Rockhurst University Return to Campus FAQs for Employees
1. What do I need to do before returning to campus for work?
Prior to returning to campus, and to ensure the safety and protection of the health of our co-workers, students and visitors, employees will be required to complete an online training course that will discuss what will be required of you as you prepare to return to campus.
2. What are the basic requirements to be aware of in returning to on-campus work?
All employees and visitors are required to wear a facial covering while inside all buildings (except when alone in one’s personal office), and strongly encouraged to wear a facial covering outside of buildings. Cubicle areas and multi-desk office spaces will be handled on a case-by-case basis and determined by the departmental leader and/or supervisor. Employees should exercise good judgment, prudence, and consideration of others’ health as well as their own.
NOTE: Employees should seek an exemption from this requirement by contacting Barbra Upton-Garvin, Director of Human Resources if they have trouble breathing when wearing a mask or if they are unable to remove it without assistance.
At all times, employees will be required to maintain 6-foot social distancing from one another. Employees should comply with social distancing guidelines, and when such distancing is not feasible, employees should notify their supervisor.
Employees are also asked to self-screen for all COVID-19 symptoms BEFORE going to work each day.
3.What cleaning measures are taking place for common spaces on campus?
Common spaces/high touch areas such as bathrooms, tables, light switches, and doorknobs will be cleaned every 4 hours at a minimum. Cleaning is being conducted with EPA approved disinfectants. Disinfecting stations including hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes will be installed throughout campus in common spaces, classrooms and meeting rooms.
4.Can I continue to work remotely after campus re-opens?
Remote work arrangements will be determined by supervisors with consideration given to the following primary factors:
- The ability to meet 6-foot social distancing requirements within a work area.
- The nature of the position, and whether the underlying work can be effectively performed remotely.
While working remotely, employees must be available during normal business hours to perform their regular tasks, as well as to attend meetings virtually. Employees working remotely may be required to report to campus at certain times such as for certain meetings and may be asked to return to their regular, in-office work location with short notice. Any request for accommodation for a disability should be directed to Human Resources.
5.What if I am in a high-risk group for COVID-19 or care for a household family member who is at high risk?
If an employee considers oneself to be high-risk for COVID-19 based on the CDC guidelines and has concerns regarding returning to on-campus work, the employee may request an accommodation from Human Resources and the accommodation policy will be applied.
Supervisors, in coordination with Human Resources, will work with employees who are requesting accommodations to care for self or a family member with high-risk conditions to discuss options that support a healthy and safe work environment while determining ways to complete position responsibilities. Some employees may be permitted to continue with telework arrangements through extended phases of return to campus with periodic reviews of return to campus dates for individual positions.
6.What if I have dependent care (child, family member with a disability, elderly family member) issues that prevent me from reporting to on-campus work when requested?
Employees should discuss with their supervisor any impediments to their availability to report for on-campus work, including dependent care needs. It is encouraged that employees who are asked to return to support on-campus operations talk with their dependent care provider (if any) to explore options that may be available, including Rockhurst-provided documentation to support your return to campus need. If no dependent care options are available during this COVID-19 response time, supervisors are encouraged to provide accommodations through continued telework when work is available, create opportunities to support rotating schedules, or offer flexible hours of work where possible.
It is important that employees do not bring dependent family members to the workplace to respect the health and safety of co-workers. This is critical to reduce campus density and to maintain social distancing at all times. Departments are setting limitations based on the number of employees required to be on-campus so employees should have guests only in emergency situations.
7.Under what circumstances should employees use sick time?
For Staff: Sick time should be used in the following circumstances:
- The staff member is sick.
- The staff member must miss work to care for a family member who is sick.
- The staff member must miss work to care for children due to a school closure.
At the onset of sick leave, the supervisor should consult Human Resources to determine what other leave benefits are applicable in the circumstance. Once sick time is exhausted, vacation time may be used in any of the above circumstances.
If a staff member has exhausted, or is anticipating exhausting, all sick and vacation time in any of the above circumstances, the staff member’s supervisor should consult with Human Resources.
Sick time may not be used in circumstances where the staff member wishes to stay home from work because of a general concern about coming to campus due to COVID-19. Vacation time must be used in this instance.
For Faculty:
Faculty should consult the faculty leave policy.
8.Can Rockhurst test for COVID-19?
Although the University is exploring the possibility of testing, it has not been determined that the University will provide testing for employees or students. If an employee is showing symptoms of illness, they will be instructed to contact their health care provider for further instructions and guidance. The health care provider will determine whether testing is necessary. If testing is determined to be necessary, the health care provider will refer the employee to a testing location.
9.What should employees do if they suspect a co-worker of being ill who is working on-campus?
Employees who suspect another employee is ill (whether or not the employee works in their department) should encourage the employee to notify their supervisor. Employees should not assume a supervisory role and they should not attempt to perform a diagnosis of any sort. Supervisors should, in turn, contact Human Resources.
10.What actions should I take at this time to help prevent the spread of germs and viruses?
- Maintain at least 6 feet of social distance between you and others.
- Wear a facemask at all time indoors (unless alone in a personal office).
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid sharing food, cups or utensils.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Do not gather in groups and avoid crowded places and avoid mass gatherings.
- When possible and appropriate, host meetings and/or events virtually or outside.
11.Where can I go if I need employee assistance (EAP) at this time?
Contact our EAP provider, New Directions, either online at www.ndbh.com (login code: Rockhurst) or by phone at 816-237-2352 or 1-800-624-5544.
12.Are visitors banned from campus?
Visitors are welcome on campus so long as they abide by University requirements for the wearing of masks, social distancing, etc. The host employee is responsible for communicating University requirements to the visitor(s) and ensuring their compliance. In accordance with the Kansas City order, the host employee is also responsible to maintain a record of visitors “who are seated on the premises or in contact with stationary furniture, fixtures or other equipment for a period of longer than ten minutes.” This can be accomplished by keeping a list of visitors’ names, date and time of the visit, and areas occupied by the visitors.
13.Are university-sponsored events canceled?
University-sponsored events where the underlying objectives cannot be achieved with a virtual platform or where required social distancing cannot be achieved will be canceled until further notice.
14.What should I do when considering future university-sponsored travel?
University-sponsored travel is suspended for the entirety of the 2020-21 fiscal year except for that which is essential and revenue-generating. Travel plans beyond the 2020-21 fiscal year should be discussed with your supervisor.
15.Am I prohibited from personal domestic or international travel?
Personal travel is not prohibited unless indicated otherwise by local, state, and national government agencies. Travel plans should be discussed with your supervisor, and serious consideration should be given to avoid travel to domestic or international locations that have high or significantly growing rates of COVID infection and hospitalization (https://www.covidexitstrategy.org/. Before returning to campus following domestic or international travel, employees must consult with their supervisor.