Coronavirus Employee Guide | Human Resources

UVU is closely monitoring the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak domestically and internationally. Your safety and well-being are of the utmost importance to us, and we want you to know we are prepared and have a plan in place to address the impact of the virus. UVU's COVID-19 response plan contains the most timely updates and provides helpful information. More details are also available on the UVU Safety/Emergency Management website.

Thank you for your efforts to help the university fulfill its education mission while adhering to public health recommendations to keep our community healthy. The best way to protect yourself is to be educated and prepared while using basic preventative measures.

Protecting Yourself and Reporting COVID-19

You can protect yourself from coronavirus (COVID-19) the same way you protect yourself from other viruses with a few common-sense practices.

WAYS TO PROTECT AGAINST COVID-19 EMPLOYEE COVID-19 REPORTING FORM

4-8-2020 Talk with Tuminez COVID-19 Town Hall Meeting

Employees are encouraged to attend the “Talk with Tuminez” Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday April 8, 2020 at 1-2 PM. This is an opportunity for us to come together as a community to discuss the ongoing measures being taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Submit your questions for discussion during this special meeting by 5:00 p.m. on April 6. President Tuminez will answer as many questions as possible on April 8. Employee Access: my.uvu.edu/talk.

COVID-19 Campus Updates

04-03-2020

Given the Governor’s Stay Safe, Stay Home directive, UVU employees are being asked to work from home whenever possible. This is necessary to keep Utah residents safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The campus will be functioning with only minimum basic operations and services. UVU will suspend on-campus operations except for minimum basic operations and services that cannot be conducted remotely.

The services that will remain in operation include:

Building systems and custodial services (reduced levels)
Emergency response (police, fire, emergency medical services and environmental health and safety
Emergency management)
IT services associated with on-site support of campus IT infrastructure and remote learning and working
Classroom and laboratory instruction support services for remote learning. (Deans and chairs will determine what on-campus essential support may be needed).
Animal care or animal or other physical research
Library and open computer lab
Warehouse/receiving

The following basic operations and services will continue to be provided remotely:

Human Resources
Finance
Counseling and Psychological Services
Advising Services
Admissions
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Registration/Enrollment
Procurement

Please contact or refer to specific areas website for the most up to date operating conditions as modified operating hours, may change based on the rapidly changing situations and directives.

03-17-2020

In response to the evolving COVID-19 situation, UVU is implementing special protocols to remain open and operation under modified condition, while allowing some employees to work remotely. Services on campus will be limited while the campus remains open and operating under modified conditions. All employees are to work with their supervisor to assess how their job function fits within the guidance. Detailed guidance has been provided to supervisors. Employees approved to transition to work remotely must complete the Temporary Remote Work Agreement Form in coordination with their supervisor. The University reserves the right to end this agreement at any time, and require employees to return to their regular work location.

Flexibility for Week of March 16

On March 13, Governor Herbert announced the closing of public K-12 schools from March 16-27. Utah Valley University remains open under modified operations. We understand that these K-12 closures may cause unexpected disruptions for a portion of our employees in balancing their work responsibilities and childcare needs.

For employees in this situation, the university is providing additional flexibility for work schedules, including work from home, during the week of March 16. We hope this allows employees to address childcare arrangements. Employees must contact their supervisor to determine appropriate modifications to work schedules and/or location. Please note that Friday, March 20 is a UVU holiday and campus will be closed.

Thank you in advance for your continued support and understanding as we navigate this global issue together. As the university continues to serve our students, this situation requires us to use our best judgment to balance exceptional care with exceptional accountability.

Wellness

If you are experiencing anxiety or stress about these events, Utah Valley University offers full-time employees the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have also shared additional resources regarding mental health and coping, including ways to support yourself, your children, and responders.

For more information regarding medical and RX benefits related to COVID-19, please refer to the Magellan RX management COVID-19 virus FAQ's and the Regence COVID-19 Notice of Claims.

COVID-19 testing is covered at 100% in-network and out-of-network for covered employees. Refer to the Intermountain Healthcare testing locations or call Mountain Point Medical Center in Lehi. As a reminder, employees must have all the symptoms to be tests and are encouraged to call ahead to see if testing is advised or available.

For additional questions contact the Human Resources Benefits Office.

Sick Employees

Stay home if you have a fever or symptoms of COVID-19. Individuals should stay home until they are symptom-free for 24 hours.

Employee Leave Time

Utah Valley University provides paid leave for full-time employees. Please see Policy 361 Leave of Absence. Supervisors should review the Guidance for part-time and student employees.

Employees who may have been exposed to COVID-19, and are required to not report to work, are required to use leave time or telecommute to work, with supervisor approval. Authorization to work from home will be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis. Supervisors are encouraged to provide part-time employees flexibility in their hours. Part-time employees will need to coordinate hours with their supervisor and make a plan to make up hours if needed. With supervisor approval, employees may have the option to work more hours to make up missed hours, but may not exceed 123 hours in a calendar month.

High-Risk Employees

We are currently operating under a yellow level, but we understand there are case-by-case situations that will need to be considered. UVU encourages those individuals who are at high-risk to do what they can to prevent their risk of exposure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has put together a list of helpful resources. If an employee's doctor recommends and provides documentation that the employee not report to work due to health risks of exposure to COVID-19, the employee may request an accommodation form from Human Resources after they communicate with their supervisor.

Workplace Procedures

Utah Valley University strongly recommends that everyone reconsider travel to high-risk areas. The university is asking students, faculty, and staff to report personal or professional travel outside of Utah through June 26, 2020. Please fill out the Self-Reporting Travel Questionnaire to notify the university of your travel to allow the university to determine the risk of any potential spread of COVID-19. Individuals returning from high-risk areas should work with their supervisor to take precautionary measures and complete the Self-Reporting Travel Questionnaire.

If work from home is an option, and necessity, work at home expectations should be set between the supervisor and the employee and approved through a Temporary Remote Work Agreement Form. Measures have been prepared by the Office of Information Technology to support employees who will be working remotely. If an individual has symptoms of illness or fever, they should not return to work until they are symptom-free for 24 hours (without the use of symptom suppressing medications). Supervisors should review the Guidance for part-time and student employees.

COVID-19 Reporting Form Self-Reporting Travel Questionnaire temporary remote Work Agreement form