If you have a specific question regarding general University procedures, please email coronavirus@fairmontstate.edu.
Employees:
The University continues to act out of an abundance of caution to protect our campus and surrounding communities from COVID-19. In order to further safeguard our campus community and prevent the spread of the Omicron variant, all employees are strongly encouraged to be tested for COVID-19 within 72 hours of returning back to campus on Monday, January 3.
Over-the-counter testing kits may be purchased at most drug or grocery stores or employees may also choose to be tested at a local clinic. An updated list of free testing sites surrounding campus can be accessed on the West Virginia DHHR website.
Please note, it is only strongly suggested that you are tested before returning to campus. Please remember that if you receive a positive result, you will be required to complete the University’s illness reporting form.
An on-campus clinic will take place in the Falcon Center Saturday, January 8 – Monday, January 10. Testing will take place in Gym 1 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day.
On-campus testing is not required by employees. However, receiving a second negative COVID-19 result allows individuals to follow best practices outlined by the CDC.
All students are highly encouraged to test within 72 hours of returning to campus. There will also be a free testing clinic on Monday, January 10.
In addition, all students living in on-campus housing and all student-athletes will be tested prior to moving into their residence halls or returning to competition.
Fairmont State University’s highest priority is the safety and wellbeing of all students, faculty, and staff. We are grateful for the cooperation of the Falcon Family in assisting our efforts to minimize the spread of the coronavirus on campus.
Please direct questions to coronavirus@fairmontstate.edu.
The COVID-19 Task Force and the University’s Executive Leadership Team have been monitoring the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant. In response to anticipated spread of this variant and updated guidelines from the CDC, state and local health departments, the University will begin to base its campus COVID safety protocols on a color code system that will be updated and communicated to the campus community if and when the alert colors change. This will begin on August 9.
Daily, the COVID-19 Task Force will monitor the WV DHHR’s County Alert System to determine the current level of COVID-19 in Marion County. The DHHR County Alert System color map can be accessed here. Two separate operating procedures have been created based on the county’s daily color designation.
GREEN, YELLOW and GOLD
When Marion County is listed as Green, Yellow or Gold on the WV DHHR’s map, the University will operate under standard COVID-19 campus safety protocols.
This includes:
ORANGE and RED
When Marion County is listed as Orange or Red on the WV DHHR’s map, the University will operate under increased COVID-19 campus safety protocols.
This includes:
NOTIFICATION OF STATUS CHANGE
If the daily county map color results in a change in the COVID-19 Campus Safety Protocol for Orange and Red, the following will occur.
ON-CAMPUS VACCINE CLINICS
The University strongly recommends all students and employees be vaccinated for COVID-19. On-campus vaccination clinics will be held throughout the fall semester. Details will be sent in the near future. Vaccines continue to be readily available across the country. Vaccine availability can be found at vaccines.gov, regardless of your current location.
Fairmont State’s highest priority is the safety and wellbeing of all students, faculty and staff. The University will continue to act out of an abundance of caution to protect our campus and surrounding communities. Additional changes to campus protocols may be announced.
AS A REMINDER
At this time, vaccinated individuals will no longer be required to wear a mask on campus (GREEN, YELLOW or GOLD status).
Social distancing protocol is discontinued.
COVID health screenings will no longer be solicited from campus visitors.
You will be responsible for taking several steps if you choose not to register your vaccine.
Please note, the guidelines outlined above are subject to change depending on directives from the Office of the Governor, the CDC or the Marion County Health Department.
If needed, Fairmont State will reinstate health and safety procedures that allowed for the University to remain open for in-person instruction for the entirety of the 2020 – 2021 academic year. As we have done throughout the entire pandemic, the University will act out of an abundance of caution to ensure the safety of the Falcon Family.
Quarantine spaces will be designated in the residence halls, including specific areas for those testing positive for COVID, those displaying symptoms related to COVID and those identified for quarantine through contact tracing.
