Dear DSST Team Members,
Now, more than ever, our commitment to living our values as a DSST community is so important. I am writing today to underscore the deep commitment that DSST has to taking care of our team. We have always been an organization that puts people first. I want you to know that we remain steadfastly committed to you—and your families—and, that we will do everything we can, as an organization, to honor that commitment in the coming weeks.
The Governor’s announcement last night extending school closures throughout the state was a surprise to all of us. I know it spurred a number of questions about the implications for DSST. We recognize that this is a time of great uncertainty and we acknowledge the anxiety that many of our team members are likely feeling. With that in mind, we wanted to transparently share our current thinking on employment-related issues.
- There will be no lay-offs of current team members. It is our intention to continue to employ all full and part-time DSST team members as we normally would.
- Base pay and benefits will continue for all full and part-time team members. We have no intention of making any changes to base pay through the end of the school year, regardless of how long the extended closure lasts.
- There are a number of roles that are paid via stipend (coaches, some electives teachers, substitute teachers). We are evaluating these situations on a case by case basis, but are fully committed to paying people for time already worked.
We hope that this information provides some clarity and reassurance during this challenging time. If you have more specific questions, please don’t hesitate to use the COVID19@scienceandtech.org inbox. We’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.
Also, as a reminder, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) remains a very helpful resource—and is available to you anytime. Call 1-888-238-6232 or visit website www.resourcesforliving.com (username: dsst schools, password – eap). In fact, there is a webinar currently posted on the EAP website called, “Coping with CoronaVirus Fears,” which might be a good place to start.
With gratitude for each of you!
Bill
