Is there any additional leave if I want to get the COVID-19 vaccine or if I experience side effects associated with the COVID-19 vaccine?
Yes. JHU full and part-time faculty, staff and bargaining unit employees may use up to two (2) days of paid leave to get the COVID-19 vaccine and/or if they experience vaccine side effects that prevent them from working. Employees who are unable to work should follow their department’s normal call out procedures to notify management that they will be receiving the COVID-19 vaccine or are having vaccine side effects. Staff who use the E210 system to record leave should use the code “CVAC”.
Is there any additional leave available if I have been diagnosed with or quarantined because of COVID-19?
Yes. The university is providing 10 days of additional COVID-19 leave to employees if:
- You have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
- A public health authority or your health care provider has recommended that you be quarantined because of COVID-19.
- Occupational Health at JHU determines that you should be quarantined.
To access this additional leave, call the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Call Center (JHCCC) at 443-287-8500 – open seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Be prepared to provide documentation from your doctor or a public health authority, as appropriate.
I am in the Bargaining Unit. Have any of the existing leave policies changed because of COVID-19?
Management is required to follow the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for leave requirements for bargaining unit employees.
However, the additional 10 days of COVID-19 leave are available to BU employees. Follow the process outlined above if you are eligible for the additional leave.
Can we “donate” or “borrow” leave from fellow JHU co-workers?
No.
Can I charge COVID leave if I contract COVID while I am out of office for a non-COVID-related leave of absence?
No. COVID time codes in E210 can only be charged for COVID-specific reasons for staff who are actively employed and not on a leave. Please review the COVID-19 Guidelines for Coding Time in E210 for details related to charging COVID time codes.
Will JHU discontinue the vacation accrual limit in this situation, to accommodate employees who have had to cancel scheduled vacations?
The current caps on leave remain in place at this time. Management may request an override with proper justification and consultation with your Department or Central HR Business Partner.
What if I run out of sick leave? Is additional leave available if I am affected by COVID-19?
Yes. The university is providing 10 days of additional COVID-19 leave to employees if:
- You have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
- A public health authority or your health care provider has recommended that you be quarantined because of COVID-19.
- Occupational Health at JHU determines that you should be quarantined.
To access this additional leave, call the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Call Center (JHCCC) at 443-287-8500 – open seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Be prepared to provide documentation from your doctor or a public health authority, as appropriate.
If you are not directly impacted by COVID-19 and/or if the additional 10 days of leave is exhausted, you should use your sick leave as usual, and you may charge additional absences to accrued vacation. If you have elected Short-Term Disability and you meet the eligibility criteria, you may use it after two weeks of absence. Also, FMLA entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period for specified family and medical reasons (additional state-mandated leave may also be available to you). If you run out of all available leave, you will be placed on a leave of absence without pay (with manager approval).
Does the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) apply for employees or immediate family members?
Existing JHU leave policies, including FMLA, will be used as guidelines for employees and their family members during an illness. JHU will follow state leave laws including Maryland Flexible and Maryland Safe and Sick Leave.
Can I take time off to be tested (if I am required to test because I have an exception, or if I choose to be tested voluntarily)?
Yes. You are permitted 30 minutes of time off for testing. (This does not need to be accounted for specifically in your E210 time sheet.)
What if I am required to be tested once or twice per week? Can I get tested somewhere else besides JHU?
No, you need to be tested at a JHU testing site we are unable to support testing results from a site other than JHU at this time.
What if I have an exception and need to test twice a week but I am hybrid and only on campus once or twice a week?
If you are only on site once a week, test the day you are there. If you are on site twice a week, test both days. If you come less than once a week, please test each time you visit in order to remain in compliance.