STAFF RESOURCES

Intercollegiate athletic competitions will be held this spring with strict mitigation protocols in line with NCAA guidance. At this time, no spectators will be allowed for athletic competitions.

Campus events will occur in both virtual and in-person formats. More information for all events, both virtual and in-person, can be found on CORE.

To plan an in-person gathering, event hosts must follow the SRU Guidelines for In-Person Events during COVID-19.

Campus events include, but are not limited to, on-campus or off-campus meetings, performances, celebrations, carnivals, rallies, demonstrations, social gatherings, lectures, forums, speaker presentations and conferences.

SRU has developed and implemented a plan in accordance with measures establish by the commonwealth based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reduced occupancies will be established in classrooms, the library and residence and dining halls. Additional mitigation strategies include installation of physical barriers, posting of signage and placement of floor markings to assist the campus community in achieving appropriate social distance of at least 6 feet.

All students, employees and visitors to campus are required to wear masks or other appropriate face coverings. The University is providing all newly registered students and newly hired employees with one cloth SRU-branded, reusable face mask. Masks can be obtained at the Student Center Information Desk or Bailey Library Circulation Desk.

Custodial Services has increased all cleaning and sanitation efforts throughout campus in accordance with CDC guidelines.

Custodial Services will provide sanitizer and disinfecting spray in all office suite common areas to aid employees in maintaining properly cleaned work spaces. Additional supplies may be obtained by calling 724.738.6666 or 724.738.2538

Custodial staff will prioritize cleaning and disinfection as follows:

• Addressing issues of safety hazards within University buildings.
• High-touch surfaces (door handles, light switches, countertops, etc.).
• Restrooms.
• Entrances and elevators.
• Hallways and stairwells.
• Laboratories and conference areas.

Yes, with the following exceptions:

• You are alone in your personal office space, which is not shared with any other individual. Please see the “Working Alone” section below for additional information.
• You are eating or drinking.
• You are in a shared work space without anyone present and everyone else in your work area is in a private office.
• The mask/face covering creates a safety hazard or poses additional risk, i.e., impedes vision or proper use of other required personal protective equipment such as safety glasses or goggles; can become caught in machinery or equipment; or could contribute to heat-related illnesses. Discomfort is not considered a heat-related illness.

“Working alone” is when a person is separated from interaction with other people with little or no expectation of in-person interruption. Examples include:

• A lone worker inside an office with four walls and a door.
• A lone worker inside a cubicle with three walls and a door or entryway, where walls are high enough to block the breathing zone of all people walking by, and the worker’s activity will not require anyone to come inside that person’s workspace.
• A person who is alone in an agricultural field or other open area with no expected contact with others.
• A lone worker inside the enclosed cab of a vehicle or piece of construction equipment.

Please contact emergencymanagement@sru.edu for guidance on your workspace.

Employees who cannot wear a mask due to an underlying medical condition that places them at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, should submit a Request of Flexible Work Arrangement form to Human Resources for possible alternate arrangements.

Yes, everyone on campus must wear a mask/face covering when they are inside a University building. Individuals visiting campus must provide their own mask/face covering.

Yes, unless you can consistently maintain physical distancing of at least 6 feet from other individuals who are not members of your household.

Yes, it is highly recommended that you maintain 6 feet or more from other individuals who are not members of your household even if you are wearing a mask/face covering.

Yes, face coverings are required to be worn when inside campus buildings whether physical barriers, i.e., plexiglass or other partitions, are present and do not meet the work alone requirement for a work space.

SRU is providing all newly hired employees with one SRU-branded cloth mask. To obtain a mask, contact the Office of Emergency Management at 724.738.2207.

Yes, the SGA Bookstore is selling both SRU logoed face masks and gaiters.

Yes. However, complimentary masks will be available at the following locations:

• Academic Records and Registration, 107 Old Main.
• Smith Student Center Information Desk.
• Bailey Library Circulation Desk.

