A message from the Office of Human Resources.
To: All Staff and Faculty
The UMW community has done an amazing job responding to the challenges we’ve faced as a result of the coronavirus. Over a short period of time, the majority of our workforce transitioned to telework and has since been finding new and creative ways to serve our students and provide excellent institutional support.
This is a reminder that, even while teleworking, there may be times when taking leave becomes necessary. Below are some guidelines regarding leave types that are available and their appropriate usage:
Regular leave (sick, vacation, annual leave, etc.)
- Use your regular leave for your own illness (non-COVID-19) or if you just need to take some well-deserved time off (use your department’s usual approval process).
State and Federal leave options are available for different COVID-19 scenarios:
Virginia Public Health Emergency Leave (PHEL) – applies to all employees including wage and adjunct positions
Under the Virginia’s revised State Public Health Emergency Leave policy you may be eligible for Public Health Emergency Leave (PHEL) if you:
- Are an essential, on-campus employee and have been required by public health officials to self-monitor during the incubation period
- Are diagnosed with COVID-19 or are caring for someone who has been diagnosed
- Are in a job that is not conducive to telework and no other work arrangements can be made. Every effort is being made to keep employees in a working status.
- Are unable to work onsite due to high risk category or underlying health condition.
Leave hours available:
Full-time employees are eligible for up to 160 hours;
Wage employees are eligible for up to the maximum normally worked in a four-week period
Process for supervisors to request this leave on the employee’s behalf:
1) Complete the online MyTime Supervisor Form for each employee, indicating the total number of PHEL hours
2) Once approved, you will key into MyTime the total number of PHEL hours for the pay period. A special leave code is added to the timesheet.
Please contact Denise Frye at dfrye@umw.edu with any questions about PHEL.
New Federal Leave: Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)
Click here to view the federal FFCRA poster.
Overview: Additional paid leave for full time and part time (including wage) employees and expanded family and medical leave for specified COVID-19 issues that affect you and your family members. This is in addition to the State Public Health Emergency Leave described above.
Effective Date: 04/01/2020 to 12/31/2020
Two Components:
Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act
If you are unable to work or telework for the following reasons, you will be provided with two weeks of paid sick leave for full-time and pro-rated for part-time employees:
- To self-isolate due to diagnoses with positive COVID-19;
- To obtain a medical diagnosis/care for symptoms of COVID-19; or
- To comply with recommendation of health care provider that you need to self-isolate due to COVID-19 concerns
If you are unable to work or telework for the following reasons; you will be provided with two weeks of paid leave that will pay 2/3 of your regular pay up to $200 for full-time and pro-rated for part-time employees:
- To care for an individual who is quarantined or advised to self-isolate;
- To care for a child if the school or child care provider has been closed or the provider is not available due to COVID-19;
- Who are experiencing any other substantially similar condition specified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
As a reminder, Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) participants WHO ARE ILL with COVID-19 symptoms must file a short term disability claim by calling Reed Group at 1-877-928-7021. DO NOT file a claim simply because you have been exposed but have no symptoms or are self-isolating.
Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (FMLA)
Paid leave time for the last 10 weeks of the Family Medical Leave Act Period at 2/3 of your regular rate of pay; maximum pay is $200 per day. (previous periods of 2020 FMLA usage is included).
This leave may be used intermittently and when returning to work from the emergency period you still have your job protections thein the same manner as FMLA affords you.
To be eligible:
- You must have worked for at least 30 calendar days.
- You are unable to work, including telework, due to the need to care for your child under age 18 because school or your child care provider is closed or the provider is unavailable due to COVID-19 (documentation is required).
Please contact Denise Frye at dfrye@umw.edu for more information about the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
Thank you for all you’re doing to keep UMW moving forward while keeping yourselves and your families safe.
Sincerely,
Beth Williams
Executive Director for Human Resources