The University will continue to closely monitor COVID-19 numbers on campus in coordination with the Marion County Health Department and will adjust current health and safety protocols as needed. The COVID-19 Task Force and Executive Leadership Team are prepared to reinstate further protocols that have safeguarded our campus throughout the pandemic.
We thank you for your continued cooperation as we work to follow the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and the Marion County Health Department.
As of March 17, 2021
Employees:
Following recent changes to travel restrictions imposed by the State of West Virginia, restrictions related to state employee travel are being lifted. All employees are encouraged to continue to follow COVID-19 safety protocols including the wearing of masks, washing of hands, and observance of social distancing at all times, including during travel.
The domestic travel restrictions, shared with campus in January, will now be lifted. In general, approaches to employee travel will revert to pre-covid-19 operations.
This includes:
The COVID-19 Task Force will continue to monitor cases on campus and should a spike be found, travel restrictions for work-related travel may be put back in place.
As a general reminder, employees are encouraged to continue to follow the travel safety guidelines.
Be sure to take these steps during your trip to protect yourself and others from COVID-19:
Testing could improve traveler safety.
The safest thing to do is to stay home, but if you do decide to travel, testing can help you do so more safely. You and your travel companions (including children) may feel well and not have any symptoms, but you can still spread COVID-19 to others in busy travel environments like in airports, and bus and train stations. You can also spread it to family, friends, and your community after travel. Testing does not eliminate all risk, but it can help make travel safer.
Faculty and Staff:
All employees and any student who has registered for one or more in-person class, regardless if you attend in-person or through the synchronous broadcast, must be tested at the start of the spring semester through the campus testing program. Fairmont State’s COVID-19 testing program is a directive of WV Governor Jim Justice communicated through DHHR and State Health Officer and Commissioner Ayne Amjad. All costs associated with on-campus testing are paid for by the State of West Virginia. Employees with previous exemptions should contact HR with any questions.
Exemptions to this policy will be rare and are outlined below.
Testing exemptions will be granted for:
If after reading the details below you have questions, please email hr@fairmontstate.edu.
Below are instructions on how to register for testing and details on what to bring with you when you arrive. Please plan to arrive on time for your scheduled test. The testing line may back up. You should plan to be away from your office/work duties for 45 minutes in order to be tested.
You will receive a confirmation email for your scheduled COVID-19 test. Please retain this for your records.
Because this is a saliva-based test you should not eat, drink, smoke, use tobacco products, chew gum or use mouthwash 30 minutes prior to your test.
Below are some general reminders about your test.
For more information, including Frequently Asked Questions, visit the COVID-19 Testing Program page.
Wear your mask according to the mask guidelines available on our website.
Faculty and Staff:
The safety of the Falcon Family is a priority at Fairmont State, and the University remains vigilant in our crusade to stop the spread of COVID-19. In order to ensure safety, all non-essential travel is strongly discouraged. If traveling becomes necessary, there are guidelines all faculty with an in-person course or staff reporting to work on campus are required to follow.
Attached are two sets of guidelines relating to domestic and international travel. These were established to provide employees a guide to follow to ensure safe travels and a safe return to work. In addition, these outline University expectations for employees traveling outside of West Virginia or to any high-risk area within the state but also international travel.
Please review the attached guidelines to make proper accommodations for returning to work from domestic or international travel. We are grateful for your continued cooperation as we navigate the current pandemic climate together. Any additional questions related to travel requirements should be directed to hr@fairmontstate.edu.
As our campuses reopen and we plan for the return of students soon, we recognize that, as it’s only early August, many employees may still have vacation and travel plans on into the fall.
This is to provide employees with information on quarantining and work from home after your personal travel.
Employees who work on campus will self-quarantine for 5 (FIVE) days IF:
Employees who work on campus will self-quarantine for 14 (FOURTEEN) days IF:
Immediately after your travel, and without returning physically to campus, fill out the linked form and send it to Human Resources in 324 Hardway; or scan and email to hr@fairmontstate.edu. Notify your supervisor as well.
