The following communications were sent to various campus constituent groups to advise them of COVID-19 related personnel actions, benefits and policies. These communications were augmented by updates shared in monthly issues of HR News. 

June 11, 2021 - COVID-19 Voluntary Vaccination Status Survey

June 3, 2021 - COVID-19 Employee Vaccination Update

May 3, 2021 - COVID-19 Leave Update | UAW - Unit 11

April 21, 2021 - COVID-19 Employee Leave Update

April 1, 2021 - COVID-19 Employee Leave Update

March 18, 2021 - COVID-19 Employee Vaccination Update - Appointment Codes Available for March 19 at CSUN Site 

March 16, 2021 - COVID-19 Employee Vaccination Update - Appointment Codes Available for March 19 at CSUN Site

March 11, 2021 - COVID-19 Employee Vaccination Update - CSUN Vaccination Days

March 10, 2021 - COVID-19 Vaccination Update for Employees Currently Working on Campus

March 5, 2021 - COVID-19 Employee Vaccination Update

February 25, 2021 - COVID-19 Vaccination Update

February 12, 2021 - COVID-19 Leave Updates for Teamsters

February 5, 2021 - COVID-19 Vaccination Update

January 28, 2021 - Voluntary COVID-19 Employee Testing

January 14, 2021 - COVID-19 Employee Updates

November 5, 2020 - COVID-19 Employee Updates

July 28, 2020 - Required Training for Faculty, Staff & Student Employees Returning to Campus Guide

June 30, 2020 - Training | Return to Campus Guide for Administrators

April 29, 2020 - COVID-19 Additional Employee Leave Options

April 15, 2020 - COVID-19 Employee Updates

April 2, 2020 - COVID-19 Temporary Paid Administrative Leave - Update

March 25, 2020 - Student Assistant and Work Study Student Employee Update COVID-19

March 24, 2020 - COVID-19 Temporary Paid Administrative Leave

All CSUN employees qualify for COVID Related Leave.

COVID leave time can be used for the following COVID-19 related reasons when an employee is unable to work or telework:

• Employee is subject to a quarantine or isolation period related to COVID-19 as defined by federal, state, or local orders or guidelines.
• Employee is advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19.
• Employee is attending an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
• Employee is experiencing symptoms related to a COVID-19 vaccine.
• Employee is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis.
• Employee is caring for a family member who is subject to a quarantine or isolation order or guideline or who has been advised to self-quarantine by a health care provider due to concerns related to COVID-19.
• Employee is caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed or otherwise unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19 on the premises.

CFA employees currently qualify for 80 hours of COVID Related Leave under SB 95. SB 95 allows for leave time from January 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021. Such time must be used in whole day increments. You can view and download an accessible version of the Expanded COVID-19 Related Leave poster here.

Other bargaining units and non-represented employees Expanded COVID-19 Related Leave (ECRL):

UAPD (Unit 1) – 128 hours
CSUEU (Units 2, 5, 7, 9) – 128 hours
APC (Unit 4) – 128 hours
Teamsters (Unit 6) – 256 hours
SUPA (Unit 8) – 128 hours
UAW (Unit 11) – 128 hours

ECRL allows for leave time from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. Note the hours are inclusive of the 80 hours under Senate Bill (SB) 95. The hours are pro-rated for part-time employees and exempt employees may only use the time in whole day increments.

In addition to the leave outlined above, CSUN employees may be eligible for leaves under their respective collective bargaining agreements and may explore flexible work schedules with their respective manager.

To find out more information about COVID related leave options, or to apply for a COVID related leave, please contact your Benefits Leave Specialist:

• For last names starting with A-K contact Cari Morgan, Leave of Absence and Workers Compensation Specialist at cari.morgan@csun.edu or 818-677-6510.
• For last names starting with L-Z contact Karyn Cote, Leave of Absence and Workers Compensation Specialist at karyn.cote@csun.edu or 818-677-3351.

As a CSUN employee, when you or your family members (your dependents and permanent household members) need helpful guidance, problem assessment, short-term counseling, and/or referral to local resources, our Employee Assistance Program (LifeMatters) is available to assist you. Please refer to the following webpage for more information: https://www.csun.edu/benefits/lifematters-eap.

LifeMatters’/Empathia’s counselors are available every day, 24 hours a day, to discuss employee life needs and the needs of their family members, with up to three (3) free sessions on a per problem basis. Counseling assistance is confidential in accordance with all applicable laws. If additional assistance is needed, the counselors will then provide referrals to employees and family members, taking into consideration the employee’s preferences, medical plan and financial circumstances.

Workshops and webinars presenting information to help employees address and cope with mental challenges arising from the pandemic are added to and offered to employees via the Professional and Personal Development & Engagement calendar. Select here to view upcoming sessions.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and working remotely have helped us realize the immense socialization, networking, and connections that come naturally when working on campus. To bridge the current gap and strengthen our community as we prepare to return to campus, we've formed employee social circles centered around interests and activities, such as bingo, book club, cooking, poetry, etc.

Check out the full list of groups and activities at: https://www.csun.edu/healthy-matadors/matador-employee-social-circles

This program has ended. (6/1/2020)

The emergency pay provision for CSUEU (Units 2, 5, 7, 9) and Teamsters (Unit 6) employees ceased on May 31, 2020.

