Q & A Employee Questions: COVID-19

DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS.  Employees should notify their supervisor per normal procedures that they will be out sick.  Then contact Bruce Burking in HR at bburking@depauw.edu or 765-658-4180.  If an employee is instructed by medical advice to quarantine or isolate, they will not use sick time.  HR will approve the use of time code COVID-19 for these situations.

Employees should be encouraged to contact HR to discuss medical concerns.  Supervisors should contact Bruce Burking at bburking@depauw.edu or 765-658-4180.  Information regarding any medical diagnosis or condition will be kept confidential, consistent with the University’s obligations under law. The Wellness Center will assist HR to determine if any other steps are necessary to support your employee or fellow co-workers who fall within the medical criteria for potential exposure.

If an individual has been diagnosed, contact tracing will be conducted and Close Contacts (within 6ft for more than 15 minutes) will be contacted and notified to quarantine. 

You may reach out to HR and/or the Wellness Clinic with any personal medical concerns. The Wellness Center will determine if other steps are necessary to monitor your own health or support others in your department who may fall within the medical criteria for a close contact.

HR will work with DePauw Health and/or a community medical provider to support employees.  Employees must self-isolate per medical advice and may return to work after a Return to Work Statement is received by HR.  Additionally, HR may assist the local health department in conducting contact tracing to identify close contacts that may also need to quarantine.  

We have received a number of questions from employees seeking guidance for their “attendance” on-campus when a member of their household is not feeling well.  Specifically, employees have asked “should I report to campus for work or stay home for a prescribed amount of time if a member of my household has symptoms of COVID-19?”  Please note that DePauw’s guidance on this topic is consistent with information from the Indiana State Department of Health.

For employees and their family members, one symptom from the list of common signs/symptoms of COVID-19 warrants further evaluation and conversation with a medical provider, which may be DePauw Health or an individual’s primary care physician. 

There are a wide range of symptoms, and the symptoms associated with COVID-19 have changed since campus guidance was first provided in March.  Symptoms can be mild to severe and may appear 2-14 days after exposure.  Symptoms include, but are not limited, to:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea 

If a member of your immediate household exhibits any one of the list of symptoms above, please seek medical advice.  

• If a member of your immediate household has at least one symptom but NOT a fever AND is not tested for COVID-19 AND the symptoms can be explained by another illness as determined by a medical provider, you may come to campus.

• If a member of your immediate household has a fever (100.40F and above) AND the fever can be explained by another illness as determined by a medical provider, you may come to campus.

• If a member of your immediate household has a fever of 100.40F and above AND the fever cannot be explained by another illness, please stay home, regardless of whether or not this household member has been tested for COVID-19.  Contact your direct supervisor and Bruce Burking.  More than likely all household members will be considered a close contact because of their living conditions/unit.  Close contacts must complete a 14 day quarantine.

You can find supporting information and infographics at the following sites:

• https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/files/20_Return%20to%20School_Parenting%20Screening.pdf
• https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/files/20_Student%20Guidance%20for%20Return%20to%20School.pdf

If a member of your immediate household exhibits any one of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, please seek medical advice.  You should not come to campus until a medical provider has given guidance about the nature of the illness of this sick household member.

Once a medical provider has determined a likely diagnosis for the sick household member, you can determine if you should report to campus for work.

• If a medical provider has determined that the symptoms experienced by your household member can be explained by another illness, you may come to campus.

• If a member of your immediate household has a fever of 100.4°F or higher, you must stay home, regardless of whether or not this household member has been tested for COVID-19.  Contact your direct supervisor and Bruce Burking in Human Resources.

No.  Please call your direct supervisor and Bruce Burking in Human Resources.  In most cases, all members of a household will be asked to quarantine if one member is diagnosed with COVID-19.  Learn more about quarantining when a member of your household is sick.

Human Resources is available remotely.  Staff members are available via email and phone during office hours 8:00 to 5:00 p.m. M-F.  