No. If you are not experiencing COVID symptoms and are not otherwise ill or too ill to work, continue to teach or work remotely. If you are or become too ill to work, contact HR at 304-367-4386 or at hr@fairmontstate.edu to discuss leave options available to you.
No, unless you become too ill to continue to work remotely/teach online. Should this happen, contact HR at 304-367-4386 or at hr@fairmontstate.edu to discuss leave options available to you.
Yes, please.
Yes, if you physically work all or part of the time on campus. Those employees who fail to comply with this guidance may be subject to discipline.
Fairmont State takes the health and safety of our employees and students very seriously. If we feel it is necessary and prudent, we will require stricter standards than other authorities have imposed, as we are doing with self-quarantining after travel.
Yes, these provisions will stay in place until we notify employees otherwise. Those with personal travel plans through the end of the calendar year should abide by these quarantine guidelines until the University rescinds them.
Thank you for abiding by these guidelines. If you have further concerns or questions that were not answered here, please contact Human Resources.
Faculty/Staff:
During today’s state press briefing, Gov. Justice directed funds to all of the state’s higher education institutions in order to test all students, faculty and staff for COVID-19. We are working with state leaders and the National Guard to make plans that can quickly be operationalized. We anticipate being able to finalize plans throughout the weekend and will provide additional information to you early next week.
You should continue to report to work as directed by your Dean or Supervisor during this time. However, if you begin to feel ill with any of the symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your PCP or local health department and alert your Dean or supervisor.
June 25, 2020 9:00 a.m.
This message is to provide an update to Fairmont State University employees regarding returning to work on campus.
The Emergency Management Team, in consultation with the Marion County Health Department, has developed this Return to Campus Roadmap for employees to return to the workplace at Fairmont State.
We have also included a list of frequently asked questions you may find helpful.
Although it is expected that employees will be returning to university offices over the next several weeks, buildings will continue to be secured to limit entry by the public until further notice.
Information is forthcoming regarding return to work and the fall semester.
If you have any questions, please contact Human Resources at HR@fairmontstate.edu our emergency management team at emergencymanagement@fairmontstate.edu
May 11, 2020 6:00 p.m.
Please find information on the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) regarding employee leave below.
As a state institution, Fairmont State University is a public employer.
Employees who qualify for and wish to apply for leave under the eligibility guidelines as described on the attached federal poster provided by the Department of Labor MUST complete and return the attached application to HR by mail or by scanning to hr@fairmontstate.edu. Employees will be notified by email of approval.
Leave benefits as described under the FFCRA may be used only once through December 31, 2020.
Regular sick and annual leave usage guidelines continue to apply for other conditions not covered under the FFCRA.
March 24, 2020 1:15 p.m.
In response to Governor Justice’s address yesterday afternoon ordering a stay-at-home mandate, and indicating that all non-essential employees should work from home. Fairmont State’s campus will be closed to all non-essential personnel until further notice. Please know that “facilitating distance learning” has been identified as essential and to that end, Fairmont State will continue to deliver academic content remotely.
Thanks to your flexibility and foresight, Fairmont State has already made accommodations for this directive by moving our operations remotely. This transition allows us to deliver courses digitally and for our faculty and staff to remain operational while minimizing the potential for contracting the COVID-19 virus.
All employees should continue to work from your remote location as directed by your supervisor or vice president. The majority of employees have been deemed non-essential to Emergency Operations of the campus and are prohibited from entering campus at this time. While each of our employees are important to the institution, if you have not already been advised that you are considered “essential,” then you are a “non-essential employee” in this instance and are not permitted on campus.
During this time, if you need access to your work area, please request access through your direct supervisor or vice president. The request will be vetted with the Emergency Management Team and accommodations made, if appropriate.
