and increase burdens on colleagues."
"All of us have committed to accomplishing our assigned tasks even under these challenging circumstances," the secretary wrote in a March 30 memo carrying the subject line, Recognition of Employee Dedication and Perseverance During COVID-19.
"Doing so is not only our duty, it is a requirement of Federal service, fulfilling the trust that has been placed in us by the American people," wrote Bernhardt.
So far only a very small handful of National Park Service employees have been diagnosed with COVID-19. According to Washington, D.C., staff, just seven employees had contracted it as of Monday. No employee deaths have been reported.
"Your can-do attitude during these unique times has been nothing short of inspiring," Bernhardt wrote in concluding his memo. "I am humbled to work alongside such a dedicated crew and appreciate your continued commitment to serve the American people."
Comments
I also admire the dedication of so many highly educated and professional DOI employees. But, I don't know about counterproductively demanding that they all show up to their assigned, now often contagious, work stations during this plague, like it's business as usual. I can't tell whether that constitutes doing the wrong thing in the right way or doing the right thing in the wrong way. We should be able to trust someone elevated to Bernhardt's level to have the intellectual depth and moral integrity to know the answer; but, that's not the case here. And, trying to CYA by adding that disingenuous bit about taking "necessary steps to preserve their health and safety and attend to the needs of their families" is really just Bernhardt's poorly disguised preemptive emphatic assertion 1) that this is a perfect call, just bigly beautiful in every way, and 2) in true Kellyanne Conway, if not full Stephen Miller, passive-aggressive bullying style, that no one is going to dare say David Bernhardt is not a huuuugely humane kind of guy. We all need to start speaking honestly about the situation; the Trump Administration is rotten to the core and the GOP is right there with them.
Can't argue, Rump.
Normally, I am a fire at will guy. In this case, I believe that anyone that does not want to show up for work should not have to and should not lose his job because he didn't post - assuming they actually self quarantine. Those, that do want to work and are willing to take the risk should be able to come to work, with reasonable safety precautions, and keep their household and the economy afloat. If you think you are at risk or are infected, have symptoms or have been exposed to some that is infected, stay home. If not, and you want to work and understand the risk, work.
Well Said!
Agreed, Buck. My wife is working from home, but a lot of her job is administrative [archives etc]. I know that some of our LE rangers, whose who would have to chase down lawbreakers or do river rescue/glacier rescue/etc have small children at home when they strap on their uniform. Scary decisions.
In my physically weakened state we take no chances - my wife wipes down packages, mail, and groceries. I haven't been further than 15' or so from the house in weeks.
I think it's possible the spectacle at Grand Canyon and Zion was intended as a media diversion from this regime's gutting of environmental regulations:
"For Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, the novel coronavirus outbreak has emerged at an opportune time. After many false starts and embarrassing court defeats, the administration has moved on from its efforts to put off regulatory deadlines or not enforce existing rules. Now, agencies are racing to roll back environmental standards and privatize public lands before the election-year clock runs out. Their strategy is to plow forward regardless of the public health threat, working at a breakneck pace, undistracted by careful scientific deliberation or feedback from the public, which has been largely sidelined by the virus.
"The coronavirus emergency exposes this cynical strategy. While using the virus as an excuse to scale back their already-light pollution enforcement activities, the EPA and the Interior Department insist on pushing forward their special interest agenda. They are doing so with the White House’s cooperation, even as courts, businesses, and other federal, state and local agencies push back nonessential deadlines."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/01/trump-is-aggressively...