JHU HR Information Regarding Novel Coronavirus

Should I work from home?
Employees who are not required to work on-site should implement telework plans now to prevent or reduce the spread of infection. Managers should look to HR for guidance, as needed.

Managers should establish flexible work schedules for Required Attendance staff where possible to reduce the number of people working near one another on a given day. Implement social distancing practices meant to reduce close contact in the workplace (e.g., maintain a distance of 6 feet from others). Consider transitioning all meetings to phone or virtual formats.

How do I know if my job is classified as “Required Attendance” (essential staff)?
An employee who is considered Required Attendance staff (essential staff) will be designated in advance by their supervisor. This designation should be in writing, indicating that the employee provides critical services and should report to work, report to a designated alternate worksite or remain at work, even in the situation of a university closure. Refer to JHU Guidelines on Required Attendance for more details.

For Bargaining Unit employees represented by Local LIUNA #572, the university will follow the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement with respect to required attendance.

What do I do if I can’t work on-site, but my job can’t be done at home?
Any employee whose regular work can only be done on-site but is not critical in the present situation, should stay home in a paid, “on-call” posture, with the understanding that we may need to bring them back in or ask them to take on new or different duties as our response to the COVID-19 pandemic evolves.

It is not required that I do my job on-site at JHU, but I don’t want to work from home and/or I have employees on my team that I feel are more productive at the office. Can we work at JHU if we choose to?
No. If your job is not “Required Attendance” (essential staff), JHU is asking you to work from home to prevent or reduce the spread of infection. Managers should look to HR for guidance, as needed.

Should temporary employees (e.g., those working through Randstad) also work remotely?
Yes. Temporary employees should work remotely if their position can be successfully completed at home (Randstad will confirm with individual employees). If employees are able to work from home, they should email their supervisor at the beginning of their shift, at the end of their shift, and for any breaks longer than 30 minutes.

I usually pick up my check. How will I get it if people aren’t working on-site at the university?
Payroll Shared Services is encouraging all employees to receive their pay via direct deposit or, if a check is necessary, by mail to their home address. Go to the HUB at Work article for more details and specific instructions.

How will I get mail and/or packages if I am working from home?
The university is working on plans for mail and package services. More information will be posted to this site as plans are finalized.

I don’t have internet access at home.
Comcast is offering 2 free months of high-speed Internet Essentials service for households that qualify (low-income and/or new customers). If you do not qualify, the service is $9.95/month (not reimbursed by JHU). Go to the Comcast Internet Essentials site for more information and to sign up.

I need a software license in order to do my work from home. What do I do?
The process for requesting software has not changed. Funding for additional software will come from your department, so you should discuss your request with your supervisor. He or she will need to provide a Cost Center to complete the software order.

To place the order, go to the myJH.edu portal and click on the Service Now icon. That will take you to the IT Services Portal, where you will find the university software catalog.

If my password expires, it’s very hard to reset it if I’m not at JHU.
Reset your password when you first receive the notification that it is about to expire. It is much easier to reset before the final expiration date.

How will I get to work if public transportation is shut down and I have no other means of transportation?
Employees need to identify alternate measures and have a backup plan in place in the event of public transportation shutdown. Refer to Ready.gov for tips and information on how to prepare for a variety of situations.

How will my pay be affected if I am required to stay on the premises past my shift due to a shortage of employees?
Current pay practices and working guidelines are in effect for all JHU employees.

If I have been approved to work from home, how do I access JHU systems?
Please refer to the Remote Access Guidelines.

If I have workplace flexibility and I work from home, will I be reimbursed for expenses related to work?
No. Refer to the Workplace Flexibility guidelines for more information.

I think that I have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. What do I do?
Call the Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) at 443-287-8500, seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. They will conduct a screening by phone and provide guidance on whether self-isolation or self-quarantine (or a visit to a medical provider) is needed and help determine if others may have been exposed in the workplace.

I am sick and I’m worried that I may have COVID-19. What do I do about work?
Do not come to work (if you are at work, leave immediately). If you are concerned that you may have contracted COVID-19, call the Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) at 443-287-8500, seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. They will conduct a screening by phone and provide guidance on whether self-isolation or self-quarantine (or a visit to a medical provider) is needed and help determine if others may have been exposed in the workplace. Please notify your supervisor by phone or email, and follow the university’s sick leave policy.

I’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19. Who do I notify?
You should seek treatment and not report to work until you are cleared to do so by Occupational Health. Call the Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) at 443-287-8500 – open seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. They will request documentation of your diagnosis so that you can access an additional 10 days of COVID-19 leave.

After you have recovered, contact the Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) at 443-287-8500 and inform your manager prior to reporting to work. You will be asked to provide a letter from your doctor or a public health authority clearing you to return to work, or Occupational Health can clear you to return.

