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Important Information for Faculty and Staff

Life Chiropractic College West - Northern California

Life West continues to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 (Coronavirus 2019) outbreak. We write to share essential updates about steps we are taking to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of our entire community, provide a reminder regarding proactive preventative steps we are taking, in addition to providing information that may apply, given changes, as this situation continues to evolve.

Beginning tomorrow, and until we communicate otherwise, given the facts we have right now, Life West will continue to remain open, even with fewer of us on campus. This business continuity means that pay and benefits will continue uninterrupted—while allowing core operations to continue as best we can. Since these measures are subject to change, we will continue to keep everyone informed via email and on the Life West website.

PREVENTATIVE HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES

As you may be aware, we have implemented the following preventative measures to ensure everyone’s health and well-being on campus.

Daily Sanitation:  Health Center, Waiting Room, Elevator, Student Health Center, Restrooms (twice a day), Staircase Headrails, HC Tables

Weekly Sanitation: Offices, Classrooms, Technique Rooms, Assembly Hall, Gym & Fitness Center and Café Dining Area & Patio

Hand Sanitizer / General Supplies: Hand sanitizer stations have been placed around the campus and in restrooms. Personalized bottles, face masks, and gloves will be provided upon request. Please see Michael Baldwin.

ON-SITE QUARANTINE ROOM

If you believe you become ill on campus, please notify your supervisor and human resources immediately. You may self-quarantine on-campus by gathering your belongings and moving to room 181, right across from the trophy cases. This is the former SPI room.

BENEFITS / REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

Sick or Quarantined

Eligible employees may use Sick/Personal Time Leave if you are unable to work due to having or being exposed to COVID-19 (certified by a medical professional). Please refer to the Employee Handbook, Sick/Personal Leave.

Any employee who is sick should remain home and contact your healthcare provider if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms or you believe you have COVID-19. According to the Center for Disease Control or Prevention, emergency warning signs include:

  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion
  • Bluish lips or face*

*This list is not all-inclusive. Please contact your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

If you are experiencing an illness or injury you believe is work-related, please notify your supervisor and Human Resources immediately.

Caregiving

If you are unable to work because you are caring for a sick or quarantined family member with COVID-19, you may be eligible for Family Medical Leave (FML).  The Family Medical Leave Act and California Family Rights Act (FMLA/CFRA) entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave.

Eligible employees are entitled to 12 workweeks of leave in a 12-month period for:

  • The employee serious health condition (FMLA/CFRA)
  • A qualifying exigency relating to a close family member military service (FMLA only)
    • because of a qualifying exigency as determined by the U.S. Secretary of Labor, arising out of the fact that your spouse, son, daughter, or parent is on covered active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty in the Armed Forces;
  • Up to 26 weeks per 12-month period to care for an ill or injured service member (FMLA only)
    • To care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness if you are the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of the servicemember (Service Member Caregiver Leave)
  • Pregnancy-related disability (FMLA only)
  • Bonding with a newborn, an adopted child, or a child placed in foster care with an employee (FMLA/CFRA or CFRA only)
  • Caring for a family member (parent, child, spouse) with a serious health condition (FMLA/CFRA)
  • Caring for a registered domestic partner with a serious health condition (CFRA only)

Intermittent and Reduced Schedule Leave

FMLA/CFRA may be taken either intermittently or on a reduced-schedule leave if the leave is taken for a qualifying situation or if you have a serious health condition, are caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or are taking Service Member Caregiver Leave.

Intermittent leave is leave taken in separate blocks of time due to a single qualifying reason, illness, or injury.

Reduced-schedule leave is a schedule that reduces the usual number of working hours in your workday or workweek. The amount of leave time taken will reduce the total amount to which you are entitled based on the amount of time off you use.

To apply for an unpaid leave of absence, please partner with your supervisor and Human Resources.  To continue receiving wages while out on an unpaid leave, eligible employees may use accrued sick/personal and vacation time.  Eligible employees may also apply for Short/Long-Term Disability (STD/LTD) or other benefits through the State of California, Employment Development Department (i.e., State Disability Insurance (SDI) or Paid Family Leave (PFL).