The delivery of mail will be suspended for the next two weeks. On or before, April 6, you will be notified regarding mail delivery on an anticipated limited schedule. If you have orders currently in production that have not yet shipped, you are encouraged to delay delivery until at least after April 6. Likewise, if you are expecting delivery of an item which needs immediate attention, please notify Lenora Montgomery at lenora.montgomery@fairmontstate.edu.
As of March 25 at 2:00 p.m., the library will be closed to all on-site traffic until further notice. In addition, the Starbucks and Starbucks computer lab in the library will also now be closed starting at 2:00 p.m. Digital library resources are still available at https://library.fairmontstate.edu/. If you need to access the textbooks currently in the library’s collection, please complete the Textbook Reserve Request Form, and we will post resources to a secure E-reserve page for online access.
Dining services will continue for our residential students only. Further information regarding residential student food services is forthcoming to those individuals affected.
Employees needing to access internet service may do so in a drive-up capacity. Extended internet has been installed that will allow wi-fi access on the top deck of the parking garage near Jaynes Hall. Additionally, the parking spaces near Hardway Hall can also access this internet. Please stay in your vehicle if you are coming to campus to access the internet.
Campus continues to be closed to all community members. This includes all campus facilities and all recreational use of the campus grounds.
We fully anticipate that you will encounter roadblocks and concerns as this process unfolds. Please continue to report these issues to your direct supervisor or vice president so that you receive the guidance and assistance necessary.
We will continue to be in touch in the coming days. Again, thank you for your flexibility and dedication to delivering high quality education and services to our students, even in this time of a global pandemic.
March 24, 2020 8:30 a.m.
Dear PEIA Policyholder,
We wanted to give you an update on how PEIA is responding to the pandemic.
In accordance with Governor Justice's order, PEIA's office is closed. Much of our staff is working remotely, but we are unable to answer phone calls directly. If you need assistance, you have several options:
You may call the office at 1-888-680-7342, and leave a message. A staff member will return your call within 3-5 business days.
You may send us an e-mail at peia.help@wv.gov.We are monitoring that e-mail and will respond as soon as we can.
Follow PEIA on Facebook at PEIA - West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency. You can private message us on Facebook, and a staff member will respond.
Check our website at www.wvpeia.com or peia.wv.gov. We are updating information there as quickly as we can.
UMR is receiving, processing and paying health claims, and they continue to perform the other vital functions they provide us. You can reach UMR at 1-888-440-7342.
You can check out PEIA's COVID-19 policy on our website at https://peia.wv.gov/news_center/Pages/COVID19.aspx
You can also find contact information for all of our vendors on our website, just click on the Partners tab, then click on the vendor you want.
We are printing the Shopper's Guide now and will mail it next week. It is already available on our website at https://peia.wv.gov/Forms-Downloads/Pages/Shopper%27s-Guides.aspx
Because there are very few changes in health plans this year, we plan to conduct Open Enrollment as scheduled. The dates are April 2 through May 15. Open Enrollment transactions can be completed online via the Manage My Benefits portion of the PEIA website or you can request a transfer form by phone at 1-877-676-5573 beginning on April 2.
We will be conducting benefit fairs via conference call this year. There will be no face-to-face benefit fairs. Here's the conference call schedule:
Date | Time | Dial-in Number | Conference ID |
---|---|---|---|
Thursday, April 9, 2020 | 4:00 p.m. | 304-420-0513 | 26632 |
Tuesday, April 14, 2020 | 6:00 p.m. | 304-420-0513 | 26632 |
Thursday, April 16, 2020 | 6:00 p.m. | 304-420-0513 | 26632 |
Tuesday, April 21, 2020 | 4:00 p.m. | 304-420-0513 | 26632 |
We encourage you to follow the guidance issued by the CDC and our state health officials. Please stay safe, stay distant and wash your hands!
We look forward to the day when we can get back to business as usual.
Thanks!
