Employee Health & Safety

We are very excited about your arrival at Yellowstone National Park and have been working hard to make sure you are provided with safe working conditions. To that end, we would like to share some of the expectations that have been put into place to help maintain a healthy working environment for all.

• We are requiring our new hires and returning employees to complete a Health and Travel Declaration prior to departing for the park and at least 72 hours prior to your scheduled arrival date. 
  • The Travel and Health Declaration form will be emailed to you in advance of your arrival.
• Travel to Yellowstone National Park must be done in a safe and health-conscious manner. Please practice social distancing and prevention hygiene while you travel. Individuals considered at higher risk for severe illness as defined by the CDC should consider their risk factors before traveling to the park to work in the hospitality industry during a pandemic.
  • When requested, transportation between Bozeman to Gardiner will be provided. We will require employees to wear face coverings and we will practice social distancing of 6 feet so, we are limiting the number of employees per transportation vehicle.
• COVID-19 testing is required upon check-in and will be the first step in the process.
• Face coverings are required while processing through Human Resources and the Uniform Room.
  • We encourage you to bring and utilize your own face covering.
  • Employees without their own (CDC) approved face coverings will be provided surgical masks as a temporary use.

For more information on arrival and check-in procedures, please reach out to Human Resources.

Per NPS guidelines, regardless of vaccination status, all employees (and visitors) are required to wear a mask inside all park buildings with the exception of your dorm room.

You are welcome to bring your own (CDC) approved face coverings.

• Homemade face coverings should not contain any offensive language or images. Plain or company-branded face coverings are permitted. Human Resources and Operations personnel will help give guidance on this if there is a question.
• Cloth face coverings should be clean for each shift. They should be doubled over and cover both the nose and mouth.

• • Employees without their own (CDC) approved face coverings will be provided surgical masks. These will be available in HR upon the employee’s arrival. They will also be distributed via the Housing office to those already in company housing.

Vaccination, social distancing, and frequent hand washing are the biggest lines of defense. Face coverings do not take the place of either of those important components.  Thank you for helping us all do our part!

Medcor (our local clinic) is working with all stakeholders in Yellowstone to vaccinate employees here in the park who wish to be vaccinated (or provide a second dose). While it is not required to be vaccinated, we strongly encourage staff to get vaccinated as the best line of defense from illness, spreading COVID-19 to others, and allowing park operations to get back to normal as quickly as possible.

If you have been vaccinated, your vaccination card is needed for the administration of a second dose and for statistical purposes. Having your card with you will also prevent quarantine and lost time/wages.

Medcor is offering the Moderna vaccine. They are asking staff to contact the Mammoth Clinic directly at 3074.344.7965 to schedule an appointment.

Learn more about vaccines here.

It is our goal to provide more information here as it becomes available. In the meantime, links are provided below for each state’s current vaccination plan.

Montana

Wyoming

All new and existing employees are subject to the COVID-19 testing program as a condition of employment.   Employees will be subject to testing upon arrival and ongoing targeted and exposure-response testing.  Additionally, Xanterra employees living in double-occupancy housing (in Yellowstone) who are not fully vaccinated will be subject to regular testing as often as once per week.  During periods of substantial or high community transmission, these employees will be tested twice per week.

As part of Xanterra’s comprehensive Safe Communities plan, the company has developed a COVID-19 testing program to be implemented throughout our parks and resorts environments effective June 1, 2021.  This testing program has been reviewed and accepted by the National Park Service (NPS).  Attached is a copy of the temporary COVID-19 Testing Program policy for your reference.  Additional information can be found in the Safe Communities Guidance document posted on Xpress.

We also offer FREE asymptomatic COVID testing to employees. 20-50% of COVID carriers are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic, which increases the potential of unintentionally spreading the virus to others. We highly recommend taking advantage of the free testing, particularly if you have not been vaccinated. Drop by your local HR office to take a test – it only takes about 15 minutes and does not involve objects up the nose! This short video will give you an idea of the process. Most important – no eating or drinking thirty minutes prior to the test.

Employees that are symptomatic should not go to work and immediately contact their supervisor and the local clinic regarding testing!

