Pin 21-03

U.S. Department of Labor

Employment and Training Administration
200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20210

DIRECTIVES:

JOB CORPS PROGRAM INSTRUCTION NOTICE NO. 21-03

TO:

ALL JOB CORPS NATIONAL OFFICE STAFF
ALL JOB CORPS REGIONAL OFFICE STAFF
ALL USDA FOREST SERVICE CENTER DIRECTORS
ALL JOB CORPS CENTER DIRECTORS
ALL JOB CORPS CENTER OPERATORS
ALL JOB CORPS CENTER STAFF
ALL NATIONAL TRAINING AND SUPPORT CONTRACTORS
ALL OUTREACH AND ADMISSIONS CONTRACTORS
ALL CAREER TRANSITION SERVICES CONTRACTORS

FROM:

RACHEL TORRES
National Director Rachel Torres
Office of Job Corps

SUBJECT:

Protocol for Returning Non-Residential Students to On-Center
Learning

Digitally signed by Rachel
Torres
Date: 2021.10.15 07:43:28
-04'00'

1. Purpose. To develop and provide a protocol to ensure a safe return for non-residential
students to on-center learning.
2. Background. Job Corps’ goal is to return to full, in-person center operations as quickly
and safely as possible. While the current pandemic continues to evolve, on-center
learning, especially with the supports that come with it, is the best way for Job Corps’
students, and its future students, to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the
program. Job Corps paused in-person instruction in March 2020. Select centers began
resuming center operations by returning residential students to Job Corps campuses on
November 1, 2020. To date, the dedicated non-residential centers, including
Philadelphia, New Orleans, Brooklyn, PIVOT, IndyPendence, and Wilmington, have not
yet resumed physical operations. Additionally, non-residential students have not returned
to residential centers.
Job Corps is resuming physical operations at non-residential centers as well as returning
non-residential students to residential centers. Centers are responsible for ensuring that
risks associated with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are mitigated
by implementing appropriate health and safety protocols as described below. Centers
must determine vaccination status of non-residential students and provide them learning
on center with an opportunity to vaccinate according to PIN 21-01, Requirements for
Assessing and Offering COVID-19 Vaccination to Students.
3. Action. Center operators must ensure the efficient, effective, and safe return of nonresidential students. Center operators are responsible for reviewing, updating, and

effectively implementing their Center Resumption Plans for non-residential students.
Further, operators are expected to continue to monitor non-residential students’ academic
and training progress and make necessary adjustments and corrective actions, including
adding necessary resources, to ensure satisfactory performance consistent with contract
requirements and Job Corps guidance.
Centers must follow the COVID-19 protocols outlined in PIN 21-02, Change to Entrance
Quarantine, Testing, and COVID-19 Mitigation Requirements for Vaccinated and
Unvaccinated Students, and all applicable medical protocols (in compliance with the most
up-to-date Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requirements, state public
health laws, and occupational safety and health guidance) provided to Job Corps medical,
mental health, Trainee Employee Assistance Program (TEAP), and dental health
providers, as well as all applicable Policy and Requirements Handbook (PRH)
requirements.
All non-residential students must abide by the following (including at both residential and
non-residential centers):
Preventative measures:

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•

Vaccination: Centers must determine vaccination status of non-residential
students and provide partially vaccinated or unvaccinated non-residential students
learning on-center with an opportunity to vaccinate according to the procedures in
PIN 21-01. Non-residential students, including those who are fully vaccinated, 1
must follow all current CDC guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

•

Entrance Quarantine: Non-residential students leave centers each day, so they
will not undergo the programmatic entrance quarantine.

•

COVID-19 Testing Upon Initial Entry: Similar to Job Corps staff, all nonresidential students, except those fully vaccinated with no COVID-19 symptoms,
must receive a COVID-19 test no more than five days before their initial return to
center. Center operators must arrange center-provided testing for incoming
students. Students must be notified of their test results by phone prior to arriving
on center.