Your PEIA Team
P.S. If you need assistance, please e-mail peia.help@wv.gov
The campus is transitioning to full remote operations. If you need items from your work location to deliver courses digitally or complete your assigned work functions, beginning Monday, March 23, campus buildings will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. to allow you to retrieve these items.
Employees who have traveled internationally or out-of-state over the last 14 days or have symptoms associated with COVID-19, should not be on campus. For those employees who have traveled but have no symptoms, if you require access to your office prior to the end of your 14-day quarantine period, please contact your Dean or Supervisor to request access. The emergency management team can then assess if/how accommodations can be made.
Campus emergency management is working to confirm those people that are “essential” to campus emergency operations. Therefore, beginning Sunday at 4 p.m., only employees who have been deemed essential will be allowed on campus and in campus buildings/offices. If you have not been formally identified as “essential,” then you should assume that you are non-essential.
For non-essential employees who need access to work locations AFTER Sunday at 4 p.m., please send an email to your Dean, Chair, or Supervisor requesting access and providing details related to the basis for your request and any associated timeframe. The Dean will then work with the Provost and Campus Emergency Management to determine if the request can be accommodated. If you have traveled internationally or out-of-state in the last 14 days, please include that information in your request.
No one should be on campus after Sunday at 4 p.m. unless you have received written approval from your Dean or Supervisor.
Please continue to access the following Fairmont State website for up-to-date communication and information. www.fairmontstate.edu/coronavirus
Thank you for all you are doing to ensure our students continue in their education during these unprecedented times.
March 20, 2020 8:40 a.m.
As many of you transition to working off campus today, here is some additional guidance and reminders to aid in the process.
All assigned phone extensions should continue to be monitored while you work remotely. You may either forward your phone to your home phone/cell phone or record a voice mail instructing the caller to leave a message. Messages should be responded to within the same workday.
Call Forwarding Instructions:
Remove Call Forward:
Note: If you handle a large volume of telephone calls, please contact Tech Commons at (304) 367-4810 or email HELP@fairmontstate.edu. An alternative phone option may be available to you.
If you are not forwarding your phone, please record this message:
Thank you for calling Fairmont State University. You have reached, NAME, TITLE. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many University employees, including myself are working remotely. We remain committed to keeping the University operational. For the fastest response, please email me at INSERT EMAIL ADDRESS. Otherwise, leave a message and I will get back to you as quickly as possible.
Set for outside of the organization only:
Hello and thank you for your email. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many University employees, including myself are working remotely. We remain committed to keeping the University operational and I will respond to your email as quickly as possible. For questions related to the University’s response to COVID-19, please visit www.fairmontstate.edu/COVID19 or email coronavirus@fairmontstate.edu.
For instructions on how to set up an automatic reply, click here.
Below are a few items to keep in mind when preparing to vacate your office.
NOTE: If you are leaving your desktop computer in your office and plan to access your files using Remote Access, DO NOT turn off or unplug your desktop computer. This will need to be left on in order for Remote Access to work.
For more information, click here.
March 19, 2020 4:30 p.m.
As you have been notified (via email on March 18), the institution must immediately begin the process of transitioning employees to remote work (work-at-home) arrangements. At present, we do not yet know the duration of these arrangements and appreciate your cooperation as the situation unfolds.
For Fairmont State University to continue to thrive, it is vital for all non-essential employees to work from an alternate location. The institution will make decisions regarding which employees are deemed essential. Until that time or unless you are directly notified, please consider yourself and your staff to be non-essential.
Prior to Monday, March 23, all non-essential employees (faculty, staff, and students) must complete the attached Telework Agreement and have it authorized by their immediate supervisor or Vice President. Digital signatures are acceptable for this document.
Attached are several resources to aid in the transition.
Supervisors
Please thoroughly read the attached Supervisor’s Guide as you lead your team through this transition. Please contact HR with any questions you may have.
March 18, 2020 5:30 p.m.
