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Dear Gables/Marine campus leaders (non-UHealth),
As we continue to monitor COVID-19 and the related public health guidelines, the health and well-being of our community remains our priority. These are extraordinary times, so we are implementing temporary exceptions to our policies to encourage social distancing and minimize the number of people on campus.
Please note: These are temporary exceptions, as we are continuously monitoring this public health crisis, and will evaluate changes as the situation evolves.
We are asking managers to use their best judgment and encourage employees to work from home wherever possible while continuing to meet the critical needs of the operation.
The following are guidelines for the Coral Gables and Marine employees effective tomorrow, March 14 through April 4.
TELECOMMUTING OPTIONS
Determine if job duties can be performed at home.
Friday, March 13 was a test of capability for a wide range of Gables/Marine employees to work from home. If an employee’s job duties are not required to be performed on site, do not directly provide on-site support to students, and can be performed remotely with minimal disruption, this is the first criteria for establishing a work-from-home arrangement. In assessing whether work can be performed from home, the list of remote access tools available on the remote access technologies website may be helpful. As a manager, all work-from-home arrangements require your advance approval.
Once it is determined that job duties can be performed from home, considerations outlined below should be prioritized in assigning work-from-home arrangements.
CDC guidelines on individuals most vulnerable:
Employees who fall into one of the high-risk groups as identified by the CDC and have notified their managers that they have an underlying chronic medical condition that makes them especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus should be considered a priority in accommodating a work-from-home arrangement, wherever feasible. If a work from home arrangement is not possible, employees in this category will be eligible to use accrued paid time (sick leave/vacation or floating holidays) so that they may self-isolate at home to reduce risk. Employees in this category may be required to provide medical documentation.
School or Daycare Closure:
Employees unable to come to work due to a COVID-19 daycare or school closure that requires them to be home with their child may work remotely if operationally feasible; if remote work is not operationally feasible, employees may use accrued paid leave time (sick leave/vacation or floating days) during this period.
Employees may not bring children or any relatives to work with them, particularly during this time.
Rotational Options:
Once the above priorities have been considered, departments are encouraged to implement broader measures to foster work-from-home arrangements that minimize the number of employees on campus while fulfilling critical operations. This may include rotating staff working from home and some remaining on site, essentially a Team A and Team B approach.
PAID SICK TIME
Our priority is to ensure the health and safety of the University community and encourage all those who are ill, or caring for those who are ill, to remain at home. In that spirit, we are implementing temporary measures to enable employees affected by COVID-19 to focus on getting well without concern of losing pay.
- Employees unable to work due to their own or their family member’s COVID-19 symptoms should remain at home and utilize sick time. If accrued sick time has been exhausted, staff will be eligible to borrow from future sick time not to exceed 21 business days (or up to 168 hours) during this period.
- Temporary or per diem employees unable to work due to their own COVID-19 symptoms who have provided appropriate medical documentation, will be provided paid administrative leave for a period of up to 2 weeks equal to their normal work schedule.
Travel Restrictions:
Employees currently returning from the affected countries identified by the CDC, are required to remain at home in self-isolation for 14-days on administrative paid leave. Employees are required to contact Infection Control at (786) 427-5018 to report their return from travel.
If an employee chooses to travel to one of these countries after the latest set of restrictions published on March 11, they will still be required to self-isolate upon return but will need to use their own accrued paid time off to remain in pay status. We strongly discourage all international travel and domestic travel that requires any form of mass transportation, except for local mass transit.
Employees should continue to take preventive actions during this time to avoid the spread of the virus.For continuous updates on COVID-19, please refer to the University’s dedicated COVID-19 site (coronavirus.miami.edu) for complete, up-to-date guidance on campus events and meetings.
The medical campus is working on guidelines that will be forthcoming.
Thank you.
Mary Harper Hagan
Vice President
Human Resources
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