Revised masking requirement for vaccinated staff

August 2, 2021

On July 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued revised guidance in response to new evidence about the ‘delta” variant of COVID-19 currently circulating in the United States. This included the recommendation that fully vaccinated people wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of ‘substantial’ or ‘high’ transmission of the virus.

IYR’s Executive Leadership Team meets twice a week to discuss IYR’s pandemic response and take action to maintain a safe work environment for all. Following our review of this revised CDC guidance, today we are announcing some changes in our masking requirement for vaccinated employees and regular, front-line volunteers in non-program locations. These changes go into effect Tuesday, August 3, 2021 and remain in effect until further notice. All other current COVID protocols not changed by today’s announcement remain in effect.

Thrift stores:

What is changing:

Based on this revised CDC guidance, IYR will again require vaccinated staff (employees and regular, front-line volunteers) to wear a mask in all public, indoor areas of our thrift stores within all counties where there is substantial or high transmission as reported by the CDC. As of the time of this announcement, all IYR thrift locations in Idaho and Oregon, including the Nagel outlet, are located in counties with substantial or high transmission. You can view CDC data on transmission rates in their interactive map (click here to access).

What is not changing: Today’s announcement does not change any of our other current COVID protocols or requirements, including:

• Unvaccinated staff in our thrift stores and other IYR locations were already required to wear a mask when indoors and that requirement remains in place.
• Vaccinated staff in our Thrift Stores who are cleared by HR can go unmasked in the backrooms of our thrift stores where the public does not frequent.
• Outdoor donation area protocols are not changing and remain in effect.
• Unless required by local order, we are not requiring thrift customers to wear a mask; we will continue to encourage customers and other guests in our non-programs locations to follow CDC guidance.

Public lobby area of Building 2 at Nagel:  Due to the public nature of the space, we are also requiring vaccinated staff (employees and regular, front-line volunteers) to wear a mask whenever they are in – or passing through - the small, public lobby area of Building 2 in our Nagel administrative offices on Irving Street in Boise. This requirement applies whenever Ada County is experiencing substantial or high transmission as reported by the CDC. As of the time of this announcement, transmission in Ada County is in the ‘high’ category and so this masking requirement applies now and will remain in effect until further notice.

We understand today’s announcement represents a step backward and will be frustrating to some. We did not make this decision lightly and have based this decision on the best available scientific and medical guidance as provided by the CDC. We appreciate everyone’s understanding and cooperation as we work through this together. If you have any questions, please speak with your supervisor or send an email to HR@youthranch.org.