COVID-19 Hotline262-243-4344 orcovid19@cuw.edu

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General employee resource guide

This page has been archived to document Concordia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the most up-to-date information, please visit cuw.edu/COVID

Returning to the workplace

Any expanded staffing will be approved and communicated by the respective dean or vice president in coordination with the COVID Task Force and Concordia’s senior officers. At this point, the focus for expanded staffing is on student facing positions.
Once approved to expand staffing, only employees who are needed on-site to support expanded operations should return. Those who can work remotely should continue to do so. Personal preferences, internet access, family circumstances, etc. are not among the criteria for determining who should return to work on-site.
The employee should visit the Concordia University portal at my.cuw.edu or my.cuaa.edu for the Request for Reasonable Accommodation Form. If the employee’s health condition falls within one of the CDC High Risk Categories, then the employee may seek a Temporary COVID-19 Workplace Adjustment using the Reasonable Accommodation process.
Temporary COVID-19 Workplace Adjustments must be directly tied to the employee’s health condition, not the health of a person that they provide care for on a daily basis. If the employee needs time away to care for a family member, child or spouse with a serious health condition, the employee can use FMLA or accrued time off (vacation, sick leave or Paid Time Off).
Fear of catching COVID is not a reason to implement a Temporary COVID-19 Workplace Adjustment. Concordia is taking careful precautions consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to make its workplaces as safe as possible (masks, hand sanitizer, social distancing, no large meetings, etc.).
All employees coming on-site will need to conduct symptom monitoring prior to leaving for work. Testing is currently only conducted if employees report any of the list of symptoms provided by Human Resources. Any employee with symptoms should contact the Concordia’s Human Resources Department at 262-243-4414 or email Kimberly.Masenthin@cuw.edu. Human Resources will follow up with the employee and coordinate testing and care as appropriate, which may include coordination with county health departments in cases outside of the region.

Safety and personal protection

Yes, employees working on-site, regardless whether the worksite is Concordia-owned or leased, must wear a face mask or face covering while on property, unless the individual is working alone in an office or eating, drinking or using the bathroom. Appropriate use of face masks or coverings is critical in minimizing risks to others near you. You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick.

Failing to comply with this or any other safety requirement will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Disposable masks may only be worn for one day and then must be placed in the trash. If soiled or torn, the mask should be immediately discarded and replaced.

Cloth face coverings must only be worn for one day at a time, and must be properly laundered before use again. Having a week supply of cloth face coverings can help reduce the need for daily laundering.

A face mask or cloth covering must cover your nose and mouth to be effective. Otherwise, droplets can be spread through coughing, sneezing, talking and other similar behaviors.
Any face covering that is commercially produced or improvised (i.e., homemade) garments, scarves, bandanas, or items made from t-shirts or other fabrics is acceptable (as long as the design/pattern are appropriate for the workplace). The face covering should cover the mouth and nose and may be disposed or reused after proper washing.

