Staff member in Capitol last week tests positive, in quarantine

An unnamed Assembly employee, who was in the Capitol building last week, has tested positive for the coronavirus, Chief Administrative Officer Debra Gravert said.

She said the employee was in the office the week of June 15. That was the day both houses gathered for a budget vote.

In an Assembly-wide email Monday afternoon, Gravert warned of the potential exposure to the virus and stressed best practices to avoid getting sick. The employee, she wrote, had “minimal interactions” with a coworker and wore a face covering while inside the building. Gravert added that the employee did not work in any office other than their own suite.

The coworker has already been contacted.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we have taken steps to minimize the impact in our workplace and to keep all employees healthy and safe,” she wrote.

Even as California reopens, Gravert wrote in her email, the number of staff in certain Capitol offices will still be restricted. Those who work inside must self-screen daily and follow social distancing guidelines.