COVID-19: TELECOMMUTING AND POLICY UPDATES

April 23, 2020

Dear staff colleagues,

Thank you for your dedication, creativity and compassion through this most challenging time. It’s been tough for us all, as our work and personal lives have been altered by COVID-19. In just a matter of weeks, we have been able to accomplish so much to continue critical University operations and support financial mitigation efforts – united as a team. We have begun to shift our focus from rapid responses to the COVID-19 crisis to proactive planning for the future.

We continue to follow national, state, and local guidance and recognize that a full resumption of work on campus will not be possible by April 30^th. In light of this, temporary work-at-home arrangements will continue until further notice and a phased return to campus will occur when it’s deemed safe to resume operations. Technology Work from home stipends related to COVID-19 temporary arrangements will also continue until further notice. Please log in to Workday and continue to complete the COVID-19 Telecommute Arrangement for each week that you work from home. For assistance, please review the COVID-19 Telecommute Arrangement in Workday Tip Sheet.

There have been several COVID-19-specific exceptions in our pay and reimbursement policies that were highlighted in various communications. These temporary policies have been extended as outlined below.

Highlights

Staff are required to work from home whenever possible until further notice. If the nature of their job duties cannot be performed at home and cannot continue to be performed on campus due to the nature of the job or site closure, staff may be required to be deployed to other areas to remain in a pay status. If the University is unable to identify a redeployment assignment, staff will be required to remain accessible from home to perform other duties as needed and will remain in full pay status via Administrative – Other for the duration of the temporary policy, which is extended until May 15^th for all campuses. We will assess and communicate any changes prior to that date.   

Emergency Administrative Leave 

Staff who are instructed by UHealth Infection Control to self-isolate to contain the spread of COVID-19, are eligible for Emergency Administrative time for scheduled hours up to the defined period for isolation not to exceed 14 days if their job duties cannot be performed at home. This temporary policy will continue until further notice.

Staff illness due to COVID-19

In addition to their accumulated sick time or Extended Illness Bank (EIB), PTO, floating holidays and other time off, staff who are symptomatic and/or are diagnosed with COVID-19- related illness, continue to be eligible for the following exception provision until further notice:

• If all sick/EIB and other time off banks are exhausted, eligible staff can borrow up to 21 days from their sick banks

Staff enrolled in short term disability should apply for benefits.

New COVID-19 Provision: If Worker’s Compensation claim demonstrates evidence of COVID-19 being contracted as a result of occupation, emergency administrative pay will be utilized to bridge the gap between Worker’s Compensation and full salary. 

Staff affected by school closures or designated by CDC/Miami Dade as vulnerable to COVID-19

If remote work is not operationally feasible, staff may use accrued sick/EIB time in addition to vacation/PTO or floating holidays to which they are normally eligible to care for children who are at home as a result of school closures. Employees deemed to be essential to operations who opt out of University day care support will be ineligible to use sick bank time for this purpose.  

Staff who are unable to work from home and fall into one of the high-risk groups as identified by the CDC and Miami-Dade County, State of Florida will be eligible to use accrued sick time/EIB in addition to vacation/PTO or floating holidays so that they may self-isolate at home to reduce risk. If sick/EIB/vacation/PTO time are exhausted, staff who fall in this category can borrow up to 21 days from their future sick/EIB bank.

These temporary sick leave provisions have been extended until further notice. 

Payroll Deduction Suspensions & Reimbursements

Transit, tri-rail and parking payroll deductions will be suspended, effective March 19, until May 31.

Effective April 1, payroll deductions for membership fees for faculty and staff have been suspended and will be suspended until the Wellness Center resumes operation. 

HR implemented a one-time tuition waiver in April for our onsite childcare services (Canterbury on Gables, Medical, the UHealth Tower, and the Debbie School). Many employees are telecommuting, and spaces have been used for clinical care employees required to report to work. The tuition waiver will continue through the end of May so available slots can be utilized by healthcare workers. 

I recognize that there is still so much uncertainty but hope that the extension of these temporary policies and telecommuting arrangements will provide some peace of mind.   Senior leadership continues to assess the financial impact of COVID-19 and will continue to communicate as quickly and directly as possible.

I encourage us all to be compassionate and show empathy with each other - especially during these times. There are many ways we can do this - reaching out to a colleague to offer support, send some “Words of Appreciation” to our UHealth heroes, or give a gift to the UHealth/Miller School of Medicine Emergency Response Fund that will make all the difference.

If you need assistance completing your Workday telecommuting arrangement or have any questions, please reach out to your manager or HR Partner. For any technical issues including Workday, please email workday@miami.edu.

Thank you.

Mary Harper Hagan

Vice President

Human Resources