Summary: In accordance with CDC guidelines, Doane University has modified its paid leave policies to encourage employees to use their paid leave benefits to stay healthy or recover from the COVID-19. This new policy is effective immediately and will be reviewed at a later date for potential modification or discontinuation.
Covid-19 Leave Policies for Staff
Employees with COVID-19 or symptoms:
- Employees are encouraged to stay home if they have symptoms – fever, cough, shortness of breath. Please see the CDC guidelines.
- Employees must report to Human Resources if they are diagnosed with COVID-19 or have symptoms. Please report to HR by emailing kelli.schweitzer@doane.edu or by phone 402-826-8573. Please do not report in person.
- Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) will be offered for employees who qualify. See additional information on FMLA.
- A Physician note is not required.
- Paid Leave - Staff will use earned and accrued paid sick leave. If an employee does not have enough sick leave to cover their absence, they should contact HR at human.resources@doane.edu so additional paid leave can be coordinated. Additionally, those with COVID-19 will typically recover within 14 days. If an employee is unable to return to work after 14 days because they are still displaying symptoms, they must contact HR to coordinate additional time off.
- Staff will not be required to use vacation leave.
- Staff who are able to work remotely (from home) may do so, if they choose and will not need to use sick leave for hours worked.
Family members with COVID-19 or symptoms:
- Employees must report to Human Resources if an immediate family members is diagnosed with COVID-19 or has symptoms. Please report to HR by emailing kelli.schweitzer@doane.edu or by phone 402-826-8573. Please do not report in person.
- A Physician note is not required.
- Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) will be offered for employees who qualify. See additional information on FMLA.
- Paid Leave - Staff will use earned and accrued paid sick leave. If an employee does not have enough sick leave to cover their absence, they should contact HR at human.resources@doane.edu so additional paid leave can be coordinated. Additionally, those with COVID-19 will typically recover within 14 days. If an employee is unable to return to work after 14 days because their family member is still displaying symptoms, they must contact HR to coordinate additional time off.
- Staff will not be required to use vacation leave.
- Staff who are able to work remotely (from home) may do so if they choose and will not need to use sick leave for hours worked.
- Staff who are exposed to someone with COVID-19 should self-quarantine. See more information below regarding “Quarantined Employees/Family Members.”
Quarantined Employees/Family Members:
- Employees who are exposed to someone with COVID-19 should self-quarantine for a period of 14 days from the last date of exposure, according to the CDC.
- Employees who are able to work remotely (from home) should do so.
- If employees are unable to work remotely, due to the nature of their job, then they will use paid sick leave. If an employee does not have enough sick leave to cover their absence, they should contact HR at human.resources@doane.edu so additional paid leave can be coordinated. Additionally, those with COVID-19 will typically recover within 14 days. If an employee is unable to return to work after 14 days due to ongoing symptoms, they must contact HR to coordinate additional time off.
- Staff will not be required to use vacation leave.
Flexibility to assist employees for work/life planning purposes:
It is likely that local schools and childcare centers will close due to the COVID-19 outbreak with little advance notice. In order to support our employees during this time, managers are asked to try to be flexible with their staff, if possible. Staff may request an alternate work schedule or time off for a period up to two weeks.
See the Alternate Work Schedules policy for more information.
(Flexible work arrangements are not appropriate for all employees or positions and are not a universal employee benefit. The employee must have a satisfactory attendance record, the employee must be meeting all performance expectations in their current role, and consistently demonstrating the ability to complete tasks and assignments on a timely basis and the nature of the employee's work and responsibilities must be conducive to a flexible work arrangement without causing significant disruption to performance and/or service delivery.)
- Employees may be able to use vacation leave for a period of up to two weeks.
- Employees who do not have vacation leave, may use unpaid leave for up to two weeks.
Effort will be made to approve time off requests; however, department managers will coordinate and approve time off in accordance with the needs of the department and university.
Covid-19 Leave Policies for Faculty
Employees with COVID-19 or symptoms:
- Faculty are encouraged to stay home if they have symptoms – fever, cough, shortness of breath. Please see the CDC guidelines.
- Employees must report to Human Resources if they are diagnosed with COVID-19 or have symptoms. Please report to HR by emailing kelli.schweitzer@doane.edu or by phone 402-826-8573. Please do not report in person.
- Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) will be offered for employees who qualify. See additional information on FMLA.
- A Physician note is not required.
- Faculty will be paid in accordance with the FMLA Faculty policy
- Faculty who are able to work remotely (from home) may do so, if they choose.
Family members with COVID-19 or symptoms:
- Employees must report to Human Resources if an immediate family members is diagnosed with COVID-19 or has symptoms. Please report to HR by emailing kelli.schweitzer@doane.edu or by phone 402-826-8573. Please do not report in person.
- A Physician note is not required.
- Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) will be offered for employees who qualify. See additional information on FMLA.
- Faculty who are able to work remotely (from home) may do so.
- Faculty will be paid in accordance with the FMLA Faculty policy.
- Faculty who are exposed to someone with COVID-19 should self-quarantine. See more information below regarding “Quarantined Employees/Family Members.”
Quarantined Employees/Family Members:
- Employees who are exposed to someone with COVID-19 should self-quarantine for a period of 14 days from the last date of exposure, according to the CDC.
- Faculty will be teaching online and should continue teaching as planned.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you, Laura