Employees are required to quarantine if:

• An employee has had close contact with someone who is known to have COVID-19 or who is suspected of having COVID-19.
• An employee attended a group event or function where social distancing was not possible or was not practiced (e.g., sporting event as a participant on a team or as an observer, indoor or outdoor concert, rally or parade, funeral, etc.).
• An employee has traveled internationally within the last two weeks. Note that states/regions /jurisdictions change domestic and international travel quarantine requirements periodically.

Having your vaccine card will prevent quarantine time and lost time/wages if you are identified as a close contact with someone who has tested positive.

Xanterra is exercising increased vigilance in cleaning public spaces and disinfecting hard surfaces at all of our operations including but not limited to lobbies, registration, restrooms, counters, furniture, room keys, elevators, telephones, guest check-in areas, food outlets, cash registers, and tour vehicles. Our operations use cleaning products and protocols that meet EPA guidelines and are approved for use as a suite of solutions effective against viruses, bacteria, and other and bloodborne pathogens. Our Corporate Supply Chain Management Team is working with our vendors, distribution partners, and suppliers to ensure an uninterrupted supply of these cleaning supplies.

Hand sanitizer dispensers, touchless whenever possible, will be placed at key guest and employee entrances and contact areas such as reception areas, hotel lobbies, restaurant entrances, and exercise areas.

We are taking all reasonable efforts for social distancing. However, we are not able to always assure an environment where that is possible at all times. Team members are encouraged to help maintain social distancing efforts when they are able to and are expected to observe community safety standards including, but not limited to:

• Refraining from large gatherings, and any gatherings in common areas/dorm rooms
• Hiking only on open and maintained trails
• Frequent hand washing and sanitizing
• Covering coughs and sneezes
• Cleaning and disinfecting your residence
• Wearing face coverings

The National Park Service has approved double-occupancy housing at this time. Please refer to the Testing section to learn about the safety measures being taken.  The following policies still apply:

• No outside guests will be allowed in employee residences. Vaccinated employees are allowed to have other Xanterra employees visit their dorm rooms.
• Groups of 10 people or less will be allowed in public spaces if there is adequate space for 6 feet of separation between them and face coverings must be worn.
• Some locations may include dorms with communal restrooms.  This is done in accordance with recommendations and approval from the NPS and our public health officials.

For more information on housing, please reach out to your Residence Coordinator or HR/Housing Manager.

The Employee Dining Room (EDR) is open for seasonal employees to come and get their meals to-go or dine-in.

• Social distancing is available if preferred while in the EDR.
• Only 2 employees allowed at the serving line at one time.
• Only 1 employee at a time in the beverage area
  • Employees are required to use a new, clean disposable, or reusable cup for every beverage.
  • Refills must also be in a new, clean disposable cup every time.
  • Employees are allowed to fill personal drink bottles or cups as long as the cup does not come into contact with the nozzle or handle of the beverage machines.
• Employees are encouraged to let their server know when dining in so we can serve you on an EDR tray and cut down on paper waste
• Only on-duty employees can use the dining rooms in the EDR due to space and time constraints. Off-duty staff should get their food to go.
• Please do not move tables or chairs in the dining area – even if you are traveling with someone.
• Sanitize table area after use
• Roosevelt, Lake Lodge and Grant Village EDRs will be “closed” dining facilities (which means that the EDR is only open to employees of that location).

For more information on employee dining, please reach out to your Employee Dining Room Manager.

Employee Pubs

Most pubs are take-out only at this time and Mammoth offers sit-down at 50% capacity.  Hours and menus will vary by pub.

Training is a critical component of your experience as an employee in Yellowstone.  Our training can be described in three areas: new hire orientation, universal training, and job-specific training.  Universal training covers a wide variety of topics that are common to all departments.  Job-specific training will go into the nuts of bolts of your daily work in Yellowstone, which will include the processes and procedures that have been developed with your safety and the safety of our guests, in mind.

• Class size will be limited to what current regulations allow and participants will be spaced appropriately. Where possible, online training will be made available in an effort to reduce class sizes.

For more information on training, please reach out to your manager or the Property Trainer.

The Recreation Department is developing a comprehensive set of policies and protocols to enhance safety for employees while they are using recreation facilities and services.  This year, the gym will move from being open five days a week to seven days a week.  Educational seminars will be offered in a limited capacity. Indoor sports teams/leagues have not been decided at this point. For more information on employee recreation, please visit YCERPs website.