Staff and Faculty Frequently Asked Questions

I heard someone on campus has tested positive for COVID-19. Am I at risk to get it?

• Don’t panic. If someone has tested positive and let their supervisor know, they’ve already been asked to stay home and recover. Know that both the health experts on campus and the Vermont Department of Health have been in touch with the individual and are reaching out to any possible contacts they may have had when they were on campus. If you have not been contacted, consider yourself at low risk. Remember that if you are in contact with another individual who may have been in contact with someone with COVID, you are not considered a contact or someone at risk.

I just got a call and was told I am a contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. What do I do?

• If you have been contacted by either your supervisor, human resources or the Department of Health, you may have had direct contact with an infected individual. You will be asked to stay home for 14 days since your last interaction with that individual. During that time, you may be asked to monitor your temperature and any other symptoms of COVID-19, such as cough/shortness of breath, GI upset or a loss of taste or smell, or body aches. If you do develop symptoms, call your doctor or healthcare provider immediately for further guidance.

Should I wear a mask on campus?

• In order to comply with current state and federal guidelines related to COVID-19 and to keep both our community safe and be good citizens, Saint Michael’s College is instituting the following policy. We ask that ALL members of the Saint Michael’s College community wear a cloth mask to cover your mouth and nose when entering and doing work in campus buildings and around others. Since COVID-19 may be transmitted by someone who does not have symptoms, a mask helps you protect others. Students alone in their residence/room, or employees in their own offices, please use your judgement whether to wear a mask or not in those spaces. If you work in shared offices, where others may also be working or using equipment or facilities in the area (photocopiers, restrooms, etc.), you should wear a cloth mask.
• PLEASE do not use N95 masks that are greatly needed by our healthcare community and continue to practice social distancing.
• If you do not have access to a cloth mask, students can find masks available in a basket outside of Student Life in Alliot Hall until supplies run out, and employees may contact Public Safety (802.654.2374 or OfficeofPublicSafety@smcvt.edu). There are a limited number of masks available, so request one only if you otherwise cannot obtain one.
• CDC information on using and maintaining cloth face masks – https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/COVID-19-VDH-mask-guidance.pdf

What if I’m unable to work because of COVID-19?

• For regular, benefits eligible employees that are unable to work due to a COVID-19 related reason, you will be expected to use accrued, unused PTO, grandfathered vacation or grandfathered sick leave for the hours you are unable to work. If you do not have a sufficient PTO, vacation or sick balance to cover the time that you are out due to a COVID-19 related reason, we are expanding the typical use of Donated PTO time beyond FMLA eligible leaves and will grant up to 80 hours of Donated PTO time. PTO will continue to accrue when using Donated PTO time. If you would have been working an agreed upon reduced schedule, you will only be responsible to cover the days you would have been working with your own PTO. An employee who is sick or whose family members are sick may be entitled to leave under the FMLA under certain circumstances. This may include the flu where complications arise that create a “serious health condition” as defined by the FMLA. Please reach out to Kendra Smith with any questions.

Mandatory Online Training Regarding COVID-19

Vermont’s Occupational and Health Administration (VOSHA) has announced a mandatory training for ALL employees, including those already working (except healthcare workers, first responders, and others already trained in infection control, personal protection/universal precautions). Employees, including student workers, working on campus or from home, must complete, and employers must document, this training on mandatory health and safety requirements by May 4, 2020. Links to the online training in addition to a printable version of this training are below. Once completed, please email the completion certificate to Lorna Jewell- ljewell@smcvt.edu, or managers can email their employees’ names to Lorna if this training is completed offline. Please help us meet this important safety requirement.

NOTE: The Governor’s Stay Safe Home/Stay Safe order had not yet been lifted. Employees are still expected to work from home as their work and responsibilities for providing essential services allow. When there is more information about when that order will change, the College will communicate a plan for going back to work safely to all employees.

Protecting the Safety and Health of Workers

To take the online training now CLICK HERE, or visit https://labor.vermont.gov/document/protecting-safety-and-health-workers-vosha

Want to print the training and review offline? CLICK HERE or visit https://labor.vermont.gov/document/protecting-safety-and-health-workers-vosha-printableBefore