I am caring for someone who has COVID-19. What do I do?
Call the Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) at 443-287-8500, seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. They will conduct a screening by phone and provide guidance. They will likely request documentation of the diagnosis so that you can access an additional 10 days of COVID-19 leave (available to you if a public health authority, your health care provider, or Occupational Health has recommended that you be quarantined). Per university policy, notify your manager by phone or email if you will be absent from work.

If you need to stay home to care for someone in your household unrelated to COVID-19, you should use your available leave. Please refer to the Sick and Safe Leave policy and JHU’s general Sick Leave policy. For specific questions regarding leave, contact HR Business Services at 443-997-2157 or HRBusinessServices@jhu.edu.

What happens if someone in my department is diagnosed with COVID-19? Will I be told?
Except in narrow circumstances in the health care setting, the identity of an employee who is diagnosed with COVID-19 will not be disclosed when informing staff or others who may have been exposed to the employee. JHU will continue our standard practice, which is to notify those who may have been exposed in a more generic fashion without disclosing the name of the employee.

Is there any additional guidance for JHU employees who are age 60 and over?
Older workers are at higher risk and should take precautions, including handwashing, avoiding high-touch surfaces in public places, avoiding touching your face, nose, and eyes, avoiding crowds, and avoiding all non-essential travel.

What does my JHU health insurance cover?
The JHU health plan has waived copays and deductibles associated with testing for COVID-19. If you have additional benefits questions, contact the Benefits Service Center at 410-516-2000 or benefits@jhu.edu.

If I need to be tested for COVID-19, who pays for the testing?
Check with your current health insurance provider for coverage details. For questions related to your JHU health insurance, contact the Benefits Service Center at 410-516-2000 or benefits@jhu.edu.

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 Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) at 443-287-8500 – open seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 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.

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.

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 Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) at 443-287-8500 – open seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 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 to employees and their family members during an illness. JHU also follow state leave laws including Maryland Flexible and Maryland Safe and Sick Leave.

Are the JHU partner childcare centers staying open?
The Weinberg Early Childhood Center and the Homewood Early Learning Center are currently closed, in sync with Maryland public schools. The Johns Hopkins Child Care and Early Learning Center at East Baltimore remains open.

My child’s school has closed but JHU is open, and I need childcare. What do I do?
You are expected to work your normal schedule and follow JHU’s normal leave policies. Work with your manager to determine whether your position is eligible and appropriate for Workplace Flexibility. If you choose to take leave and do not follow normal policies, time away from work will be considered an unexcused absence.

Please refer to the Sick and Safe Leave policy and JHU’s general Sick Leave policy. 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. For specific questions regarding leave, contact HR Business Services at 443-997-2157 or HRBusinessServices@jhu.edu.

There is state-supported childcare available for hospital health care workers. Plus, JHU provides all employees 20 days (through June 30, 2020) of backup care through Care.com. You also receive a free premium Care.com membership, which allows you to perform self-directed searches for a variety of caregiving needs. You must register through JHU’s portal at https://johnshopkins.care.com/ or call 855-781-1303.

JHU provides support programs for all employees and their families through mySupport. You can reach mySupport 24/7, 365 at 443-997-7000 or online. For online access, the username is JHU and the password is JHU.

I have upcoming university travel, but I don’t want to go because of COVID-19. What do I do?
Travel guidance from the university includes:

• All nonessential university-sponsored travel (both international and domestic) is suspended.
• Essential travel may include time-critical research, clinical care delivery, and/or clinical trials, as determined by the dean or his/her designee.
• University-sponsored travel includes all travel funded by the university or its sponsors, including discretionary funds, and all travel sponsored or organized by student organizations, regardless of the funding source.
• All personal travel is strongly discouraged—international and domestic—and may be prohibited for certain employees (e.g., the health care workforce).

I am travelling on essential university business, and I am sick and/or I think that I may have been exposed to COVID-19. What do I do?
If you are traveling on university business and you become ill and/or believe that you have been exposed to COVID-19, contact the Healix (HX) Global Assistance Helpline. Go to www.traveloracle.healix.com/johnshopkins (register the first time with the Johns Hopkins policy number: JH18492), call 1-443-455-0711 in the Americas or 44 20 8763 4952 in Europe, the Middle East, or Africa, or email johnshopkins@healix.com.

I am on business or personal travel and I am quarantined or have become sick at my destination. What do I do?
If you are on business travel, contact the Healix (HX) Global Assistance Helpline immediately. Go to www.traveloracle.healix.com/johnshopkins (register the first time with the Johns Hopkins policy number: JH18492), call 1-443-455-0711 in the Americas or 44 20 8763 4952 in Europe, the Middle East, or Africa, or email johnshopkins@healix.com.

