HR UPDATE — MARCH 17

A new update has since been released. Please visit HR Update — Effective 4/1-4/30 for the latest guidance.

ECU: To our Campus Community

Earlier this afternoon, we received the COVID-19 Special Work and Leave Provisions from the UNC System Office below, which provides information on Employee Designations and Work Assignments, COVID-19 Special Leave Provisions, as well as a few examples for clarification. We appreciate your patience, in advance, as we work through this all as quickly as we can.

In the immediacy:

• Per the Chancellor’s earlier memo, Human Resources will be working with the Vice Chancellors and the Director of Athletics to review and revise the list of mandatory employees specific to the COVID-19 event.
• The University will immediately begin work on operationalizing the leave and pay aspects of the new guidance. We do not have information specific to what that will look like at this time, but please be assured that, as soon as we are able to share concrete details, we will.
• If you have urgent questions regarding your status as mandatory/non-mandatory, teleworking, or other similar matters, please direct those to employeerelations@ecu.edu, and they will be addressed as quickly as possible.

Thank you again for your continued support and understanding.

UNC System Office: COVID-19 Special Work and Leave Provisions

Effective March 16-31, 2020

Note: The following are special emergency provisions authorized by the interim president of The University of North Carolina in response to the COVID-19 event. These provisions will be subject to modification or discontinuation by the interim president at any time based on COVID-19 developments and the operational needs of the University. Special paid administrative leave provisions are per the employee’s regular work schedule (or typical work schedule for temporary employees as determined by management) and do not include overtime or other special pay provisions.

Employee Designations and Work Assignments

• Mandatory employees are those employees who are directed by their supervisor to report to work, at a designated University worksite other than their personal residence, at specific dates and times. The institution should revise the list of mandatory employees to reflect this definition and the University’s operational needs specific to the COVID-19 event. These designations may be changed by management at any time due to the operational needs of the University and COVID-19 developments.
• Special consideration should be given to mandatory employees who are determined to be “high risk” for contracting COVID-19 or experiencing greater complications (i.e., over 65 years of age; have underlying health conditions, including heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes; or a weakened immune system) or who are providing care to someone at high risk. These employees may be allowed to telework or apply other special leave provisions below.
• Non-mandatory employees are those employees who have not been directed by their supervisor to report to work onsite at any particular date and time. Non-mandatory employees will continue to be assigned work and will be expected to telework if feasible given the nature of their position duties. If not, special COVID-19 leave provisions apply.

COVID-19 Special Leave Provisions

• Mandatory or non-mandatory employees (including temporary and student employees) who cannot work because they have childcare or eldercare needs due to COVID-19-related facility closings will receive paid administrative leave per for the period of time they are unavailable.
• Non-mandatory employees (including temporary and student employees) who are unable to telework will receive paid administrative leave if they cannot telework because their position duties cannot be performed remotely and reasonable alternate remote work is not feasible or productive.
• For part-time employees with irregular schedules, paid administrative leave should consider the employee’s average hours per week over the course of a month. In no case shall paid administrative leave exceed forty hours per week.
• Any mandatory or non-mandatory employees (including temporary and student employees) who are sick due to symptoms of a cold, flu, or COVID-19 or who are caring for a dependent with such symptoms will receive paid administrative leave. All other medically related absences will utilize regular forms of leave such as sick, vacation, and bonus leave, or shared leave if previously approved.
• Non-mandatory employees who were on other pre-approved leave, choose not to work, or are unavailable for reasons other than provided for in the special COVID-19 provisions must use available and applicable leave types; e.g. vacation leave, parental leave, bonus leave, or compensatory time.
• There are no special compensation provisions for mandatory employees in effect at this time. Provisions regarding time and one half compensation for mandatory employees who are required to work onsite are being reviewed in consultation with State Government.

Examples

Mike’s supervisor directs him to report to work on his regular schedule Tuesdays and Thursdays and telework for his regular schedule on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Mike is a mandatory employee for those hours on Tuesday and Thursday, and a non-mandatory employee for the remainder of the week. When Mike is not onsite, he will be expected to telework or if applicable, use available leave, including special leave provisions as noted above.

Kim is a non-mandatory employee and a single parent to a kindergarten-age child. With the closure of the public schools, Kim is the sole caregiver to the child during the day. Kim cannot telework during the day due to childcare responsibilities arising from COVID-19 facility closures, but Kim can complete some of work duties by teleworking. Kim arranges with her supervisor to telework 20 hours per week outside her regular work schedule and will receive 20 hours of paid administrative leave for the period of time dedicated to childcare.

Terry is a non-mandatory employee who is assigned telework. After two days of working from home, Terry develops symptoms consistent with cold, flu, or COVID-19 and stops working. Because Terry is unable to work during this time due to health issues, Terry may take paid administrative leave for the time they were unable to work.

Pat is a mandatory employee who has been assigned to report to work at a particular date and time. Pat is 65 years old and has an underlying lung condition. Because Pat is in a high risk group for COVID-19 infection, they should be allowed to telework, if feasible. If teleworking is not an option given the nature of the work, then Pat should be granted paid administrative leave.

Sam is a temporary employee who averages about 15 hours of work per week. Sam’s duties cannot be performed remotely and are not considered mandatory. Sam would receive paid administrative leave for their regular hours of work using 15 hours per week.