Buildings and facilities

Housekeeping will maintain cleaning and disinfecting practices in accordance with CDC guidelines. Housekeeping will perform routine clean and disinfecting of spaces that are occupied and enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched indoor surfaces. The extent of cleaning will depend on the timing of the notice to re-open. Facilities needs time to call back staff, schedule and perform the cleaning.
Buildings and Grounds department is procuring sanitizer and cleaning supplies, which will be prioritized and distributed based on areas approved for expanded staffing/operations. The goal is to place sanitizer dispensers at primary building entries/exits and outside elevators. Disinfectant spray bottles will be placed around campus in hallways for departmental/individual use.
Buildings and Grounds department will provide customers with building hand sanitizer dispensers, as well as spray cleaner to clean surfaces in breakrooms/lounges after use. For spray bottles and sanitizer refills, campus departments should contact housekeeping or human.resources@cuw.edu. Please note, disinfectant wipes are in short supply.
The feasibility of installing plexiglass shields in high-traffic areas has been explored and in high traffic areas have been placed. However, as a result of extended discussions and evaluations, installing plexiglass shields offers minimal additional protection beyond what is provided through Concordia’s universal masking, social distancing and symptom screening requirements. For those that have plexiglass shields they need to regular spray them with the disinfectant spray/clean them to maintain effectiveness against the potential transmission of illness.
While current scientific literature suggests that genetic material associated with the virus can be found in close proximity to toilets, there is little evidence that this material is both viable and infectious. The most important aspects for preventing infection continue to be washing hands, avoiding touching your face and maintaining social distancing while in the bathroom.
Droplets are the primary method of COVID-19 transmission. Building HVAC systems are a low- risk method of transmission. Increasing outside air ventilation can only be done based on system type and outside conditions. The university has several different types of buildings, from modern buildings to older and smaller ones, like the houses on Campus Drive. Consequently, there are many different types of HVAC systems in the buildings. These systems include central air, fan-coil units and small split systems. In buildings with central air systems, Facilities uses the MERV 13 filter, which is recommended by ASHRAE. Where feasible, building ventilation rates will be increased when outside air conditions allow. Our building HVAC systems are maintained on preventative maintenance schedules. Prior to re-opening, building HVAC system controls will be reset to the normal operating settings for temperature and humidity, based on occupancy schedules. Best practices for preventing the spread of COVID-19 remain to practice social distancing, hand hygiene, universal masking and surface cleaning.
Concordia has developed building signage and have placed them around our campus’. For additional request of signage please email human.resources@cuw.edu
Departments are responsible to determine the use of their space in compliance with Concordia’s social distancing guidelines outlined in Uncommon Return plan. It is recommended individuals bring their own lunch bag/cooler and not use high touch items such as refrigerators and/or microwaves as much as possible. If use is permitted each individual utilizing should wipe down handle/buttons on these items.
If assistance is needed to reconfigure building spaces to comply with the social distancing guidelines outlined in the Uncommon Return plan please contact Kimberly Masenthin, Assistant VP of Human Resources at Kimberly.Masenthin@cuw.edu or 262-243-4414.
According to the CDC, there is no evidence suggesting you can be infected with COVID-19 through drinking water. Drinking fountains and water bottle refill stations on campus can remain open. However, we suggest they only be used for filling bottles and cups, rather than drinking directly from the fountain. Instructional signs will be installed at the water fountains and the bottle fill stations.

Symptoms / sickness

All staff/faculty working on-site in support of critical operations should follow these steps:

  • If you have ANY symptoms, including one or more of the following: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, runny nose or new sinus congestion, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, fatigue, new GI symptoms, or new loss of taste or smell, you may not work. Leave the worksite immediately and contact Human Resources at human.resources@cuw.edu and they will contact you within 24 hours.
  • Self-isolate until cleared by Human Resources to return to work.

Any staff/faculty member not working on-site should follow these steps:

  • If you have ANY symptoms, including one or more of the following: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, runny nose or new sinus congestion, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, fatigue, new GI symptoms, or new loss of taste or smell, you may not come into the worksite. Contact Human Resources at human.resources@cuw.edu and they will contact you within 24 hours.
  • Do not report to work; self-isolate as directed by your healthcare provider and practice good hygiene to limit the potential spread of the virus.
  • Self-isolate until cleared by Human Resources to return to work.
No. It is important to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of those seeking healthcare. Human Resources, Student Health, or the County Public Health will be responsible for any contact investigation to assess potential risk of exposure for anyone who has been diagnosed with a suspected case of COVID-19 and will contact those who may have been exposed.

Any staff working on-site who have ANY symptoms, including one or more of the following: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, runny nose or new sinus congestion, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, fatigue, new GI symptoms, or new loss of taste or smell, you may not come into the worksite. Contact Human Resources at human.resources@cuw.edu and they will contact you within 24 hours.