If you are on personal travel, contact your benefits provider for local healthcare options. Also call the Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) at 443-287-8500 – open seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. You may be eligible for an additional 10 days of COVID-19 leave (if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or if a public health authority, your health care provider, or JHU Occupational Health has recommended that you be quarantined because of COVID-19). Be prepared to provide documentation from your doctor or a public health authority, as appropriate.

I recently traveled to a CDC Level 3 Travel Advisory country, but I am not sick. Can I come to work?
No. You must self-quarantine by staying at home and should not come to work for 14 days after arriving back in the US, even if you are not symptomatic. Notify your manager about your absence.

The university is providing 10 days of additional COVID-19 leave that will be available if you test positive for COVID-19 or have been advised to self-quarantine. To access this additional leave, call the Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) at 443-287-8500 – open seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Be prepared to provide documentation from your doctor or a public health authority, as appropriate.

If you become ill during your quarantine period, you should contact the Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) at 443-287-8500 – open seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.

An employee has contacted me and says that s/he has been exposed to COVID-19 (or has COVID-19). What should I do?
The employee should call the Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) at 443-287-8500, seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. They will conduct a screening by phone and provide guidance on whether self-isolation or self-quarantine (or a visit to a medical provider) is needed and help determine if others may have been exposed in the workplace.

The ECC may also approve 10 days of additional COVID-19 leave if:

• The employee has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
• A public health authority or health care provider has recommended that the employee be quarantined because of COVID-19.
• Occupational Health at JHU determines that the employee should be quarantined.

I have an employee who is required to self-quarantine for 14 days. How will this be handled?
Existing HR policies regarding leave and workplace flexibility apply in this situation. If the employee’s position is eligible and appropriate for Workplace Flexibility, allow the employee to work from home during the quarantine period.

The employee should call the Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) at 443-287-8500, seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Occupational Health will conduct a screening by phone and provide guidance on whether self-isolation or self-quarantine (or a visit to a medical provider) is needed and help determine if others may have been exposed in the workplace.

The ECC may also approve 10 days of additional COVID-19 leave if:

• The employee has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
• A public health authority or health care provider has recommended that the employee be quarantined because of COVID-19.
• Occupational Health at JHU determines that the employee should be quarantined.

If someone on my team is diagnosed with COVID-19, how do I keep the rest of my employees calm and engaged?
Contact your department/divisional HR Business Partner or Central Employee and Labor Relations (410-614-3799) for guidance. Encourage employees to seek help from mySupport (443-997-7000). For online access, the username is JHU and the password is JHU.

Is documentation required for an employee who has been sick to return to work?
If the employee’s absence is related to COVID-19, he or she should contact the Employee COVID-19 Call Center (ECCC) for guidance at 443-287-8500 – open seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.

If the employee’s illness is not related to COVID-19, refer to the sick leave policy or department work rules.

For Bargaining Union employees, please refer to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which provides clear guidance about returning to work.

Have E210 codes changed to report the different types of work and leave?
Yes, there are some new E210 codes to be used during this time. Review the Guidelines for Coding Time in E210 for details.

I have a new hire who is scheduled to start work soon. What do I do?
If you have an employee who is scheduled to start with JHU and you need to change the start date, please contact the recruiter and they will assist you. If you want the employee to start on time and they can work from home, please contact your recruiter to explore this option further.

What guidelines should I follow for business continuity planning?
Follow these guidelines now to prepare for any disruption that may occur:

• Establish a chain of command and coverage for your department in the event of multiple employees becoming ill or incapacitated.
• Make sure that the contact information for your department is up-to-date and accessible.
• List the essential tasks and identify those that could experience delays in the event of short staff or university closure. Develop contingency plans for coverage.
• Refer to the HR website for information that can help managers and employees work remotely.
• Become familiar with policies on required attendance in the event of a university-wide closure.

Academic and Cultural Centers: Heather Mason, 443-997-4083

Bloomberg School of Public Health: Virginia Herring, 443-997-2071

Campus Security: Virginia Herring, 443-997-2071

Carey Business School: Karen Sentementes, 410-234-9370,

Center for Talented Youth: Tracy Curry, 410-735-6028,

Development of Alumni Relations: Kimberly Moton, 410-516-6125

Facilities and Real Estate: Bob Libby, 443-997-6490

Homewood Student Affairs: Curtis Hine, 410-516-0157

IT @ JH: Dawn Rodriguez, 410-735-4142

Krieger School of Arts & Sciences: John Kunz, 410-516-4138

Libraries: Marie Polymise, 410-516-8736

Peabody: Laura Brooks, 667-208-6532

School of Advanced International Studies: Jose Caldera, 202-249-7328

School of Education: Latoya Patterson-Spencer, 410-516-4475

School of Medicine: Julie Thomas, 410-502-1895

School of Nursing: Debbie Morris, 410-502-5018

University Administration: Heather Mason, 443-997-4083

Whiting School of Engineering: John Kunz, 410-516-4138