Beginning March 19, Fairmont State University is directing all supervisors to begin to transition all non-essential (as classified by your Vice President) staff to start working from home, with the expectation that all non-essential staff will be working from home beginning Monday, March 23. No end date has been set at this time.
In order to maintain University Operations, all online courses will continue and face-to-face courses will begin to be delivered digitally on March 23. Staff should work with their supervisor to determine appropriate tasks that can be completed from home.
Supervisors are asked to hold regular check-ins with employees via telephone or email. An employee’s work hours generally should replicate their standard working day (e.g., 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.). However, it may be necessary to flex an employee’s schedule to an alternate shift during this time due to school closures.
Non-exempt employees must obtain prior written approval from their supervisor before occurring any overtime (time worked greater than 37.5/week). Exempt employees are not eligible for overtime.
We understand that this is an unprecedented transition for all of us. Tomorrow, you will receive multiple resources to aid in this transition. They will include a supervisor toolkit, telework agreement, information on taking equipment home and other resources. Please direct all questions related to this transition to your supervisor, vice president and human resources.
This is a rapidly developing situation and we will continue to provide information as we move forward.
Updated March 14, 2020 8:00 p.m.
University leadership has continued to meet multiple times a day since early last week and we want to keep you as updated as possible to this quickly changing situation.
As communicated earlier today, beginning Monday, March 23 through April 24, all class instruction will be delivered digitally. All online classes and previous hybrid courses which have already converted to online instruction will continue as originally scheduled beginning Monday, March 16. The University remains open and staff should continue to report as scheduled, unless other arrangements have been made with supervisors. Below is additional guidance on topics that may impact you.
ACCOMMODATING K-12 CLOSURES
On March 13, Gov. Jim Justice announced closing all K-12 schools indefinitely. Fairmont State encourages supervisors to work with employees if accommodations need to be made. Some options include the possibility of flexibility to schedules or potential work from home assignments. Supervisors should ensure that departments have adequate coverage during the hours the university is open, and work with their Vice President if they have any questions.
CAMPUS CLEANING AND PRECAUTIONS
The OP SHOP (campus vendor for cleaning and custodial services) is working hard to increase their efforts of disinfecting offices, hallways, door handles, and frequently touched surfaces across campus. By following CDC guidelines regarding handwashing, social distancing, and keeping hands away from your face, you can help prevent the spread of germs. Click here for additional CDC recommendations.
TRAINING
We have scheduled mandatory training for all staff the week of March 16-20 in order to prepare for a continuity of services if we need to move to a remote work schedule.
A complete schedule and registration can be found at https://fairmontstate.libcal.com/calendar/training.
If you have traveled internationally or out-of-state over spring break or if you are exhibiting symptoms associated with COVID-19, you must take the training remotely. To request remote access to the mandatory training sessions, first register for your chosen sessions and then send this list to your supervisor. Supervisors should then gather all requests and send them to their Vice President.
Whenever possible, we wish to encourage all of our staff to attend the training in-person so they have one-on-one support from our facilitators.
TRAVEL
If you must travel or have traveled within the last 14 days for professional or personal reasons, we ask that you voluntarily report your trip here so that we may monitor our travel footprint and share critical information with you upon your return. Also, contact your supervisor to notify them of your travel. Based on the location of your travel, you may be advised to self-isolate.
On March 13, Governor Justice announced that all out-of-state travel was prohibited, therefore all University based travel is cancelled. Staff who continue to travel out-of-state for personal reasons, do so with the understanding that upon their return they may be required to self-isolate for 14 days. Please notify your supervisor if you are not able to report to work due to an illness or self-isolation/quarantine. Consult the March 13 email regarding Employees Certification of Illness/Self-Quarantine for more information.
