Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response

 

To all faculty and staff,

You may have seen news reports about Governor Wolf’s announcement about re-opening Pennsylvania for certain business activities next month. 

The University’s current operations are not impacted by this announcement.   

Those employees who currently are performing essential services on campus will continue to do so. Employees who are currently telecommuting will continue to work remotely.

The University will communicate any changes to this directive – but right now there is no timeline for any changes in our current operation.

Thank you for everything you do for our University. We know this is a difficult and stressful time. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor.  

If you are experiencing problems that are affecting your well-being, don’t hesitate to contact the State Employee Assistance Program 1-800-692-7459, (1-800-824-4306 TDD) available 24 hours a day, or log on to www.liveandworkwell.com  ​access code: Pennsylvania​.

Regards,

Eric Guiser
Director of Human Resources

 

Cal U family!

I hope you and your families are managing well as we adapt to these difficult times.  

Covid-19 has changed our lives, but I am incredibly proud of the resilience you’ve shown over these past several weeks. You all have made sacrifices to keep yourselves, your families and your neighborhoods safe. I know it isn’t easy, but every Cal U student is part of a strong and caring community. Although we are apart, we will get through these challenges together.

If you need help with your classes, or support for your mental or physical health, please let us know. Just like you, our faculty and staff are working in new ways, and from new locations. But one thing hasn’t changed – we remain committed to your well-being, as well as your academic success. 

Speaking of success, I have good news for our graduating seniors. Although we won’t be holding a formal ceremony this spring, we will be celebrating this important turning point in your life.

Please watch the mail for a package arriving in mid-May. In it you’ll find some special gifts to mark your graduation and help you celebrate at home.

A second package will arrive a few weeks later. It will include your personalized diploma, your Commencement booklet and any honor cords you may have earned. You will also find a link to an interactive version of the booklet that you can share with friends and relatives online.

Your celebration package includes a personal invitation to take part in our winter Commencement ceremony in December. Every one of our seniors deserves the opportunity to walk across the stage and be recognized for their achievement.

I look forward to sharing that milestone moment with you and all our 2020 graduates.

Until we are together again, I wish all of you good health and happiness. Stay safe, stay focused and stay connected. I’ll talk to you again soon!

Geraldine M. Jones
University President

 

To all faculty and staff,

As communicated on April 3, Administrative Leave was extended through April 10 for employees that did not have work available. This communication is intended to provide you with additional information regarding what will happen after April 10. 

For those employees performing or who will perform essential services on campus and those that are telecommuting they will continue to do so.

For employees who will not be working on campus or are unable to telecommute due to the nature of their job, the University will follow the Governor’s direction for leave. Beginning April 11 these employees will have the option to use their own leave or go on unpaid leave while maintaining health benefits. This is an alternative to furloughs that allows employees to keep their health benefits and have flexibility from a range of leave options that are best for them. Your supervisors have or will reach out to you to confirm if you are required to report to work or if there is no work available for you. 

We know that this is a difficult and stressful time.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor.  Thank you for everything you do for our universities and our communities.

If you are experiencing problems that are affecting your well-being, don’t hesitate to contact the State Employee Assistance Program 1-800-692-7459, (1-800-824-4306 TDD) available 24 hours a day, or log on to www.liveandworkwell.com  ​access code: Pennsylvania​.

For those impacted employees, additional information is also below.

Universities are committed to supporting employees who are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, while continuing to support the operational needs of universities. Therefore, those employees, who are not working or who are unable to telecommute, may request to use any of the paid or unpaid leave types listed below for which they are eligible and with supervisory approval, as needed:

• Accrued and anticipated annual leave
• Compensatory leave
• Holiday leave earned from working on a holiday
• Accrued and anticipated sick leave
• Accrued and anticipated personal leave
• Approved leave without pay with benefits

Due to the COVID-19 emergency, State System leave policies prohibiting employees from using paid leave during their first thirty (30) calendar days of employment and prohibiting employees with less than one (1) year of service from using anticipated leave are BOTH SUSPENDED temporarily for those employees who are not working or who are unable to telecommute.

For those employees who have carryover leave that was set to expire on April 10, 2020, that leave would ordinarily either convert to sick leave or be forfeited. The State System will be removing the requirement to use excess carryover leave during this state of emergency. Employees will not lose this excess leave and will not have it converted to sick leave at this time. Once the state of emergency is over, the State System will reinstate the policy with at least 60-days’ notice.

Employees who are not working or who are unable to telecommute are not eligible for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) leave mentioned below.

If you choose not to use, or are not eligible for, any paid leave benefits, you may be eligible for unemployment compensation benefits. Please contact uchelp@pa.gov. For additional information, please refer to: https://www.uc.pa.gov/COVID-19/Pages/UC-COVID19-FAQs.aspx.

