Employees, contractors, volunteers and guests
This memorandum updates facial covering requirements for California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), and Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) institutional/facility staff and supersedes the January 24, 2022, memorandum entitled, Updated: Required COVID-19 Facial Coverings for all Institutional and Facility Staff.
Effective immediately, all civil service employees, contractors, volunteers and guests entering a CDCR/DJJ institution/facility shall abide by the following facial covering requirements.
| LOCATION/ASSIGNMENT | REQUIRED MASK |
| Isolation/quarantine areas | N95 Respirator1 |
| Non-isolation/quarantine areas | Procedure Mask2 |
| Transporting/guarding patients on isolation or quarantine3 | N95 Respirator1 |
| Transporting/guarding all other patients3 | Procedure Mask2 |
| Staff exposed but asymptomatic who work during contingency staffing | KN95 Mask2 |
2: Individuals may elect to wear a higher-level face covering, such as a KN95 mask or, if fit-tested, an N95 respirator.
3: If a hospital/offsite facility has more stringent local masking requirements, staff shall adhere to the local masking requirement.
These masking requirements apply to all employees, contractors, volunteers and guests regardless of vaccination/booster status.
Individuals required to wear at a minimum a procedure mask may elect to wear a higher-level face covering, such as a KN95 mask or, if fit-tested, an N95 respirator. N95 respirators, KN95 masks and procedure masks are readily available at each institution/facility and shall be provided to staff when requested.
As a reminder, leadership at each institution/facility shall continue to monitor staff for compliance with facial coverings and physical distancing. Supervisors and managers shall utilize the progressive discipline process as outlined in the California Code of Regulations, Title 15, section 3392, Employee Discipline, and the Department Operations Manual (DOM), Article 22, Employee Discipline, to address staff who fail to comply with these directives. Supervisors and managers are also reminded to utilize DOM section 33030.8, Causes for Corrective Action, and section 33030.9, Causes for Adverse Action.
Current masking directives and the Roadmap to Reopening are posted on the intranet. Directives and guidelines will be regularly reviewed and revised as necessary based on response to the current COVID-19 outbreak.
For questions or concerns, please contact your respective supervisor or manager.