Salisbury University students on campus

March 17 HR Updated Guidance

Tuesday March 17, 2020 12:39 p.m.

To all Campus Staff, and Supervisors of Staff:

As you know, the situation concerning the COVID-19 Emergency Pandemic Plan has been unpredictable and extremely fluid. New guidance has been forthcoming from the State of Maryland and USM to help agencies deal with the crisis. Your patience and cooperation with this evolving situation is appreciated. As a follow-up to the guidance email that was sent on Friday, March 13, pertaining to employee work locations and schedules, the following is UPDATED GUIDANCE as of March 17, 2020.

  • Every effort should be made to maximize the use of teleworking for ALL STAFF employees by using the “Telework/Workplace Hybrid” or “Telework 100% only” work plans. All Paid Time should be a combination of work assignments, special projects, and training to fulfill the regularly scheduled assigned hours for a given employee without the use of Administrative Leave.

For example, if a staff employee is assigned a “Telework 100%” plan, but the regular assignments are not enough to ensure an eight-hour work day, the employee should be asked to complete special assignments and/or on-line training and development to ensure the employee will fulfill the regularly scheduled hours without the use of Admin. Leave.

  • Additional information about on-line training and development via the LinkedIn Learning portal is forthcoming from Human Resources. Special projects could include projects that have been put on hold due to past work load, conducting online research on a topic and assembling a report, compiling and developing budget information, assisting other areas of the department or division with work load (temporary assigned duties), etc.
  • The assignment of special projects and training and development opportunities is the responsibility of the supervisor, and will be tracked and monitored by the supervisor. Human Resources will not collect information about special projects or assignments; completed training may be forwarded to HR voluntarily to be added to the employee HR personnel file.
  • Administrative Leave must be used ONLY in situations in which it is impossible to conduct additional assignments or training. ALL telework or hybrid work plans that include the provision of Admin Leave must be pre-approved by the respective vice president beginning March 18, 2020.
  • If you have already submitted teleworking documents for your employees, and they include the use of Admin Leave, revised documents must be submittedas soon as possible to reflect work schedule changes based on the revised guidance.
  • This updated guidance does not apply to faculty, graduate assistants or contingent workers.

Additional information for employees who may be at high risk regarding COVID-19:

  • Any staff member who is immuno-compromised or otherwise considered by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance to be high risk regarding COVID-19 will not be required to work on campus during the emergency plan. Any faculty and staff over age 60, or those with CDC-recognized underlying conditions, must contact the Human Resources Office on a confidential basis and discuss options to arrange telework, the use of accrued sick leave, or other options to receive an excused absence.
    • CDC guidance for individuals with high risk regarding COVID-19 is: older adults (over 60) and individuals who have serious chronic medical conditions such as compromised immune systems, heart disease, diabetes or lung disease.

Please stay safe and remember:

  • Stay informed and check SUs COVID-19 website for the most up-to-date news andinformation.
  • Any employee who exhibits viral symptoms or signs of illness (fever, coughing, stuffy nose, difficulty breathing) will be asked to remove themselves from the workplace and self-isolate. These employees may use sick leave or a full-time telework arrangement for the duration of the illness plus 24 hours beyond any symptoms.
  • During Spring Break, employees who travel further than 75 miles from Salisbury, or to a location outside the area which is known to have high-risk exposure, are asked to self-identify to their supervisor the details of their travel.These employees may use sick leave or a full-time telework arrangement for the duration of the Pandemic Emergency Plan to ensure a 14-day self-isolation period.
  • Please observe the practice of social distancing by avoiding non-essential in-person meetings and crowds greater than 10 persons.

As SU continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation, we will continue to provide updated information and guidance to ensure the health and safety of the Salisbury University community.

Thank you

Human Resources