This information has been prepared in an effort to respond to questions you may have about returning to on-campus work.
Specific questions can be directed to Linda Pipitone, Director of Human Resources, via phone at 314-889-1493 or email at lpipitone@Fontbonne.edu.
You can complete and submit a Vulnerable Persons Accommodation Request and a Telecommuting Request, if applicable. Approval is not guaranteed; Fontbonne intends to follow CDC recommendations closely, although department requirements and staffing needs may require a nuanced approach.
Per the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), you may be eligible for Federal Emergency Paid Sick Leave or other paid leave entitlements. You may also be entitled to up to 12 weeks of job protected unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, subject to your health care provider’s certification. Note that part-time faculty may also be eligible for paid leave. Please review and complete the request form below.
The FFCRA includes provisions for up to 80 hours of Emergency Paid Sick Leave that can be taken through December 31, 2020. Your eligibility for such paid sick leave will be reviewed and administered in accordance with the regulations in force at the time of your diagnosis. Please review and complete the request form below.
You may be eligible for Emergency Paid Sick Leave. Please review and complete the request form below.
You may be eligible for Emergency Paid Sick Leave and/or Expanded Family and Medical Leave (for childcare needs due to school or day care closure). Please review and complete the request form below.
If you were in close contact with the person, you should self-quarantine for at least 14 days. Close contact is defined by the CDC as having been within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. Any household member is automatically a close contact. Every effort will be made to accommodate a telecommuting arrangement during self-quarantine. If telecommuting is not available, you may be eligible for pay under the FFCRA.
Per Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, Fontbonne may only disclose medical information to a public health agency without violating confidentiality obligations. Fontbonne will take care to protect employees’ privacy. Fontbonne will not otherwise identify an employee with COVID-19 unless the employee provides, in writing, a truly voluntary consent for Fontbonne to do so.
According to the EEOC, even with the constraints imposed by a pandemic, some accommodations may meet an employee’s needs on a temporary basis without causing undue hardship on the employer. If not already implemented for all employees, accommodations for those who request reduced contact with others due to a disability may include changes to the work environment such as designating one-way aisles; using plexiglass, tables or other barriers to ensure minimum distances and physical barriers from customers and coworkers whenever feasible per CDC guidance; or other accommodations that reduce the chances of exposure. Temporary job restructuring of marginal job duties, temporary transfers to a different position or modifying a work schedule or shift assignment may also permit an individual with a disability to perform safely the essential functions of his or her job while reducing risk.
During a pandemic, ADA-covered employers, including Fontbonne, may ask such employees if they are experiencing symptoms of the pandemic virus. Symptom screening will be based on CDC guidance and updated regularly if that guidance changes. Fontbonne will maintain all information about employee illness as confidential medical records in compliance with the ADA.
Yes, Fontbonne will restrict symptomatic employees from coming onsite. The CDC states that employees who become ill with symptoms of COVID-19 should leave the workplace.
Every employee should send an email to their direct supervisor if they feel that their work environment is not safe. If the concerns are not resolved by the direct supervisor then the employee should contact the divisional vice president. Supervisors are expected to listen carefully to employee concerns about the work environment. If straightforward modifications can resolve the concern they should be made unless the modifications interfere with the work environment or are unreasonable. Supervisors should seek assistance from their divisional vice president if they are unsure how to resolve the concern. It is Fontbonne’s intention to use the CDC, ACHA and St. Louis County guidance to inform our response.
A group is developing additional guidance on this topic that will be available prior to the return of students to campus. In the interim, we recommend the following:
If you are comfortable approaching the person, we recommend that your first course of action is to politely ask the individual to comply with our policies (which may include directing them to disposable masks or educating them about our policies).
If you are unsuccessful or uncomfortable with that step or if you have already taken that step, please inform your supervisor and, if known, that person’s supervisor. Compliance is important and will be taken seriously. Following our usual policies, disciplinary action will be taken if limited education and reminders are not sufficient.
If any individual is a safety threat to you or to the campus, please contact Public Safety. We recognize that it may take a bit of practice to build a culture around masking, distancing, and other protective procedures, but it is critical that we model this behavior for our students.
It may take a bit of practice to get in a habit, but all employees are expected to make a good faith effort and come into quick compliance with these procedures. Supervisors should provide a few (two or three) reminders about proper mask usage, distancing and other procedures. After these, supervisors must document each violation with an email to Human Resources and to the employee. Human Resources will work with the supervisor to take disciplinary action after two or three documented violations. Outright refusal to comply with safety procedures may result in immediate termination for cause.
Fontbonne is providing three cloth masks to each employee and two cloth masks to each student. The masks are made of cloth and are manufactured by Numed8 (numed8.com). They are Fontbonne branded. All cloth masks are intended to protect others, and our rigorous mask policy is aligned with our mission to promote the common good.
No. There is not sufficient evidence that a face shield reduces transmission of the virus to others, and a face shield alone does not meet our masking requirements.
Yes. Every university office should have already been provided with wipes in March. If you have exhausted your supply or were missed in March, please contact Fred Reed at Freed@fontbonne.edu and wipes will be provided. Classroom wipe dispensers are expected to be installed the week of August 3, 2020.
If an area is in need of cleaning or if a soap or sanitizer dispenser is empty, please contact Freed@fontbonne.edu or alert your supervisor.
That’s true. However, individual office procedures are very specialized, and those need to be developed by the supervisor with input from all office staff. As offices develop these procedures, please review the Griffin Return document. Office practices should keep these principles in mind:
Maintain 6’ distancing at all times
The virus can be spread by air or by touch. High touch surfaces should be cleaned regularly.
Steps should be taken to sanitize or reduce the number of touches on high touch surfaces.
Do not modify signage or protocol for your area without checking with your supervisor first.
On August 3, the cafeteria will not yet be open. While eating or drinking, you can remove your mask. During meals, you should maintain your distance and avoid excessive or loud talking as these activities can spread respiratory droplets. As soon as you are finished, please restore your mask.
The following frequently asked questions address situations that may be requested under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
How will COVID-19 impact the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
The ADA and Rehabilitation Act, as well as their state and local counterparts, continue to apply during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they do not interfere with or prevent employers from following the guidelines and suggestions made by the CDC or state or local public health authorities about steps employers should take regarding COVID-19.
Where will Fontbonne store on-site medical examination results?
The ADA requires that all medical information, including temperature check results, be stored separately from the employee’s personnel file. Fontbonne will store such files and data from screening separately and properly secured to protect the confidentiality of the data.
What are considered medical files?
For purposes of COVID-19, medical files include temperature or testing results, an employee’s statement that he or she has the disease or suspects he or she has the disease or the employer’s notes or other documentation from questioning an employee about symptoms, including symptom screening applications.