STUDENT EMPLOYEES (INCLUDING GRADUATE STUDENTS)
Student employment should continue during the semester, when possible. Students who are unable or uncomfortable with returning to campus should contact their supervisors for options and further direction. The following options are available to supervisors for this purpose: (1) students who do not have a position conducive to a work-at-home assignment may choose not to report but will not be compensated. (2) in cases where work-at-home assignments are appropriate, please work with your student to make reasonable assignments. (3) For areas or assignments in which work-at-home options are not available or students are not needed, please consult with division Vice President to determine options for reassignment to other areas.
Students who are completing work-at-home assignments should fill out this timesheet and send it to their supervisor on Friday. Supervisors will then need to enter a student’s time worked into Kronos.
If you know that your student employee has traveled to a region with confirmed COVID-19 cases including any international location, you may request that they work from home. Please click here for the CDC’s updated map of confirmed cases. Any questions related to student employment should be directed to Human Resources.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This is a rapidly changing situation and Fairmont State will continue to make decisions based on the safety of our students, faculty, and staff. We will continue to contact you as new information becomes available. You can also stay up-to-date at www.fairmontstate.edu/coronavirus.
If you have a specific question regarding general University procedures moving forward, please direct it to coronavirus@fairmontstate.edu.
March 13, 2020 1:00 p.m.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in surrounding states, Governor Justice has issued a memo suspending all official state business travel, both out-of-state and internationally, until further notice. There is currently no timeline regarding when this suspension will be lifted.
If you have any questions regarding travel on behalf of Fairmont State University please contact your supervisor or dean. If you have a specific question regarding general University procedures moving forward, please direct them to coronavirus@fairmontstate.edu. For the most updated information, visit www.fairmontstate.edu/coronavirus.
March 13, 2020 12:00 p.m.
Fairmont State University is following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control regarding steps to diminish the spread of COVID-19/coronavirus. The CDC is encouraging all persons who have cold/flu-like symptoms to self-isolate until the illness has passed. (See guidance on health care at fairmontstate.edu/coronavirus)
If you are sick, please stay home. As the CDC Guidance explains, any person with fever or any difficulty or pain in breathing should contact their doctor immediately. It is always appropriate for anyone who is sick to consult their doctor, even if the symptoms are mild. The CDC hopes that self-isolation strategies will slow the spread of coronavirus around the country. If you are ill, stay at home and contact your supervisor regarding your absence and the submission of sick leave in KRONOS.
The CDC has urged colleges and universities to modify, where possible, policies that make it difficult to follow the recommendation of self-isolation. In support of that guidance, Fairmont State University has adopted a CERTIFICATION OF ILLNESS or QUARANTINE form which employees can use during this period in lieu of medical documentation when absent due to illness.
This form can also be used if you need to self-quarantine for a specific coronavirus risk. Due to the extreme communicability of coronavirus, the CDC is also encouraging certain persons with no current symptoms of illness to nevertheless self-quarantine. Therefore:
If an employee is confirmed to have been: a) directly exposed to a known coronavirus case, or b) traveled to a location considered “level 3” or higher by the CDC, or c) traveled to a place where health authorities are formally requesting self-quarantines to be used, you should avoid coming to campus and advise the supervisor that you will self-quarantine, and use the CERTIFICATION form.
The self-quarantine would continue 14 calendar days away from campus without requiring any medical documentation; only the CERTIFICATION is required. Staff may apply either sick leave or annual leave.
Leave-eligible employees are not eligible for catastrophic leave in these cases. If an employee does not have enough leave to cover their time off, and they cannot telework, they will not be paid. The institution will work with you to determine whether a remote assignment is appropriate.
Employees are advised that the use of/signing of this form constitutes a legal certification that they genuinely isolated themselves for the period that they designate. Completion and submission to HR of the form by persons who did not engage in self-isolation due to flu-symptoms or coronavirus risk is a fraud on the University.
Updated March 12, 2020 3:01 p.m.
This communication is aimed at providing additional information and details related to yesterday’s announcement that spring break will be extended next week for face-to-face classes. You each serve as the heartbeat of this campus and our operations cannot continue without you. We will continue to keep you updated on any changes to our normal operating procedures.