Face shields are considered an acceptable alternative to face masks. A mask is not required to be worn with a face shield.

People should not wear cloth face coverings while engaged in activities that may result in the cloth face covering become wet. Maintaining physical distance from others when in the water is recommended. Face coverings/masks must be worn when not in the water and individuals should maintain a 6-foot distance from others while in the pool area.

When exercising indoors, i.e., ARC, Morrow Field House, Mihalik-Thompson Stadium, Patterson Hall, etc., masks or face coverings are required. When exercising outdoors, masks are not required unless you are unable to maintain a 6-foot distance from others.

Everyone who participates in collegiate sport activities including coaches, student-athletes, cheerleaders and spectators must wear a mask or face covering.

• Indoors: Coaches, student-athletes and spectators must wear masks regardless of physical distance. This includes while being actively engaged in workouts, competitions or on the sidelines.
• Outdoors: Coaches, student-athletes and spectators must wear masks if they cannot maintain physical distance from other persons outside of their household. This includes while actively engaged in workouts, competitions, on the sidelines or in a dugout, etc.
• During play, student-athletes can remove their mask if the mask causes a medical condition, or exacerbates an existing one, including respiratory issues that impede breathing, a mental health condition or a disability. All alternatives to wearing a mask including the use of a face shield, should be exhausted before an individual is exempt.

Yes, a mask is required the entire time you are visiting a dining hall, i.e., waiting in line, checking in or out with the cashier, placing your order, obtaining your food, and exiting the dining hall. All campus dining locations will be “carryout only” during the semester.

Yes, if you cannot consistently maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others. The exception to this is if the mask or face covering impedes your vision, interferes with your use of assigned PPE, or if wearing a mask would result in a work hazard. If any of these issues occur, please discuss with your supervisor/manager.

All requests for additional disposable masks, face shields, clear masks or other PPE should be made to emergencymanagement@sru.edu.

Ask the individual if they have or need a face covering. If they don’t have a mask/face covering refer them to the following locations to obtain one:

• Smith Student Center Information Desk.
• Bailey Library Circulation Desk.
• Academic Records and Registration, 107 Old Main.

Students in classrooms: If a student refuses to wear a mask after being offered one for their use, advise the student that accommodations can be made for virtual class instruction and ask that they leave the classroom. Following the encounter, contact the Office of the Provost for additional guidance.

All others: If an individual refuses to wear a mask after being offered one, advise them that the SRU Policy on Wearing Face Coverings and Masks requires all individuals to wear one and inform them if they refuse, they will have to leave the building. Following the encounter, contact Environmental Health and Safety or Human Resources for additional guidance.

If the individual becomes loud or aggressive in any way, or you feel threatened, do not put yourself at risk by continuing to engage with them; notify University Police at 724.738.3333.

Yes, complimentary disposable masks will be available upon request at the following locations:

• Smith Student Center Information Desk.
• Bailey Library Circulation Desk.
• Academic Records and Registration, 107 Old Main.

Masks may also be purchased at the SGA Bookstore.

All requests for additional disposable masks, face shields, clear masks or other PPE should be made through area supervisors. Supervisors will then forward the request to emergencymanagement@sru.edu.

Yes.

If alone in a vehicle, no. If driving with others, yes.

It is the responsibility of each member of the campus community to comply with the University’s mask requirement. This requirement will be enforced by supervisors and by units providing services to students and guests.

Individuals not involved in the direct conversation regarding wearing asks/face coverings should not confront those who are not wearing/refusing to wear face coverings, take enforcement matters into their own hands, or put themselves in a dangerous situation.

• Observations of non-compliance by employees, visitors or vendors should be made to Paul Novak, COVID-19 coordinator, at emergencymanagement@sru.edu.
• Student non-compliance within the residence halls should be reported to Brian Graham, associate director for residential conduct, at brian.graham@sru.edu or via an SRU Public Incident Report.
• Student non-compliance outside of the residence halls, but still on campus, should be reported to the Office of Student Conduct via an SRU Public Incident Report.