Questions:

• Benefits - Sonji Ray: sonjiray@depauw.edu 765-658-4135

• Leave Request, Hourly Payroll, Risk Management- Bruce Burking: bburking@depauw.edu  765-658-4180

• ADP and Salary Payroll - Susan Hacker: susanhacker@depauw.edu 765-658-4179

• Recruitment and Student Payroll - Kathy McMurtrie: kathymcmurtrie@depauw.edu 765-658-4182

• Professional Development and Employee Relations - Angie Nally: adnally@depauw.edu 765-658-6395

• Employee Immigration Support, and Title IX - Juli Smith: juliannsmith@depauw.edu 765-658-4155

• Personnel Matters, and Executive Director Questions - Jana Grimes: janagrimes@depauw.edu 765-658-6697

Payroll is an essential function of the Human Resources Office.  Please know that we can process payroll remotely and we have contingency plans in place to ensure that we can process payroll for all of our employees.

If you completed a direct deposit form in the last two weeks and did not provide documentation verifying your account and routing numbers, you will receive a paper check that will be mailed to your home address.

We are expecting delays with position approvals due to prioritizing planning and response to the COVID-19 situation.  If you have an ongoing staff search process, please contact Kathy with any questions.  Questions about faculty searches should be addressed to Ben Hogan with a copy to vpaa@depauw.edu.

While the University continues to strongly encourage a continuation of remote work, in order to prepare for the students’ return to campus, many areas may need to have employees working on campus. The number of employees working on campus should not exceed 25% of a given department or office’s staff at any one time. Supervisors, if needed, should create a rotating schedule to ensure both the business needs of their department and the University’s directive of having a low population density are met.

If you have not signed up for direct deposit, you will receive a paper check.  Checks will be mailed to your home address. Please confirm your home address with Kathy McMurtrie at kathymcmurtrie@depauw.edu or 765-658-4182

If an employee is sick, they should notify their supervisor and Bruce Burking in HR at bburking@depauw.edu.  If an employee is instructed by medical advice to quarantine or isolate, they will not use sick time.  HR will approve the use of time code COVID-19 for these situations.

DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS.  If an employee has been in close contact with a person known or believed to be infected by the virus, they should notify their supervisor they will be out sick and then notify Bruce Burking in HR at bburking@depauw.edu or 765-658-4180.  If an employee is instructed by medical advice to quarantine or isolate, they will not use sick time.  HR will approve the use of time code COVID-19 for these situations.

If you do not feel well, stay home. DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS.  If an employee is sick, they should notify their supervisor per normal procedures that they will be out sick.  Then contact Bruce Burking in HR at bburking@depauw.edu or 765-658-4180.  If an employee is instructed by medical advice to quarantine or isolate, they will not use sick time.  HR will approve the use of time code COVID-19 for these situations.

Please refer to Bruce Burking (765) 658-4180

We encourage you to explore opportunities for ongoing online professional development during this time.  Please work with your supervisors to explore such opportunities that will benefit you and DePauw in the long term.

You can always contact your HR team with questions or support.

DePauw employees, and their dependent family members also have access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which is available 24/7 for confidential assistance, crisis support and more: 

• Call (888) 371-1125

• Access Online: www.mycigna.com

• Employer ID: depauwuniversity

• Pin: employee name

EAP services are also available for employees and their dependent family members who do not have health benefits, but need to speak with a qualified representative during this time, the toll-free number, (866) 912-1687, will be open 24/7, for as long as necessary.

Please visit the OurHealthyTigers portal to access articles and resources related to the virus that causes COVID-19 and NEW features, including an online fitness library and Virtual Kitchen.  

• DePauw is now offering all our wellness classes via google hangout. Class schedules can be found at https://www.depauwtigers.com/im_rec/Wellness/Wellnessclassesschedule. To access the class, click the Google hangout link associated with each class in order to join.

• Weight loss at no cost:  Real Appeal is available to you and eligible family members at no additional cost as part of your health plan benefits.  Start your transformation with Real Appeal today at enroll.realappeal.com and have your health insurance ID card accessible during enrollment.Real Appeal.

• Watch for other virtual opportunities in The Debrief!

Yes, if you are able to work remotely you will remain in a paid status.  Hourly (Non-Exempt) employees should use the Regular pay code to record hours worked, and if applicable the Overtime pay code for hours worked over 40 within a work week. For employees who need to care for a family member (such as a child whose school system has closed due to COVID-19 concerns), supervisors should look for ways to allow them to continue their work by telecommuting. This includes hourly staff, if feasible.  Supervisors and hourly staff members must follow wage and hour laws and must track time. Please consult with Human Resources if you have questions.