FAQ For Human Resources Background Image

FAQ For Human Resources

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 2022 semester:

Isolation & Quarantine Rules

All employees who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for a minimum of 5 days from symptom start or positive test, whichever is earlier. On Day 5 or later, they may leave isolation if they test negative and symptoms have resolved. The state recommends a rapid antigen test for this purpose. If they test positive at this time, or do not test at all, then isolation remains 10 whole days from symptom start or positive test.

Employees who have close contact exposure to a COVID-19 case quarantine based on their vaccination status:

  • Unvaccinated employees: must quarantine a minimum of 5 days from last close contact. On Day 5, they may rapid test out of quarantine, much as in the isolation rules above. If they do not test, then they must quarantine 10 whole days.
  • Fully vaccinated employees who are booster-eligible but not boosted: do not quarantine, but must rapid test between 3 and 5 days after contact. If they do not test, they must wear a mask and physically distance 6 feet at all times for 14 days after contact.
  • Fully vaccinated employees who are boosted, or fully vaccinated employees not yet eligible for a booster: do not quarantine, but must rapid test on day 5. If they do not test, they must wear a mask and physically distance 6 feet at all times for 14 days after contact.

The CDC definitions for being “up-to-date” with your vaccination status can be found on the CDC website.

Close contact determination is conducted through Risk Management and District Contact Tracing conducted by Healthcare IT Leaders. 

Employees may request authorization from Risk Management to test at the District’s on-campus testing locations for the purpose of leaving isolation or quarantine early.

Testing

During an outbreak at work, all employees (regardless of vaccination status) are provided testing at no cost & during paid time.

Test can no longer be self-administered and self-read (i.e. an at home test). Tests must be processed by a licensed individual, or in the case of at-home tests, observed by the employer. Specific to MiraCosta, employees with exposure to an outbreak or close contacts at work will be provided access to the on-campus testing locations operated by Healthcare IT Leaders. 

Mask Definition

Fabric or cloth masks now have additional requirements to satisfy the state definition:

  • Must be tightly woven or non-woven material
  • At least 2 layers
  • Should not let light pass through easily it when held up to a light source.

ASTM-rated surgical masks, KN95 or KF94 masks, or N95 respirators are considered preferable to cloth masks. However, if a cloth mask satisfies the above conditions it is considered compliant with the regulation.

Fully Vaccinated Definition

The new Fully Vaccinated definition now includes two new 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 Cal/OSHA.

Boosters are not required, as of yet, to be considered fully vaccinated. However, booster status is relevant to the quarantine rules above.

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 Should I Do If I Think I’ve Been Exposed To COVID-19?

Seek medical attention and notify your supervisor immediately.

Supervisors must report information from employees to Human Resources regarding any suspected or confirmed COVID-19 exposure. To ensure the safety of all employees, the district may need to take additional precautionary measures depending on whether the impacted employee has been on campus or not. In addition, additional leave eligibility may be available for impacted employees.

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. Student Affairs, Health Services, and/or the CARE Team 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 Dean of Student Affairs, Nick Mortaloni, at nmortaloni@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:

In the unlikely event the employee is at work when the employee receives the news:

Pay And Leaves

What Is The Absence Reporting Procedure While I Am Working Remotely?

All district employees are expected to follow the regular absence reporting protocols while working remotely. This includes sick leave, vacation leave, or any other leaves of absence.

May I Request Vacation Time While Teleworking?

Yes, all vacation leave requests are subject to supervisor approval. If you are near your accrual maximum, work with your supervisor to schedule an approved vacation to avoid losing vacation accruals. Taking vacation, even if not traveling, has proven to be beneficial including rejuvenating and refreshing one’s health.

What leave options are Available for COVID-19 Related Absences?

What If I Am Unsure About My Leave Accruals Or Eligibility?

Please contact payroll@miracosta.edu if you have questions about your leave accruals. Please contact the Carolyn Sneary,Human Resources Supervisor, csneary@miracosta.edu, if you have questions about leave eligibility.

If I Am Applying For A Loan Or Refinancing And My Lender Wants To Do A Verification Of Employment What Should I Tell Them?

Please have your lender send an email request to payroll@miracosta.edu and the payroll department will process the verification of employment. Please do not have them call Payroll. Email is the most expedient way to get your lender the information.

Teleworking

I Have Never Worked From Home Before. Do You Have Any Advice Or Strategies To Help Me Be Successful?

