NBER Office Closing on Wednesday March 18

From: James Poterba <poterba_at_nber.org>
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2020 12:41:57 -0400

Dear NBER Colleagues -
     The coronavirus situation continues to evolve, as does guidance
from the governor and public health authorities regarding appropriate
responses for firms and for individuals. Providing for the health and
safety of everyone who works at the NBER, and of our broader community,
is our primary objective.  In light of the intensifying calls for
everyone who can work from home to do so, the NBER's Cambridge office
will close, until further notice, at 5pm on Wednesday afternoon, March
18.  All staff members, with the exception of essential IT staff, will
work from home.  All researchers should also work from home if
possible.  Effective today, our building management firm has restricted
access to 1050 Massachusetts Avenue to key-card holders only, even
during normal business hours.
     I am very grateful to our IT team for getting us collectively ready
for work-from-home, and to all of our staff members for embracing this
new reality and finding ways to keep our key business functions moving
forward.
     One consequence of closing our office is that courier services --
Amazon, Fedex, UPS, and others -- will no longer be able to deliver
packages.  If you are expecting a delivery at 1050 Massachusetts Avenue
after tomorrow, I hope that you can contact the shipper and redirect
your package to another location.  I apologize for any disruption that
this may cause, and I appreciate your understanding given the
extraordinary nature of the circumstances that motivate our office closure.
     Mail for the NBER will be held at the post office.  We will make
every effort to collect it at least once a week.  If you are expecting
any time-sensitive documents, please alert Lisa Ursino so that she can
alert you if and when they arrive.
     Please do not hesitate to contact Lisa (ursino_at_nber.org) or me if
you have other concerns associated with the closure of our office.  All
best wishes at this very challenging time; I hope that we will be able
to re-open before too long.
Jim Poterba
Received on Tue Mar 17 2020 - 13:01:55 EDT