Employee Safety
What Steps Is The District Taking To Prevent The Spread Of COVID-19?
The District is following all of the recommendations from the CDC, Cal/OSHA, and San Diego County Public Health Services. The following updates to the District COVID Prevention Plan, per Cal/OSHA, are now in place for Spring 2023 semester:
Positive Test & Isolation Rules
For return-to-campus rules, the District follows CDPH & Cal/OSHA’s isolation protocol. Positive COVID-19 cases must isolate a minimum of 5 full days from positive test or symptom onset (whichever was earlier); starting on day 6, employees may return to work provided their symptoms have improved and they are fever free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. A return-to-campus timeline is sent to the employee by the COVID Response Team.
Returning employees must wear a mask indoors for a full 10 days; they may eliminate the mask requirement if they are able to rapid antigen test negative twice 24 hours apart. Cal/OSHA’s rules are to send a time stamped photo of the test result. They can send the test result to Risk & Safety Manager Justin Crast or the COVID Response Team. Employees must keep their supervisor up-to-date with their status throughout the timeline.
Exposure Notification Rules
The District maintains a list of exposed worksites on the Risk Management SharePoint portal or by navigating to the SharePoint site. An exposed worksite is defined by Cal/OSHA as a building, store, facility, agricultural field, or other location where a COVID-19 case was present during the infectious period for at least 15 minutes indoors. There is no quarantine, masking requirement, or additional precautions necessary for employees who may have been at an exposed worksite.
Employees additionally receive an e-mail notice if it is learned they had close contact during the time where the COVID-19 case may have been infectious, defined as starting within 2 days of positive test or symptom start (whichever is earlier). Close contact is defined by Cal/OSHA as:
- In indoor spaces of 400,000 or fewer cubic feet per floor, sharing the same indoor airspace as a COVID-19 case for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during the COVID-19 case's infectious period, regardless of the use of face coverings.
- In indoor spaces of greater than 400,000 cubic feet per floor, as being within six feet of the COVID-19 case for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during the COVID-19 case's infectious period, regardless of the use of face coverings.
- Offices, suites, rooms, waiting areas, break or eating areas, bathrooms, or other spaces that are separated by floor-to-ceiling walls shall be considered distinct indoor spaces.
Authorized representatives additionally receive a close contact notice regardless of whether they were at the worksite at the time of exposure.
Close contacts are recommended by the California Department of Public Health to rapid antigen test at least once 3-5 days after exposure. The FDA recommends testing at least twice 24 hours apart within 5-7 days, if possible. Please monitor for symptoms.
Exposed persons or close contacts do not need to quarantine unless they develop symptoms or test positive. Close contacts should wear a mask indoors for 10 days from date of potential contact. If close contacts wish to test and need at-home rapid antigen tests, please contact the COVID Response Team or Risk & Safety Manager Justin Crast. People who have recovered from COVID-19 within the past 30 days do not need to test or take any additional precautions unless they develop symptoms.
If you are experiencing any symptoms associated with COVID-19, contact your direct supervisor immediately and do not physically report to the worksite. You can access a list of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
Please note that due to privacy rules, the District is not permitted to reveal any identifying information about the affected individuals.
Testing
During a major outbreak at work, all employees from the exposed worksites are provided testing at no cost & during paid time. Major outbreaks are defined by Cal/OSHA as having 20 or more cases within 30 days amongst an exposed group.
Defined close contacts are also provided testing at no cost & during paid time from single cases.
Tests can be self-administered and self-read (i.e. an at home test). For purposes of eliminating the close contact or return-to-work mask requirement, employees can send a time stamped photo to Risk & Safety Manager Justin Crast or the COVID Response Team.
Employees wishing to test and need at-home rapid antigen tests may contact the COVID Response Team or Risk & Safety Manager Justin Crast. Human Resources also has a limited supply of tests for employees, as well.
Fully Vaccinated Definition
The CDC Fully Vaccinated definition includes two important qualifications:
In a 2-dose regiment, the minimum time between doses must be at least 17 days. For example, if a person gets both doses of Pfizer within 14 days of each other, they are not considered fully vaccinated.
Individuals enrolled in a clinical trial for a vaccine not yet approved by the FDA or WHO are considered fully vaccinated if:
- It is documented they received the vaccination and not placebo
- There is data from the trial indicating efficacy.
In addition to the above, employees vaccinated by WHO-approved vaccines are still considered fully vaccinated by CDPH.
Boosters are not required to be considered fully vaccinated.
The full District COVID Prevention Plan can be located on the Risk Management SharePoint site at the following location: COVID Prevention Plan Policy.
Will Custodial Staff Disinfect Tables And Chairs, And Other Common Surfaces In Their Nightly Routine?
The District has reprioritized custodial work to emphasize disinfecting high touch areas such as student desks, tables, door handles, service counters, as well as all restrooms. The district will follow all cleaning practices recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and California Department of Public Health.
What Do I Do If A Student Notifies Me That They Tested Positive For COVID-19?
If a student discloses that they tested positive for COVID-19, please thank the student for sharing and let them know that as part of MiraCosta’s Culture of Care, you want to connect them to available resources and support. Let the student know that they will be contacted by student support services. Then, please submit a CARE Referral Form as soon as possible. Health Services and/or the COVID Response Team in Risk Management will reach out to the student to provide support and assess for next steps. If you have additional questions or concerns, please reach out to the Risk Manager, Justin Crast, at jcrast@miracosta.edu.
What Do I Do If An Employee Informs Me They Have Been Diagnosed With COVID-19?
In the event the employee is not at work when they receive the news:
- Direct the employee to stay at home.
- They are not to return to work until the criteria to discontinue home isolation are met, in consultation with healthcare providers and state and local health departments.
- Recommend they follow the CDC-recommended steps.
- Notify the COVID Response Team at COVID@miracosta.edu.
In the unlikely event the employee is at work when the employee receives the news:
- Send the employee home immediately.
- They are not to return to work until the criteria to discontinue home isolation are met, in consultation with healthcare providers and state and local health departments.
- Recommend they follow the CDC-recommended steps.
- Notify the COVID Response Team at COVID@miracosta.edu.
Pay And Leaves
Supplemental Paid Sick Leave expired at the end of 2022 and is no longer available. Exclusion pay related to being excluded from work due to COVID-19 has also expired. If an employee must isolate or quarantine from work due to COVID-19 illness, they may still be eligible for certain benefits. Employees should contact Human Resources.
Options Are Available For COVID-19 Related Absences?
What If I Am Unsure About My Leave Accruals Or Eligibility?
You may access information about your available leave balances in Workday. Please log in to the system and search "Time Off Balance" to find out your available leave balances. Please contact the Human Resources Department at hr_department@miracosta.edu if you have questions about leave eligibility.