This communication covers several different topics. Please take the time to carefully and fully read through the below information. All questions should be directed to your supervisor unless stated otherwise.
Next week, mandatory training will take place for all faculty and staff. These hands-on training sessions are to ensure that you have the knowledge to complete some work-at-home assignments should we need to move toward that model of work. These training sessions are also helpful if you need remote Banner access or other similar access. Work with your supervisor to ensure coverage and direction on which sessions are required for you.
The training schedule and registration can be found at— https://fairmontstate.libcal.com/calendar/training.
Student employment should continue during the spring break extension, March 16-20, when possible. Students who are unable or uncomfortable with returning to campus should contact their supervisors for options and further direction. The following options are available to supervisors for this purpose: (1) students who do not have a position conducive to a work-at-home assignment may choose not to report but will not be compensated. (2) in cases where work-at-home assignments are appropriate, please work with your student to make reasonable assignments.
Students who are completing work-at-home assignments should fill out this timesheet and send it to their supervisor on Friday. Supervisors will then need to enter a student’s time worked into Kronos.
If you know that your student employee has traveled to a region with confirmed COVID-19 cases, you may request that they work from home during the spring break extension. Please click here for the CDC’s updated map of confirmed cases. Any questions related to student employment should be directed to Human Resources.
As communicated, campus is open and will remain open the week of March 16 through March 20. Please report to work as regularly scheduled. At this time, employees should continue to work from their on-campus location unless other arrangements have been made with your supervisor. Any questions related to employment should be directed to Human Resources.
Please prepare your on-campus work environments and processes for increased phone traffic related to student services. Students are being encouraged to call for assistance related to student services rather than visiting campus in person. Please be reminded that since campus is open you will likely continue to see in-person traffic next week.
If you receive any questions related to Fairmont State’s handling of COVID-19 please direct those questions to coronavirus@fairmontstate.edu. This allows us to uniformly answer questions and provide one source of information across our many channels.
As this situation continues to develop, we will keep you updated via your campus email. Thank you for your continued flexibility and support.
March 12, 2020 12:41 p.m.
Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus designated SARS-CoV-2. The outbreak of COVID-19 originated in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. With thousands of confirmed cases being reported in a rapidly growing number of countries worldwide and the number of national cases growing, the West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) is establishing a policy to define the benefit and reimbursement regarding COVID-19 testing and treatment.
Effective March 1, 2020, PEIA will cover COVID-19 testing at 100% of the contracted allowance, at a network provider, for members who meet CDC guidelines for testing. This will apply to PEIA PPB Plans A, B, C and D. This means that members will have no out-of-pocket expense for the actual test. Deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance will also be waived for any physician or facility services incurred in the process of being tested.
Treatment of any members, who test positive for the virus, will be covered at normal benefit levels.
The CDC is periodically updating who should be tested. Please refer to the following link for the latest updates. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/clinical-criteria.html
If you believe you have been exposed to or have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, please call your local health department, primary care provider or iSelectMD 844-433-8123 for further instructions.
West Virginia has set up a hotline for its citizens and providers for up to date and accurate information regarding COVID-19. The hotline is toll-free, and operators are available 24/7 at 800-887-4304.
In addition, Optum, part of UnitedHealth Group, is opening its Emotional-Support Help Line. Professionally trained, mental health staff are there to support people who may be suffering from fear or stress created by COVID-19. Optum's Emotional-Support Help Line number is 866-342-6892 and will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service is free of charge and open to all PEIA members
As with prior Fairmont State publications, these materials are meant to be consistent with guidance published by the federal, state, and local governments and the associated health agencies. This document is reflective of the relevant scientific and medical information available at the time of publication. These materials are not and should not be used as a substitute for medical or legal advice. Rather, they are intended as a resource for use in coordination with applicable government and related institutional policies and guidelines, and they remain subject to further revision as available data and information in this space continue to emerge and evolve.
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