Iowa State announced new employee leave policies in an email from President Wendy Wintersteen and Interim Vice President for University Human Resources Kristi Darr.

Wintersteen and Darr thanked employees in the email for their patience as the “complexities” of initial temporary changes to employee leave policies were worked through.

“We understand the COVID-19 crisis is causing unprecedented challenges for you and your families,” Wintersteen and Darr said in the email. “We are committed to supporting you during this difficult time.”

Supervisors are encouraged to “think creatively about how work gets done” and to be flexible with work schedules and job tasks, according to the email.

They listed a number of policies in the email for supervisors to follow.

• Wherever possible, supervisors should direct employees to work remotely. 

• When remote work is not possible, supervisors should determine whether on-campus work can be performed within social distancing standards that protect the well-being of all employees.

• Where it is not possible for an employee to continue to work due to a COVID-19 related reason, regular university and newly expanded federal leave programs provide options to help mitigate the burden placed on employees under these circumstances.  

• Employees should talk to their supervisors if they need to adjust their work schedules or work responsibilities to allow them to balance things like child care or other personal issues.

The email also contained information for employees on updated sick time off policies following the passage of a new federal law.

“In accordance with the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act for COVID-19, all eligible employees are being provided 80 additional hours of sick time off for COVID-19 related events (pro-rated for part-time employees), effective tomorrow, April 1,” according to the email. “This will be a separate bank of sick time off to be used only for COVID-19 related eligible events, in addition to the regular university accrued sick time off and accrued vacation time off as applicable.” 

The act also provides up to 12-weeks of job-protected leave for employees unable to work because they need to care for children during school and child care closures, according to the email.

Guidance was previously issued directing members of the Iowa State community returning from Spring Break vacation or other travel outside of Iowa to self-isolate for 14 days.

“If you have been in self-isolation due to travel outside of Iowa and have been unable to work, you may use university accrued sick time off through March 31 and new federal COVID-19 sick time off beginning April 1,” according to the email. 

The email conveyed information regarding what time off and leave options employees can take if they are unable to work or work remotely, linking to a flowchart to walk employees through different scenarios. University Human Resources has also developed a website with several resources regarding COVID-19 time off and leave, and will provide a recorded webinar through Learn@ISU later this week to help supervisors and employees better understand these changes, according to the email. Any questions can be directed to [email protected].