Stay at home and inform your supervisor and Human Resources immediately. Human Resources can provide information about leave that is available to you in your circumstance. A return to work date will be provided to you to that correlates to your specific situation. In order to return to work, you must be fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medicine, and your symptoms must have improved.

If you are sick, you should stay at home. If you do not have sufficient paid leave time to use, the University is allowing a more liberal use of leave during this period. That means you may request use of other paid time or use anticipated time – leave to be earned during the calendar year – or request leave without pay. In some situations, request for leave donations may be available. Email Human Resources at sru-humanresources@sru.edufor more information.

Yes, if your job responsibilities are compatible with working remotely and with the approval of your supervisor. For non-instructional staff, you must complete the PASSHE Emergency Remote Work and Telecommuting forms which can be found on the Human Resources webpage. However, you may not be able to effectively work while at home due to caregiving responsibilities. In this case, you may request annual or leave without pay.

If you do not have sufficient paid leave time to use, the University is allowing a more liberal use of leave during this period. That means you may request use of other paid time or use anticipated time – leave to be earned during the calendar year – or request leave without pay. In some cases, you may be eligible for leave through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

For employees who are currently working or working remotely, FFCRA provides up to 10 days of paid sick leave and up to 10 work weeks of paid and two work weeks of unpaid expanded family and medical leave for eligible employees based on the type of qualifying event. This additional leave may be at a reduced rate of pay. These provisions will apply from April 1 through Dec. 31. More information about FFCRA is available on Pennsylvania’s State System for Higher Education website. Employee FAQs with respect to FFCRA are also available on the PASSHE website.

If you have questions, or wish to request paid leave under FFCRA, please submit your request to COVID19LeaveRequest@passhe.edu.

The State System had suspended the requirement to use excess carryover leave for 2020 so employees did not lose excess leave or have it converted to sick leave. This will end on April 19, 2021.

No. The rules associated with sick leave use, including the rule requiring employees to provide a doctor’s note for any sick absence of three or more consecutive workdays, have been temporarily suspended. This temporary suspension is only in effect during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Request for Flexible Work Arrangement form is available for employees – who are not faculty – to request flexible workplace arrangements if they have been identified at being higher risk for COVID-19.

More information is available on the Human Resources webpage.

The Flexible Work Arrangement form is only applicable to an employee’s personal medical condition. You may wish to discuss alternative work arrangements with your supervisor including arrangements under the PASSHE Emergency Remote Work and Telecommuting form.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced an order requiring that travelers entering Pennsylvania from other countries and states, as well as Pennsylvanians who are returning home from other countries or states, have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to entering Pennsylvania or quarantine for 10 days upon entry into Pennsylvania. Alternatively, the traveler may obtain a COVID-19 test after returning to Pennsylvania, and upon receiving a negative COVID-19 test result, may immediately end their quarantine. Travel between home and work or home and medical appointments in other states is permitted. This requirement went into effect immediately with its issuance on Nov. 25, 2020, and is to remain in effect until further notice. The order is available at this link.

Supervisors should notify the Office of Emergency Management or Human Resources about any employees under travel quarantine regardless of their ability to work remote. If you are able to telework, you will be directed to do so. If you are not able to telework, you may apply for Emergency Paid Sick Leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. You may be eligible for up to 10 consecutive paid workdays under FFCRA. Information regarding FFCRA may be found on the PASSHE website. If you are not eligible for EPSL leave, you may use your own paid leave (e.g., annual or personal leave), or you may request unpaid leave.

If your COVID-19 test results are positive, you will be required to isolate for 10 days from the date of the positive test if you are asymptomatic. If you develop symptoms, in accordance with CDC guidelines, you will be required to isolate for a minimum of 10 days since symptoms first appeared. The Office of Emergency Management should be notified of all employees that have tested positive by calling 724.738.2611.

Please contact Human Resources for additional information.

