To: All Staff and Faculty
From: Beth Williams, Executive Director of Human Resources
With the constantly evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, the health, safety and well-being of UMW staff, faculty and students is our primary concern, and we want to ensure we are providing timely and accurate information, support and resources. This message is intended to reiterate important information provided in prior campus-wide emails, and provide additional information of particular concern to UMW employees.
Things to do now:
- Read all the University email updates and stay informed with accurate information. The University’s Coronavirus Information page is a reliable resource.
- Continue to practice frequent handwashing and respiratory etiquette, as detailed on the Coronavirus FAQ page.
- Managers should ensure that any employees who are able to telework are prepared to do so. Review your part of the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) and ensure your team knows who is designated as essential personnel.
- If you are sick, please stay home, to care for your own health as well as to avoid spreading the illness to others. Follow your department procedures for notifying your supervisor that you are staying home (or leaving work) and report your time off in MyTime.
- Use your health insurance to seek medical care. All the Commonwealth medical plans offer options for online doctor visits, which can be a good option for some, as it minimizes exposure.
- The coronavirus situation may cause heightened anxiety levels; if you would like assistance coping with anxiety, or need other emotional support, the Commonwealth’s health insurance plans offer individual counseling sessions through Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). Covered employees and their dependents qualify for up to four sessions at no charge. Confidential assistance is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Simply call the number below that corresponds to your health plan and you will speak to an EAP specialist who will assess your concerns and coordinate the appropriate assistance. This benefit is always available through your health plan.
COVA Care and COVA HDHP
Anthem
Member Services: 1-855-223-9277
(Select Member Login, then enter “Commonwealth of Virginia” as the company)
COVA HealthAware
Aetna – www.covahealthaware.com
Member Services: 1-888-238-6232
(Username and Password: COVA)
Kaiser Permanente HMO
Member Services: 1-866-517-7042
www.achlevesolutions.net/kaiser
- Employees covered under the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP), whose illness lasts longer than seven calendar days, may be eligible for short-term-disability. To apply, you may call the Reed Group directly at 1-877-928-7021 or apply online at www.reedgroup.com/vsdp-claims.
- Employees who are quarantined but not sick, and for whom telework is not an option, should use annual or family/personal leave rather than sick leave.
- Leave share donations are an option for Non-VSDP classified and AP Faculty employees who have exhausted their leave. VSDP employees are not eligible for leave share donations except to care for an ill family member (must meet the requirements for FMLA).
In the event of a disruption to University operations or a shutdown:
- Managers and Supervisors: Encourage employees to adhere to the guidance provided in emails and on the Coronavirus FAQ page. Support your staff members’ decisions to go home when feeling sick or work from home. Respect the privacy of employees by not seeking information from them about their medical conditions. As necessary, HR will provide more supervisory guidance.
- Nonessential Staff: Talk with your supervisors about working at home remotely. Refer to the telework page on the HR website.
- Designated Essential Staff: Talk to your supervisors regarding expectations, work assignments, and various relevant operational contingencies. Be prepared for the possibility that your schedule may need to be modified, including any leave you have requested.
- Faculty: A separate memo from the Provost was distributed Sunday evening, March 8, and can be found on the University’s Coronavirus Information page.
- If the University shuts down, UMW will follow the state’s emergency closing policy: http://web1.dhrm.virginia.gov/itech/hrpolicy/pol1_35.html. Under this policy, full-time employees will be paid at their regular rate of pay.
Support the members of our community:
In keeping with ASPIRE, we are committed to a working and learning environment that supports the wellbeing of all faculty, staff and students free from harassment, discrimination and unfair bias. Faculty, staff, and students who have questions or concerns are encouraged to report a bias incident or contact Terri Arthur tlockhar@umw.edu or Sabrina Johnson sjohnson@umw.edu directly.
We will send updates as things progress.
For questions about benefits or time off, please visit the Human Resources Website; if you don’t find what you need, contact the HR Department.
