ALBANY, NY — In an internal memo distributed on September 14, 2022, to all Unified Court System Judges and Non-Judicial Personnel from the Office of Court Administration, the UCS has adopted a Revised Mask Policy, effective September 15, 2022.

The new policy includes no longer requiring visitors to either wear a mask or wear a white visitor sticker after presenting proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

Effective September 15, 2022, face masks will no longer be required for any persons, regardless of vaccination status, in a Unified Court System facility, with two exceptions:

Return from Isolation: Any person, including judges, non-judicial personnel and court visitors, returning from isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 entering a UCS facility must wear a well-fitting, disposable, non-woven mask in all areas and at all times in a UCS facility for 5 calendar days from the end of their isolation

Exposure to Someone with COVID: After coming into close contact with someone with COVID-19,1 all individuals must wear a well-fitting, disposable, non-woven mask at all times around others and in all areas of our courts or facilities for the next l0 calendar days.

Any person may wear a mask in a court facility if they choose. Those individuals who have weakened or compromised immune systems, are at increased risk for severe disease because of age or medical condition or live in the same household as someone with those risk factors, may want to wear a mask in a UCS facility.

Orange Card and Green/White Pass:

As a result of these changes in our Mask Policy, the UCS will discontinue its Orange Card and Green/White Pass programs. No identification cards or passes are required to be displayed to enter and remain in a UCS facility without a mask. Orange cards are UCS property and should not be discarded, but stored for safekeeping by the individual judge and employee.

“Close contact” continues to be defined by the CDC as within 6 feet for a cumulative total of l5 minutes within a 24-hour period.

Remains in effect, and the share point site will remain open for new judges’ and new employees’ submissions. Orange cards, however, will no longer be issued, and it is no longer necessary for existing judges and non-judicial personnel to upload proof of booster or additional doses received after the primary series of vaccinations.

The Mandatory Testing Policy for judges and non-judicial employees who have been granted, or are awaiting determination on, a medical or religious exemption remains in fulI effect as well.

The COVID Safety and Operational Protocols have been updated to reflect these changes.

These protocols are subject to modification based on additional guidance from the CDC and New York State Department of Health.

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