Dear Colleagues,
We realize that our employees with young children may be facing additional hurdles with the delayed openings and/or hybrid models that many school districts are following in the next few weeks.
Bringing a child to work in not recommended or advisable. Given the unprecedented nature of the virus and in an effort to assist our community, the college is prepared to work with our employees to find creative solutions to child care concerns while providing a way for the important work of the college to continue. Although not all options will be available in all situations as they depend on the nature of your job responsibilities, the following options are available:
- Identify a flexible work schedule to make up the work on an hour-for-hour basis during the same workweek for non-exempt (hourly paid) employees. Exempt employees may make-up the work on an hour-for-hour basis during the same pay period meeting needs and deadlines as established with supervisor, or if absent for a full workday, may use accrued leave.
- Initiate a telecommuting conversation with your supervisor to determine if that is a feasible option. Review the attached Telecommuting Policy and the Employee Telecommuting Request and Work Plan.
- Employees may request leave to utilize accrued leave time. Currently the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) leave is available. Please review the attached policy for more information.
- Use a combination of the options above.
Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis by your supervisor or department head. Proof of school closure may be required.
Finally, as someone who no longer has school-aged children, I find the following resources helpful when giving consideration to our families with young children in conjunction with our path forward:
https://hbr.org/2020/03/how-working-parents-can-prepare-for-coronavirus-closures
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/parent-checklist.html
I wish you all well and I remain hopeful for a healthy “back to school” for us all.
Sincerely,
Julie Daniels
Director of Human Resources
