Thousands of Missouri state employees to return to work Monday

In this May 1, 2020 photo, Missouri Office of Administration Commissioner Sarah Steelman speaks during a COVID-19 briefing as Gov. Mike Parson looks on.
In this May 1, 2020 photo, Missouri Office of Administration Commissioner Sarah Steelman speaks during a COVID-19 briefing as Gov. Mike Parson looks on.

Even with a number of state buildings closed to the public, Missouri never stopped providing services, Missouri Office of Administration Commissioner Sarah Steelman said during Gov. Mike Parson's COVID-19 briefing Friday.

On Monday, when the state eases restrictions it implemented to help stop the spread of COVID-19, a number of state employees will return to their offices. And more office buildings will be open to the public, she said.

"Our state workforce never stopped providing services," Steelman said. "When Gov. Parson issued his stay-at-home order in March, we took action to get as many employees working from home as possible."

As of Friday, 14,930 state workers - almost 40 percent of her workforce - were working remotely, Steelman said. She added that 21,771 employees - direct care providers, corrections guards, nurses and maintenance workers - remained physically on the job in institutions throughout Missouri.

Additionally, 3,915 employees could not report for work, were on administrative leave or could not work for other reasons, Steelman said.

The state also monitored the effects of the pandemic on services provided to citizens, she said.

"I'm pleased to report that we have been performing at about 94 percent of our capacity," she said. "And that percentage includes a little measure of the diminished services that had to be reduced or delayed."

State government has continued to operate online, by phone or by mail.

"Many have worked long hours and weekends the last six weeks to ensure that people are being helped," she said. "Beginning Monday, consistent with the governor's Show-Me Strong recovery order, we will be opening major office buildings throughout the state to the public."

Departments will individually decide which buildings to open. The Missouri National Guard will help departments with screenings for the public and employees as they enter buildings, she said.

Screenings will include questioning about whether employees have exhibited symptoms. Employees who have experienced symptoms will sent home and asked to contact their health care providers.

Guard members will advise the public that if they have symptoms, they will not enter the building.

Staff in reopened buildings will ask the public to social distance and will limit the number of people allowed into public areas.

Buildings will be cleaned and sanitized each day.

There will be 2,256 state workers allowed to return to their buildings Monday, Steelman said. Services that will be open in office buildings include motor vehicles and driver licenses, Bureau of Vital Records, motor vehicle inspections and driver's tests.

"Department of Social Services continues to provide their services online, by phone and by appointment," Steelman said.

Agriculture update

Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Chris Chinn provided an update Friday on efforts to keep the state's food supply moving.

The entire food-supply chain - including agriculture organizations, grocery stores, food processors, food banks and farmers and ranchers - has worked to keep food on Missouri citizens' tables, Chinn said.

"Every part of our food supply has been pressure-tested since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic," she said.

Natural disasters like recent drought and flooding are common actors that affect agricultural production, she explained.

"These events rarely impact food choice," Chinn said. "Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have seen little impact in the grocery store because of our sophisticated food system."

Farmers and ranchers take pride in raising food that ends up on consumers' tables, she said.

The supply chain is intended to get food directly to tables quickly.

The pandemic has caused some "bottlenecks in processing raw farm products" into items that reach consumers, she said.

"A lot of work goes into bottling milk or preparing a package of steaks or pork chops," Chinn said. "As food-processing businesses slow down production - or sometimes close because of COVID-19 - there will inevitably be market disruptions. Those impacts are often first felt on the farm."

There have been reports of "milk dumping," in which farmers poured out milk that cows produced but for which there was no market, she pointed out.

"Due to rapidly changing demand, seasonal oversupply and processing bottlenecks, some farmers had to dump milk before it could be processed," Chinn said. "As of early April, Missouri farmers were no longer dumping their milk."

Additionally, the state does not expect widespread food shortages right now, she said; however, there may be localized shortages or increased prices for some proteins.

Meat processing workers have been at the forefront of the COVID-19 response, she said.

"They are ensuring that the food that our farmers in the state of Missouri raise will reach your table," Chinn said. "These men and women play an important role in our food security, just as our farmers and ranchers do."

Parson said he is aware a lot of citizens are "excited for Monday" while others remain anxious.

"Just because we are reopening does not mean that things will go back to normal right away," Parson said. "We are on the road to recovery, but we must be proactive and continue to take steps to protect ourselves and others around us."

The most important way to do that is to follow social distance guidelines - maintaining 6 feet distances, avoiding large crowds and gatherings, practicing proper hygiene and staying home when you are sick.

"We look forward to Monday, so please be safe, be smart and be responsible," Parson said.