Dear USDA Employees,

We are living in an ever-changing society, and the past couple of years have tested each one of us. We understand the struggles many of you have faced and want to assure you that we are actively working to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment that helps all USDA employees thrive. We understand and greatly appreciate the work you accomplished despite the many challenges we faced. We are also inspired by the contributions you have made as we worked to deliver on our critical mission. We strive to make USDA a great place to work for everyone and prioritize a strong, healthy and inclusive workforce.

On Feb. 28, USDA leadership restarted our phased approach to our return to the physical workplace. The next phase starts next Monday, March 28, with many supervisors and employees reentering USDA workspaces. Additional mission area and office employees will return to our offices in the coming months. Throughout this transition, we will continue to create space for feedback and share expectations about behaviors, practices and policies that support employee wellness and safety.

One of our goals to enhance the employee experience includes providing easy access to the information and resources employees want and need. Therefore, we are excited to share the USDA Future of Work Toolkit, a digital front door to useful information for all employees to navigate a hybrid work environment.

The USDA FOW Toolkit was developed in response to your feedback from our townhalls and your inquiries submitted through the FOW mailbox. The toolkit will be a living “document,” and based on your needs and feedback, will continue to evolve. The FOW Toolkit delivers a plethora of helpful information, including:  

• Telework/Remote Work Guidance 
• Health and Safety Measures 
• Workplace Flexibilities 
• Leave Flexibilities 
• Travel Guidance, and 
• Employee and Supervisor Tips

Whether you are one of the thousands of employees who never left the physical workplace during the pandemic, you are an employee returning to the physical workplace, you are searching for dining options at the USDA headquarters complex, or you want to know the COVID-19 Community Levels for the county where you live and/or work, the FOW Toolkit has the information you want. This toolkit complements our regular FOW communications and will be supplemented with regular check-ins and discussions between supervisors* and teams. We will provide you with updated information on the virus as it evolves through the FOW Tookit, the Big Three, the Workplace Safety Plan and FAQs.

We are committed to ensuring a strong, healthy and safe department for all. We cannot do any of our important work without you. Thank you to our leadership team for your ongoing work, engagement with our labor union partners, and coordination as we continue rebuilding our future of work. Importantly, thank you to the thousands of mission critical employees who continued to work on the frontlines each day to protect our country. We are proud of the work you do. Finally, we thank all employees for unwavering service to our customers and the nation. 

Sincerely,

Secretary Vilsack and Deputy Secretary Bronaugh

* Please note supervisors will receive a desk guide to accompany the FOW Toolkit through their chain of command.