What should I do if I feel sick or am experiencing symptoms of COVID-19?
Contact your supervisor regarding your illness and do not attempt to report to work. Please follow CDC guidance for sickness.
If someone calls in sick with respiratory symptoms and a fever, should I tell others who came in contact with that individual?
It is important to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of those seeking healthcare. If you were in direct contact with someone who becomes a confirmed case, you will be contacted by the Riley County Health Department and may be advised to self-quarantine at that time.
If I am in the high-risk category, what should I do?
If you are uncomfortable returning to work due to an underlying health condition, please contact your supervisor and the HCS liaison Jeanette Grauerholz, grauer@ksu.edu for further guidance.
What if I don’t want to come to work because I don’t want to get sick?
If you are struggling with fear and anxiety regarding returning to the workplace, an option would be to contact the Employee Assistance Program by calling 888-275-1205, press Option #1. If there is a medical reason causing you to have fears about returning to work, please contact the HCS liaison, Jeanette Grauerholz, grauer@ksu.edu.
My children are home due to closing of schools and daycares. What options do I have?
You may be eligible for the Emergency Paid Sick Leave and/or Expanded Family and Medical Leave to care for children while their place of care is closed. Please review the information on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and contact Jeanette Grauerholz at grauer@ksu.edu for further information.
If I am sent home with symptoms of COVID-19, will I be required to use paid leave?
Yes, however, an employee may be eligible for the Emergency Paid Sick Leave if any of the following apply:
- Employee is quarantined by a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID‐19
- Employee is advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine related to COVID-19
- Employee is experiencing COVID‐19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis
- Employee is caring for an individual quarantined by a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID‐19
- Employee is caring for an individual who has been advised by a health care provider to self‐quarantine related to COVID‐19
- Employee is caring for their own child whose school or place of care is closed (or childcare provider is unavailable) for reasons related to COVID‐19
- Employee is experiencing any other substantially similar condition specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services
Are people who have traveled restricted from working onsite?
If an employee has traveled to one of the identified high-risk areas, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment mandates self-quarantine for 14 days. Employees subject to this quarantine should follow the same requirements above after close contact. Read current information from KDHE about travel. If an employee traveled to another area, they are permitted to return to work, subject to the limitations for those who are a close contact.
I am not feeling well and don’t want to expose others, can I telework?
Ability to telework beyond August 1, 2020 will be determined on a case-by-case basis by your immediate supervisor and/or department head. The determination will be based on your current position description. Telework will only be allowed for employees that can perform the majority of the duties in their position description from an alternate location. Please work with your supervisor, Department Head and/or Human Resources to determine if teleworking is an option for your specific role.
Can the College ensure 6-foot social distancing for employees? If not, what practices are being put in place?
The College cannot guarantee 6-feet between employees at all times. The practices have been put into place to preserve the health and safety of our workforce.
I cannot wear a facemask due to a medical condition, can I continue to work?
Employees needing an accommodation to the face mask policy should reach out to the College’s HCS Liaison, Jeanette Grauerholz, grauer@ksu.edu, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator (ADA), Charlotte Self, charlott@ksu.edu to request an accommodation.