COVID-19 Special Faculty and Staff Work and Leave Provisions

Published Mar 15, 2021 by
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The UNC System Office has updated the COVID-19 Special Faculty and Staff Work and Leave Provisions that were effective January 1, 2021. These updated provisions are effective January 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021 or until revised or rescinded.

Please see a summary of the updated provisions below:

  • Permanent and temporary employees may use paid work time to receive the COVID-19 vaccine during work hours, with supervisor approval, not to exceed eight hours in a single day. This paid work time is also provided for a second dose of the vaccine, if required, also not to exceed eight hours in a single day. Supervisors may request employees to provide proof the vaccine was received to have the use of work time approved. Supervisors should consult with Employee Relations on what would be appropriate to request from employees.
    • Since this leave may be applied retroactively to January 1, 2021, any employee who used personal leave to receive their vaccine since January 1, 2021, will need to work with their supervisor and Kronos SuperAdmin to have a Team Dynamix ticket submitted to edit their leave record to reflect work time and credit their sick or vacation leave balance.
  • COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave is available if an employee experiences a reaction to their COVID-19 vaccination that prevents them from returning to work, either on the day of the vaccination or on the following day. To request this leave, complete the COVID-19 Administrative Paid Leave request form and return it, along with confirmation of the date the vaccine was received, to adminleaverequests@ecu.edu.
    • Employees must use their own accrued personal leave for continuing reactions experienced beyond the day after vaccination.
    • This leave may be applied retroactively to January 1, 2021 for any employees who have received the COVID-19 vaccine and experienced a reaction. Employees who received their vaccine since January 1, 2021 and used personal leave (sick or vacation) due to a reaction from the vaccine will need to complete the Request for COVID-19 Administrative Paid Leave and return it, along with confirmation of the date the vaccine was received, to adminleaverequests@ecu.edu. If the leave is determined to be eligible for COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave, employees’ personal leave will be credited back to their leave balances.
  • COVID-19 Paid Administrative leave continues to be available when an employee is subject to a quarantine or isolation order, has been advised to self-quarantine by a healthcare provider or public health official, or has had exposure to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 and is awaiting a diagnosis. Under these conditions, COVID-19 Paid Administrative leave will be allocated as follows:
    • Employees may receive up to 80 hours of COVID-19 Paid Administrative leave for absences prior to using any accrued personal leave.
    • After these 80 hours have been exhausted, the employee must use their accrued personal leave for the absences.
    • Once the employee has exhausted their accrued personal leave, then the employee may receive an additional 80 hours of COVID-19 paid administrative leave for qualifying absences.
    • Please note: Employees who have taken COVID-19 Paid Administrative leave or Emergency Paid Sick leave under the FFCRA since March 2020 will have those hours taken deducted from any remaining paid administrative leave that may be available to them.
  • The interchangeability of accrued vacation and sick leave is extended through June 30, 2021 and continues to be limited to COVID-19 related absences (child/elder care, cannot telework, etc.).
  • UNC System Office continues to encourage the broad use of flexible work arrangements, including telework and alternate work schedules, through June 30, 2021. At ECU, employees who can work remotely should continue to do so to reduce the number of individuals on campus and the potential spread of COVID-19.  Please note that, as we progress through the spring semester and into summer, the return of individuals designated as Required On-Site Employees (ROSE) may be adjusted/increased based on legitimate business needs.

 

COVID-19 Vaccine Time Processing in Kronos   

Permanent and temporary employees may use paid work time to receive the COVID-19 vaccine during work hours, with supervisor approval, not to exceed eight hours in a single day. This paid work time is also provided for a second dose of the vaccine, if required, also not to exceed eight hours in a single day. Supervisors may request employees to provide proof the vaccine was received to have the use of work time approved. Supervisors should consult with Employee Relations on what would be appropriate to request from employees. To account for this time in Kronos, SuperAdmins or supervisors should add the pay code “Hours Worked” to the non-exempt or exempt employee’s timecard to account for the hours away from work due to receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine; including travel time. In addition, the comment “Covid Vaccine” should be used with this pay code.  The Kronos job aid shows the use of the Hours Worked pay code and required comment. Please note this pay code is treated as normal hours work and can generate HOPS and overtime for the work week for non-exempt employees.

    • Since this leave may be applied retroactively to January 1, 2021, any employee who used personal leave to receive their vaccine since January 1, 2021, will need to work with their supervisor and Kronos SuperAdmin to have a Team Dynamix ticket submitted to edit their leave record to reflect work time and credit their sick or vacation leave balance.
    • Hours Worked pay code does not cover employees who experience a reaction to their COVID-19 vaccination that prevents them from returning to work, either on the day of the vaccination or on the following day. To request this leave, employees should complete the COVID-19 Administrative Paid Leave request form and return it, along with confirmation of the date the vaccine was received, to adminleaverequests@ecu.edu. The COVID-19 Administrative Paid Leave request form is available on the HR website. A combination of Hours Worked and COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave may be used in these cases.

 

Where to Request Help 

  • Regarding the application of and use of pay codes in Kronos, please direct those questions to your supervisor or Kronos SuperAdmin. Supervisors or SuperAdmins may submit Kronos support tickets via Kronos Support Team Dynamix Ticket  here.
  • Regarding the FFCRA and related processes, please direct those questions to HR_Benefits@ecu.edu.
  • Regarding general aspects of the changes to COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave, please direct those to employeerelations@ecu.edu.