•

Symptom Tracker and Attestation: Non-residential students must complete the
Symptom Tracker and Attestation daily prior to coming to center, or upon checkin on center. Centers must not use shared pens and pencils for completing the
Symptom Tracker and Attestation to minimize high-touch areas that increase the
risk of possible virus transmission. Similarly, centers must avoid having students
use shared sign-in and attendance sheets.

“Fully vaccinated” has the same meaning as presently defined by the CDC.

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•

Face Masks: Failure to wear a mask, when required, is a violation of center rules
(a minor infraction) under PRH Chapter 2, Section 2.5, Student Code of Conduct
and Exhibit 2-1. However, while the CDC has stated that most people, including
those with disabilities, can tolerate and safely wear a mask, 2 a narrow subset of
the population with disabilities may not be able to wear a mask or cannot safely
wear a mask. As it pertains to Job Corps centers, some students with disabilities
or sincere religious beliefs may seek reasonable accommodation related to face
mask requirements. Centers must follow existing program policies on providing
accommodations, and student discipline policy must be applied consistent with
whatever reasonable accommodation is granted. When eating and drinking,
special attention must be paid to physical distancing based on current CDC
guidance for eating and drinking in school environments. 3 Job Corps has issued
guidance (PIN 20-12, COVID-19 Safety Requirements and Student Conduct) on
student failure to follow COVID-19 safety protocols and is using progressive
discipline interventions and sanctions for students who fail to comply with face
mask and other COVID-19 related safety requirements. 4

•

Utilizing Public/Shared Transportation: Many students commute to Job Corps via
public or shared (e.g., carpool) transportation. If the use of such transportation is
necessary, centers must educate students on how to commute safely, including
how to meet current CDC guidance on face mask use and physical distancing, and
other instructions in CDC guidelines. 5

•

Weekly screening COVID-19 testing for non-residential students: Non-residential
students present a risk of COVID-19 to the residential student body that has
already undergone quarantine, where required under Job Corps’ COVID-19 safety
protocols. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated non-residential students must
receive weekly screening center-provided testing to mitigate this risk. Fully
vaccinated non-residential students are waived from this testing requirement per
CDC guidelines unless they have an exposure (15 minutes or more over a 24-hour
period) with a COVID-19 positive individual or exhibit symptoms of COVID-19
and become a close contact.

•

Non-residential students must be kept separate from residential students: During
the training day while on center, residential and non-residential students must be
in separate vocational and academic classrooms. Additionally, they must have
separate dining and break areas, or in the alternative, use shared facilities at

Order: Wearing of face masks while on conveyances and at transportation hubs, Disability Exemptions to the
Order, https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/masks/mask-travel-guidance.html (last accessed on July 7, 2021).
3
Operational Considerations for Schools, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/global-covid19/schools.html (last accessed on July 7, 2021).
4
US Department of Labor, Office of Job Corps, Policy and Requirements Handbook (PRH) Chapter 2: Student
Support Services,
https://prh.jobcorps.gov/Student%20Support%20Services/2.5%20Student%20Conduct/Exhibits/Exhibit%2023%20Menu%20of%20Progressive%20Discipline%20Interventions%20and%20Sanctions%20for%20Minor%20
Infractions.pdf.
5
Protect Yourself When Using Transportation, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-lifecoping/using-transportation.html (last accessed on July 7, 2021).
2

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certain times of that day that will ensure they will not be in contact with
residential students. Prior to a shared facility’s next use by residential students,
the center must take any steps necessary (such as cleaning) to minimize risk of
transmission in the event that a non-residential student has COVID-19 while using
the shared facility. Non-residential students must not use the shared recreational
or other facilities. If smoking is permitted on center, non-residential students must
have their own smoking areas. The center must ensure that they have the
necessary space to ensure the separation required prior to returning any nonresidential students. In accordance with contract provisions, vendors must
promptly alert DOL of any substantial increase in costs resulting or expected from
the mandates in this PIN.
If a student develops symptoms or tests positive while on center:
•

Isolation and Isolation Space: If a student develops symptoms consistent with
COVID-19 or tests positive for COVID-19 while on center, the student must be
immediately isolated on center until transportation can be provided. Center staff
must advise the student on safety precautions and options for at-home isolation.

