Dear Everyone,

I think that is safe to say that the past five and a half months have been nothing like any of us have ever experienced. It has been a time of tremendous uncertainty. There are lots of unknowns except for one thing – the pandemic is not yet over. 

Since March, most of you have been working at a reduced work week as part of the AGO Plan, which was developed to keep the AGO labour force intact at the beginning of the pandemic during this time of financial uncertainty. It was made up of three parts: private donations; the Canada Wage Subsidy Program and other government support; and a 25% pay reduction for AGO employees. Staff worked 75% of their usual time (except for Leadership Team and critical staff) to achieve this reduction. This plan is in effect until September 15. On September 16, the AGO Plan will end and the employees on the plan will return to 100% of their pay and work 100% of their schedule.  

However, as the AGO remains at Stage One of our re-opening plan, only those employees who are required to serve our visitors and protect our building and art will continue to work onsite after September 15. We anticipate staying in Stage One for some time and do not have a date set for Stage Two. There are simply too many unknowns.

 
This means that employees who don’t have to be onsite will continue to work from home for the foreseeable future – I imagine for the remainder of 2020 and possibly longer. We also don’t expect to restart our volunteer program for quite some time. I know that this uncertainty is unsettling but we are doing this to protect everyone’s health and safety.

What does this mean for next steps?  Currently Leadership Team is working on the following: 

·        Developing a working remotely policy that will provide guidance for all of us as we navigate through working remotely for some time to come.

·       Looking at options for flexible work hours, recognizing that some of us continue to have increased responsibilities at home.

·       Assessing employee technology and office needs so that people can do their jobs more easily.

It is clear that the pandemic is having an impact on our attendance and ability to generate revenue. The financial crisis is very real. While we are doing our best to navigate challenges, we are facing a period of prolonged uncertainty. Leadership Team and I are looking closely at our operational needs for the next several months and I will continue to update you regularly on the AGO’s position.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your Leadership Team member or manager. 

Thank you for all the ways you are working to keep one another safe.

Sincerely,

Stephan