Employees Who Are Working or Telecommuting

For employees who are currently working or telecommuting, the FFCRA provides up to 10 days of paid sick leave and up to 10 work weeks of paid and 2 work weeks of unpaid expanded family and medical leave for eligible employees based on the type of qualifying event. This additional leave may be at a reduced rate of pay. These provisions will apply from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

More information about the FFCRA is available at the following link: http://www.passhe.edu/inside/HR/syshr/Documents/FFCRA_Poster.pdf

Employee FAQs with respect to the FFCRA are available here: http://www.passhe.edu/inside/HR/syshr/Pages/COVID_FAQ.aspx

If you have questions, or wish to request paid leave under the FFCRA, please submit your request via email to COVID19LeaveRequest@passhe.edu

Regards,

Eric

FAQs for Employees Who Are Not Working or Not Telecommuting 

1. Can I use my accrued and/or anticipated annual leave or my accrued and/or anticipated personal leave if there is no work available for me due to COVID-19?

• Yes. Beginning April 11, 2020, employees who are not required to be on campus and who cannot telecommute must use their own leave for their absence. Employees who are reporting to work or who are telecommuting should continue to do so and are not required to use leave.
• Employees may use their accrued or anticipated annual or personal leave to which they may become entitled in the 2020 leave calendar year.
• For new employees, the rules that normally prohibit employees with less than one (1) year of service from anticipating annual leave during their first year of employment are temporarily suspended for absences due to COVID-19. Therefore, employees with less than one (1) year of employment may anticipate annual or personal leave to which they would become entitled in the 2020 leave calendar year.  

2. Can my supervisor deny the use of accrued or anticipated annual or personal leave related to lack of work during COVID-19?

• No

3. Can I use accrued compensatory leave (aka “Comp Leave”) if there is no work available for me due to COVID-19?

• Yes. Beginning April 11, 2020, employees who are not required to be on campus and who cannot telecommute must use their own leave for their absence. Employees who are reporting to work or telecommuting should continue to do so and are not required to use leave. 
• Employees may use their accrued compensatory leave; however, compensatory leave cannot be anticipated.

4. Can my supervisor deny the use of compensatory leave related to lack of work during COVID-19?

• No 

5. Can I use my accrued and/or anticipated sick leave if there is no work available for me due to COVID-19?

• Yes. Beginning April 11, 2020, employees who are not required to be on campus and who cannot telecommute must use their own leave for their absence. Employees who are reporting to work or telecommuting should continue to do so and are not required to use leave.  
• Normally, the use of sick leave is only appropriate when you are sick or injured. However, the rules associated with sick leave use have been temporarily suspended for absences due to COVID-19.  This temporary suspension is only in effect during the COVID-19 emergency. 
• Employees may use accrued and anticipated sick leave to which they would become entitled in the 2020 leave calendar year. 
• For new employees, the rules that normally prohibit employees with less than one (1) year of service from anticipating sick leave during their first year of employment are temporarily suspended for absences due to COVID-19.  Therefore, employees with less than one (1) year of employment may anticipate sick leave to which they would become entitled in the 2020 leave calendar year.   

6. If I use sick leave because I am sick or injured for any reason including sickness due to COVID-19, do I still need a note from my doctor?

• No. The rules associated with sick leave use, including the rule requiring employees to provide a doctor’s note for any sick absence of three (3) or more consecutive workdays, have been temporarily suspended for absences due to COVID-19. This temporary suspension is only in effect during the COVID-19 emergency.

 

6. Can my supervisor deny the use of sick leave related to lack of work during COVID-19?

• No

7. Can I use approved leave without pay (LWOP) instead of using all my paid leave during this time?

• Yes.  Approved LWOP may be used with supervisory approval. However, LWOP must be used in increments equal to at least one full pay period.  You may begin LWOP in the middle of a pay period provided the LWOP extends through the end of the next pay period.

8. Can I use a combination of LWOP and paid leave during this time?

• Yes. However, LWOP must be used in increments equal to at least one full pay period.

9. Am I still responsible to pay the employee health care contribution if I use LWOP?

• Yes. If you are on LWOP for more than one (1) full pay period, you will receive a bill from the Pennsylvania Employee Benefits Trust Fund (PEBTF) or the State System for the required employee contribution/payment.

10. Will I earn leave or seniority while on unpaid leave?

• No, you do not earn leave or seniority credit while on unpaid leave.

11. If I am currently on administrative leave due to work not being available can I apply for FFCRA leave?

• No, you only qualify to utilize FFCRA leave if there is work available that you are unable to perform.

Read more updates from the University to students, faculty and staff.

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