•

Transportation must be arranged for at-home isolation. Symptomatic students
and/or students who have tested positive for COVID-19 must not be assigned to
public transportation. Students may leave in a personal vehicle. Centers must
provide transportation if a student does not have access to a personal vehicle. If
center transportation must be provided, the center driver must wear complete
personal protective equipment (PPE) (i.e., N95 respirator, gloves, and disposable
isolation gown), unless the driver cannot safely do so because of a disability, and
the vehicle must be large enough to provide at least 6 feet of physical distance
between individuals. The vehicle must be sanitized after transport. In accord with
contract provisions, vendors must promptly alert DOL of any substantial increase
in costs resulting or expected from the mandates in this PIN.

If a student has an identified close-contact exposure (CCE) or develops COVID-19
symptoms at home:
•

At-home quarantine: Non-residential students with an identified CCE COVID-19,
as defined in current CDC guidance, 6 must notify the center’s Health and
Wellness staff. They will be instructed to follow the Job Corps quarantine policy
in alignment with current CDC guidelines (see PIN 21-02) for fully vaccinated,
partially vaccinated, and unvaccinated persons.

•

At-home isolation: Students who develop symptoms should be tested as soon as
possible using a referral to a personal health care provider, a testing site in the
community, or on center if arranged in advance. If testing is to occur on center,
the center may arrange for transportation to the center to ensure student safety. To

“Close contacts” are defined by the CDC in the following and other related guidance on the COVID-19
pandemic: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/tell-your-contacts.html.

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minimize exposing others to the virus, symptomatic students should not take
public transportation to COVID-19 testing sites. Students with a confirmed
positive COVID-19 test must not come to the center. If the center’s Health and
Wellness Center did not provide the test, non-residential students must be
instructed to notify Health and Wellness Center and follow isolation protocols as
outlined in the Job Corps isolation policy, which is consistent with CDC guidance.
Clearance from a health care provider or a negative test is not required for
discontinuation of isolation. Isolation may be discontinued in accordance with
CDC’s guidance on Ending Home Isolation for Persons with COVID-19 Not in
Healthcare Settings. 7
Within three business days, centers must review and submit Non-Residential Student
Addendums to their approved Center Resumption Plans to the appropriate regional office
that includes the measures provided in this PIN and obtain regional approval before
returning non-residential students. Specifically, each center’s Non-Residential Student
Addendum must address the following:
Preventative measures:
•

Determination of student vaccination status of non-residential students and
offer opportunity to vaccinate

•

COVID-19 testing upon initial entry

•

Symptom Tracker and Attestation

•

Face masks and physical distancing

•

Utilizing shared/public transportation

•

Weekly screening COVID-19 testing for non-residential students

•

COVID-19 testing of all vaccinated non-residential students who are close
contacts of someone with COVID-19 or who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19

•

Separation of residential and non-residential students

If a student develops symptoms or tests positive while on center:
•

Isolation and isolation space

•

Transportation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ending Home Isolation for Persons with COVID-19 Not in
Healthcare Settings, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patients.html (last
accessed on July 7, 2021).
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5

If a student has an identified CCE exposure or develops COVID-19 symptoms at home:
•

At-home quarantine

•

At-home isolation

Centers must submit plans to the appropriate regional office, which will ensure that the
updated plans are reviewed and approved by the appropriate Contracting Officer’s
Representative (COR) and Contracting Officer (CO). These plans must describe any
additional costs and resource needs created by the requirements of this PIN.
The CO, in conjunction with the COR and Regional Office, will review the plans and,
within five (5) business days of receipt, notify the center in writing of DOL’s
determination regarding the submitted Non-Residential Student Addendum (approval to
return non-residential students, rejection, or request for more information), with a copy to
the national office leadership team.
4. Effective Date. Effective immediately until rescinded or superseded. The Office of the
Senior Procurement Executive will issue a Change Order simultaneously with this PIN by
Job Corps.
5. Inquiries. Questions about the implementation of this policy guidance should be
addressed to the appropriate Contracting Officers’ Representative.

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