Others not working on-site who believe they have had an exposure to a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 should contact their healthcare provider for risk assessment and guidance. Contact Human Resources at human.resources@cuw.edu and they will contact you within 24 hours.

Workers’ compensation will apply to specific occupational exposures to the coronavirus. An employee who believes they have had an occupational exposure should first contact Human Resources at human.resources@cuw.edu. If the disease reaches the point of widespread community transmission, it would no longer be an “occupational disease” and thereafter workers’ compensation would not apply.

Concordia must maintain certain critical services and operations such as campus safety, Buildings and Grounds, and student services regardless of circumstances. There are certain positions that are required to be on-site to support those critical services and operations.

Concordia expects staff to attend work as scheduled and be fully prepared to begin work and remain at work through the entire work period. Any time away from work should be discussed and approved in advance with your supervisor.

If a staff member is scheduled to work on-site and does not report to work, the unscheduled absence may count as an occurrence for disciplinary action.

Working offsite

Working remotely should be discussed and approved in advance by your direct supervisor. Managers are asked to use discretion regarding who absolutely needs to be on-site and what work could be done remotely. Please discuss with your manager.

The decisions regarding what staffing is needed to maintain critical operations will be determined by the leadership of each respective department, unit or entity.

Yes. Non-exempt staff members are eligible to work remotely. However, supervisors need to be mindful of wage and hour laws when evaluating non-exempt staff members’ requests to be aware of potential overtime pay implications.

Yes, assuming the new hire can work remotely and has worked with his or her supervisor on assignments, schedule, communication, and other related issues.

Recording time

Any staff/faculty required to self-isolate by their personal healthcare provider or Human Resources should remain in an active paid status. Staff members are not required to use sick leave/vacation or PTO during this time. Staff should notify their direct supervisor if required to self-isolate by their personal healthcare provider or Human Resources.

The manager can make a referral to Employee Occupational Health & Wellness for a fitness for duty assessment. Managers should call EOHW BEFORE sending the staff member to the clinic so that appropriate plans can be arranged. If the staff member has a fever, cough, shortness of breath, and a history of travel to an area with community spread of COVID-19, he or she may be required to self-isolate at home for 14 days or longer before being medically cleared by EOHW to return to work.

Travel restrictions

At this time, Concordia is only requiring faculty and staff to self-quarantine for 14 days if they have returned from any area identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at a risk assessment Level 3 or 2. But the situation is rapidly changing, and travel to other areas may be subject to quarantine later. Continue to monitor the CDC travel advisories, and if you develop fever, cough, or other concerning symptoms during travel or within 14 days of your return, contact Employee Occupational Health & Wellness at 919-684-3136, option 2 and ask for a nurse; after business hours call the Blood and Body Fluid exposure emergency hotline at 919-684-8115.

If you traveled to an area with community spread of COVID-19 in the last 14 days and feel sick with fever, cough or difficulty breathing, you should contact your medical provider right away. Do not come to worksite.

  • Contact Human Resources at human.resources@cuw.edu or 262-243-4414
  • If you are seeking care, call ahead and advise your provider of your recent travel and symptoms.
  • Avoid contact with others.
  • Do not travel while sick.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
  • If you are not experiencing any symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath), continue to self-monitor for any symptoms. You only need to self-isolate if you are returning from a region identified by the CDC with a risk assessment of Level 3 or Level 2 or have had contact with a known or suspected case of COVID-19.

Campus services

Duplicating Services is continuing to provide mail service and distribution of mail and packages throughout the University. The schedule may change to less frequent deliveries per week based on volume and need.

Family

If a University staff member who is required to be on-site needs time away to care for a child or children due to school/day care closures during this COVID-19 period, they may be eligible to Temporarily Remote Work from their home location with approval from supervisor, Vice President/Provost and Human Resources.

Human Resources will work closely with leadership to ensure alignment with those who have capacity to meet operational needs.

Due to liability reasons, children cannot accompany employees in the workplace.

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