School Closure

If your child’s school is closed, and you have to miss work to be there for them.  Eligible employees may use their Personal, Vacation Leave benefits. If an employee has exhausted their accrued personal/vacation leave, they may qualify for other benefits provided through the State of California, Employment Development Department.  Other considerations will be considered during this time to help supplement the employee’s wages that will allow them to continue receiving up to 100% of lost wages. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please partner with your supervisor and Human Resources.

WORK LIFE MATTERS / EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Employees in handling grief or distressing issues we may not be aware of or have other sensitive concerns who may need to speak to someone may leverage Work Life Matters (EAP) at 1-800-386-7055.

These policies were designed to help employees who are ill or who may need to care for a qualifying family member remain at home away from campus, so that those who continue to report to campus for their jobs feel they are reporting to a healthy and safe workplace.

For employees whose work cannot be done remotely, we strongly encourage implementation of social distancing and other best practices that will minimize close contact, conducting meetings via Google Meets/Zoom, etc.), or implementing creative strategies.

WAGE REPLACEMENT BENEFITS

The State of California has expanded benefits that will be offered to employees during this time.

Wage Replacement Benefits Frequently Asked Questions are available via the following link: https://www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019.htm

Unemployment Insurance: https://www.edd.ca.gov/Disability/How_to_File_a_DI_Claim_in_SDI_Online.htm. You can be eligible for benefits if you have enough earnings over the past 12-18 months and meet other eligibility criteria.

State Disability Leave: https://www.edd.ca.gov/Disability/How_to_File_a_DI_Claim_in_SDI_Online.htm

California Paid Sick Leave: https://www.edd.ca.gov/Disability/How_to_File_a_PFL_Claim_in_SDI_Online.htm

LIFE WEST CAMPUS CLOSURE

No decision has been made to close, as of 3/15/2020 (for non-faculty employees).

REPORTING TIME PAY

If an employee reports to their regularly scheduled shift but is required to work fewer hours or is sent home, the employee will be compensated for at least two hours, or no more than four hours, of reporting time pay.  Please note, if a state of emergency is declared, reporting time pay does not apply when operations cannot commence or continue when recommended by civil authorities.

WORKING REMOTELY

If Life West is required to close the campus and you have been approved to work remotely, you will continue to get paid your regular wages, less deductions that currently appear on your regular paychecks.

This applies to both Exempt and Nonexempt Employees.

Employees who are directed not to come to work by Life West and are unable to work from home due to the nature of their work, to continue your wages, you may file for State Unemployment Insurance and use accrued vacation time.

Also, Life West will supplement lost wages to ensure employees are paid up to 100% combined with other state-paid benefits.

EXEMPT NON-FACULTY EMPLOYEES (Information below is Courtesy from California Labor Commissioner Website)

  • Exempt employees will be paid the minimum required salary. Federal regulations require that employers pay an exempt employee performing any work during a week their full weekly salary if they do not work the full week because the employer failed to make work available.
  • An exempt employee who performs no work at all during a week may have their weekly salary reduced.
  • Deductions from salary for absences of less than a full day for personal reasons or for sickness are not permitted. If an exempt employee works any portion of a day, there can be no deduction from salary for a partial day absence for personal or medical reasons.
  • Federal regulations allow partial-day deductions from an employee’s sick leave bank so that the employee is paid for their sick time by using their accrued sick leave. If an exempt employee has not yet accrued any sick leave or has exhausted all of their sick leave balance, there can be no salary deduction for a partial day absence.
  • Deductions from salary may also be made if the exempt employee is absent from work for a full day or more for personal reasons other than sickness and accident, so long as work was available for the employee, had they chosen to work.

If you have any questions, please send an email to COVID19@lifewest.edu. Tarsha Addison, Director of Human Resources, (510) 780-4541 / cell (510) 320-0761; Dr. Scott Donaldson, VP Clinical Operations, (510) 780-4500, ext. 2180 / cell (510) 750-4330. Further information and resources will continue to be published via email and posted on the Life West website.

We are grateful for the amount of dedication, cooperation and care and support of everyone who works at Life West in keeping our Life West community safe. We are committed to doing everything we can to keep everyone’s health, and well-being as our highest priority during this time.

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