Here is an article that has some good tips for employees working remotely for the first time.

Communication is key. It will be especially important to communicate more than ever before with your supervisors and colleagues. Make sure that you keep everyone updated on the status of projects, when you need help, if you experience any difficulties with technology, if you’ll be away during your working hours for any period of time, etc. While communication is key, please keep in mind that sometimes a video or phone call is more productive than an extensive email string.

Please be aware of using the “reply all” feature unnecessarily, as email trails with extensive "reply all" can be stifling productivity for other team members.

Professional expectations. Please keep in mind that working remotely will be new for many of our staff. Conduct yourself in the same manner as you do when you are on campus. Please make sure that you are dressed appropriately if you are video conference into any meetings during the workday. Keep in mind that these meetings may occur at the last minute. Be professional in your work communications and minimize distractions in your work area as much as possible (i.e. small children and family pets barking or walking around in the background). If videoconferencing is unavailable, you may need to introduce yourself on the phone before speaking or recap questions to make sure everyone is included in the conversation.

Don’t forget FERPA. We all work with sensitive and confidential information on a regular basis. Although we are working remotely, please keep in mind our confidentiality expectations and requirements of FERPA.

What Provisions Will Be Provided To Work Remotely? What About Employees Who Don't Have Remote Access?

The district will provide technical support or equipment to facilitate working remotely. Please communicate with your supervisor about equipment needs. Supervisors will coordinate with AIS for assistance. Please submit a help desk ticket with the name of your supervisor and the model and asset numbers of the equipment you might want to take home so we can make sure it is up to date. If you are using a non-District computer we need to set you up on VMWare Horizon (a virtual PC you access with a browser, with access to the District systems you need to do your job). For Horizon, we need to know what software you access to do your job. If you don’t know, please work with the help desk and they will assist you.

Am I Authorized To Bring Equipment Home That I May Need To Do My Job?

Employees may bring district equipment home to help facilitate working remotely with approval from their supervisor. This may include laptops, iPads, desktop computers, and related computer equipment. The district is required to keep an inventory of all equipment. Before removing any district equipment from campus, please coordinate the removal with your supervisor so that the district can keep an appropriate inventory.

Supervisors, please make sure to keep an equipment log for any district equipment that is physically removed from the campus. All equipment inventory lists should be sent to the help desk.

Will The District Be Offering Any Training On How To Use Zoom Or Other Technological Resources?

The district is working on some training on how to use Zoom and features that may be helpful. More information will be forthcoming in the next week.

How Can I Create Rules To Direct Different Emails To Different Folders So My In Tray Is Not So Cluttered?

Many of us are receiving a lot more email than usual. Here is a link to instructions on how you can create rules in Outlook to direct email to folders so you can manage email more efficiently.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-manage-rules-outlook-and-take-back-your-inbox

Is There Anything Else I Should Keep In Mind?

We are all in this situation together. Our expectations may need to change and evolve as this situation evolves. How we normally conduct business may also need to shift and change. Be flexible to adapt to a new way of working and problem solving to keep our operations moving forward.

Self-Care

How Do I Cope With This Uncertainty?

Fear and anxiety can be overwhelming and people respond differently to stressors. According to the Centers for Disease Control, stress can include fear and worry, changes in sleep or eating patterns, difficulty concentrating, worsening of chronic health problems, or increased use of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs.

Things you can do to take care of yourself:

  • Take breaks. Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
  • Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs.
  • Make time to unwind. Try to do some activities you enjoy every day.
  • Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling. Connect by FaceTime, Skype, or other video means.
  • Monitor your mental health. Call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row.
  • Access free services through the Employee Assistance Program. Call (800) 722-EASE to get connected with a provider.

If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others call 911 or Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Disaster Distress Helpline (800) 985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. (TTY (800) 846-8517).

Campus Operations And Services

What Operational Services Will Continue On Campus?

The district will continue essential operations in addition to limited expansion of onsite-operations in Fall 2021 semester. Depending on department operations, employees may work on-campus, remotely, or a mix of both. Departments may schedule a rotation in order to maintain consistent on-campus support.

Essential operations include the Academic Information Services, warehouse, mail operations, campus police, critical facilities staff, fiscal services, and payroll. Some of these employees will only be on campus to perform essential operations during specific times, and will work remotely the remainder of the time.

Certain operations will reopen on a limited basis on-campus including the Library, Bookstore, Health Services, and others. All on-campus operations will follow CDC and Cal/OSHA operations guidance.