COVID-19 Employee Information

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The End of the COVID-19 National and Public Health Emergencies

President Biden ended the national emergency on April 10, 2023, and May 11, 2023 marked the official conclusion of the COVID-19 national public health emergency. With these emergencies behind us, several temporary changes that were adopted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have also ended.

Employees are encouraged to stay up to date on CDC guidance regarding COVID-19. St. John's University has ended contact tracing and tracking of COVID cases in its community. Most tools, such as vaccines, treatments and testing remain available and the Office of Human Resources continues to offer employees assistance, as needed.

What Employees Need to Know

  1. Do not come to campus. Isolate yourself even if you do not have COVID-like symptoms and notify your manager. If you are sick and cannot work while isolated, you may be eligible for COVID-19 paid sick leave for up to three occurrences. 

    Staff should designate time in isolation as "COVID-19 sick leave" in the comments section on their time sheet so that the time will not be deducted from their personal sick time accrual. Supervisors must inform Payroll by email and are also expected to maintain detailed records for each employee absence.
     
  2. Follow the CDC's Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19, including the guidance on when to end isolation.
     
  3. Contact the Employee Benefits office if:
    • You are out for more than five days;
    • You've already contracted COVID three or more times; or
    • You need Paid Family Leave for Family Care (if you have a minor dependent child who contracts COVID-19, or an eligible family member who needs Family Care, you may qualify).
  4. For related information, see HR policy #1102 and the New York Paid Family Leave COVID-19 FAQs.

You may come to campus, but you must notify your manager and immediately take the precautions recommended by the CDC.

The Employee Benefits Office notified employees of the impacts of the end of the public health emergency and the end of the national emergency on the University plan administration and benefit plan requirements. Read the notice here.

Policy #1102 COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Law

Policy #1103 Leave Time for COVID-19 Vaccination

Employees can receive up to four hours paid vaccination leave per injection, including boosters. See policy #1103 Leave Time for COVID-19 Vaccination for more information.

Additionally, effective 11/2/21, employees can receive up to four hours of paid leave to a) accompany their child to get a COVID-19 vaccine injection and/or b) care for their child who is experiencing temporary side effects from a COVID-19 vaccine injection. Child vaccination leave time is in addition to existing safe and sick leave time. An employee is entitled to four hours of paid leave per injection, per child, including boosters.

Notice: Employees are required to provide their supervisor with reasonable notice of the foreseeable need to use COVID-19 vaccination leave.

Time Recording: Staff will designate the time taken on the time sheet as either "COVID-19 vaccine leave" or “COVID-19 child vaccine leave” and include the date in the comments section. The time will not be deducted from personal sick time accrual. For employees who are not required to complete a time sheet, supervisors are responsible for maintaining accurate time records.