The quarantine requirement applies to those who have traveled out of state. However, if the individual who is under quarantine develops any signs or symptoms or has a positive test result, their close contacts, including household members, should also quarantine.

Employees who live in another state should continue their work status as appropriate. It is safest to limit all non-life sustaining travel as much as possible both within and outside of the state. Individuals who must commute to and from work should limit additional stops or interactions in states with high numbers of COVID-19 cases. Individuals should consider the level of risk involved in their travel. For example, traveling to one’s office where social distancing, mask wearing and hand hygiene are practiced regularly is a less risky behavior than going to a restaurant or gathering that does not enforce mask wearing or social distancing.

Yes. The Leadership Development Center will continue to offer a variety of virtual learning workshops on technology, leadership and interpersonal development, student success, prevention, wellness and virtual leadership coaching sessions. Workshops will be posted on the University website or you can contact Erin Strain, director of leadership development at erin.strain@sru.edu.

Employees, if approved by, and in consultation with their supervisors, should work remotely if their duties allow them to do so. If your supervisor has not notified you about the availability to work remotely, you should report to work as previously scheduled. Those employees that do report to campus for their work assignment will be subject to temperature screenings that will occur prior to their being allowed to report to their work station. Supervisors should notify all full-time and student employees within their areas of responsibility of this change.

Employees who are expected to report to campus but show any signs of illness or have been exposed to COVID-19 should inform their manager and stay home.

You should avoid all face-to-face meetings.

Mail Services will operate as normal for student package pickups, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Daily campus mail delivery will continue for all offices that are open.

Department offices can also drop off campus mail either at the Mailroom desk or the drop box located in the University Union parking lot. Contact Jamie Altman, mailroom supervisor, at 724.738.4756 or the Mailroom at 724.738.2059 with questions.

Central Receiving will continue to operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The staff will notify persons and/or offices when packages have arrived and will either deliver them to campus departments that are open or hold them for pickup as needed. Please call Anthony Stoner, supervisor of Central Receiving, at 724.738.2535 or Mike Macurak, stock clerk, at 724.738.2544 with questions.

The SRU/SGA Preschool and Child Care Center has resumed regular hours of operation in compliance with CDC, DHS and DOH guidance.

Students may return to their on-campus positions as services are needed by immediate supervisors. University telework assignments are highly recommended when available..

Departments will hire based on their needs. Students are encouraged to seek employment opportunities through Handshake. If students have questions regarding the context in which the work can be performed, they should reach out to the contact person on the job posting or contact studentemployment@sru.edu for assistance.

Student employment opportunities need to be posted in Handshake. If you have never used Handshake to post a student position, instructions can be found on the Office of Payroll and Student Employment webpage. If additional assistance is needed, email studentemployment@sru.edu.

Communications for available campus positions will be sent via Handshake advertisements. If you receive an email from someone you do not recognize, offering a position and asking for personal information, do not respond. If you have need assistance, email studentemployment@sru.edu.

The University has made the decision to suspend all business travel for all employees until further notice. The travel suspension involves both international and domestic travel. Please be aware that a set of specific travel FAQs for these circumstances is available here. Please be mindful that decisions regarding future business travel beyond the spring semester will be influenced by the then-current pandemic circumstances. Accordingly, please do not book any future travel without approval of your respective Cabinet leader.

Employees are encouraged to reconsider any personal travel. While these are individual decisions, everyone should be aware of the possibility that exposure at any point during travel could result in having to self-quarantine.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health’s amended order regarding COVID-19 mitigation efforts related to out-of-state travel require: All travelers 11 years of age and older entering Pennsylvania from locations outside the commonwealth, as well as Pennsylvanians who are returning from locations outside the commonwealth, produce evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or place themselves in travel quarantine for 10 days upon entering, unless they receive a negative test result or a 7-day quarantine with a negative test on or after Day 5 of quarantine.

Supervisors should notify the Office of Emergency Management or Human Resources about any employees under travel quarantine regardless of their ability to work remotely.

Please contact Human Resources for additional information.