Please note, if a serious second wave of the pandemic occurs, the need to reimplement emergency pay will be re-evaluated at that time. Additionally, CSUEU has filed an Unfair Labor Charge against the CSU for this action.  As such, we recommend you informally track hours for any on campus work for CSUEU and Teamsters employees. (20200730)

CSUN cares about your health and safety and continues to track reported COVID-19 cases among members of our campus community, including students, faculty, and staff. If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 by your doctor, and/or believe you have been exposed to COVID-19, even if you have not been on campus, please complete one of the following forms:

• Student Reporting Form (for students to self-report - including student employees)
• Faculty and Staff Reporting Form (for all employees, including student employees to self-report)
• Manager Reporting Form (for managers to report employee and student employee cases)

Please note, your information will remain confidential at the Klotz Student Health Center, and Klotz will make a confidential courtesy call to confirm that you have necessary healthcare and will help you identify any close contacts on campus for whom quarantine and testing are recommended.

Workers' Compensation questions, forms or claims related to COVID-19 should be directed to our Benefits Leave Specialists:

• For last names starting with A-K contact Cari Morgan, Leave of Absence and Workers Compensation Specialist at cari.morgan@csun.edu or 818-677-6510.
• For last names starting with L-Z contact Karyn Cote, Leave of Absence and Workers Compensation Specialist at karyn.cote@csun.edu or 818-677-3351.

What you need to do:

• On a daily basis, prior to reporting to work, submit an Employee Screening Survey via the CSUN app; based on your result, you will receive an immediate message and email stating you are cleared to report to work or to stay home with further instructions; if cleared for work, share the email with your administrator.
• Wear face coverings at all times; The face covering may be removed in a private office or cubicle with 6-foot distancing.
• Maintain 6’ social distancing. Please see the CDC’s updated definition of “close contact.”
• Adhere to hand washing and work-space hygiene requirements.
• Complete the Return to Campus Guide Training available on CSU Learn and the following link: https://CSU.sumtotal.host/core/pillarRedirect?relyingParty=LM&url=app%2Fmanagement%2FLMS_ActDetails.aspx%3FActivityId%3D44856%26UserMode%3D0 .
• Consult with your health care provider about coming to work if you are at an increased risk for severe illness due to older age or underlying medical conditions. Please see CDC Guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/index.html
• The CSU Office of the Chancellor and CSUN strongly recommend that all students, faculty, and staff obtain an influenza vaccination for the 2020-2021 flu season; to help prevent infection with flu virus that could cause serious illness and even death and to prevent the virus’ spread to colleagues and classmates. Getting a flu shot this September or October may reduce your chances of getting influenza; and if you do get sick, your symptoms may be less severe. What’s more, this Fall and Winter, with the COVID-19 pandemic still active, it’s possible that individuals may become infected with both COVID-19 AND influenza. Per the CDC, those at high risk for flu are also at higher risk for COVID-19, and may end up needing hospitalization and intensive care. Preventing the flu with the flu shot keeps our healthcare system from being overwhelmed and our community healthier.

Why is it important for influenza (flu) vaccines to be given during the COVID-19 pandemic?

According to the CDC, efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19, such as stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders, have led to decreased use of routine preventive medical services, including immunization services. Ensuring that people continue or start getting routine vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic is essential for protecting people and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks, including flu. Routine vaccination prevents illnesses that lead to unnecessary medical visits and hospitalizations, which further strain the healthcare system.

For the upcoming flu season, flu vaccination will be very important to reduce flu because it can help reduce the overall impact of respiratory illnesses on the population and thus lessen the resulting burden on the healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A flu vaccine may also provide several individual health benefits, including keeping you from getting sick with flu, reducing the severity of your illness if you do get flu and reducing your risk of a flu-associated hospitalization.

CSUN has developed “Safety Protocols for On-Campus Work” which provide other important standard procedures guided by Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Los Angeles County Public Health (LACDPH) recommendations. All employees are required to complete CSUN’s on-line COVID-19 workplace training module, Return to Campus Guide for Employees, acknowledging their commitment to supporting these campus health and safety standards.

For information about training for students, employees may view the CSUN Student Safety Training Video that includes a broad range of information about the measures that will be taken by the university and students to support a safe and healthy campus environment by logging in with your CSUN User ID and password. Students coming to campus are required, to see this video as soon as possible, but not later than the second class session, and all students have been strongly encouraged to view it.

Each department has assigned a “COVID-19 Coordinator” who will schedule space assessments, provide resources & support, and disseminate important updates and information. If you have questions about safety specific to your department, reach out to your supervisor or Covid-19 Coordinator.

CSUN is now providing free, voluntary COVID-19 screening to campus employees approved to work on campus. We have engaged a third-party vendor, Picture, by Fulgent Genetics, to increase our testing capacity and offer free, convenient testing services to employees as one of several initiatives in place to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. 

For more information on who the testing is for and how to register, visit CSUN's Voluntary COVID-19 Employee Testing site.

Faculty, Staff and Student Employee are invited to view CSUN's Employee COVID-19 Vaccination Information site for recent updates and programming related to vaccinations.

CSUN faculty and staff have many resources available in supporting themselves and those they care for - children, adults/elders, and parents.  A great place to begin to harvest ideas and resources is LifeMatters.  Sign-In to MyLifematters (Password: Matadors) and discover more.

Children

The Summertime Guide to Keeping Kids Entertained at Home: A list of tips and suggestions for helping at-home children safely enjoy the summer months

Summer in the Time of Coronavirus: At-Home Activities for Kids with ADHD: Recommendations and links to additional resources for providing active opportunities during the pandemic

Family Maker Camp : If your kids can't make it to camp this year, bring the camp to them with free projects and activities that inspire learning and creativity!

School/Tutoring

Deciding Between In-Person and Virtual: Making decisions that are right for your family

Family Checklists for School: Planning for in-person, virtual, or at-home learning

Tutors from LifeMatters/Empathia

CSUN's Michael D. Eisner College of Education Mitchell Family Counseling Clinic

ElderCare

Through LifeMatters' Senior Care Services, you have access to:

• Care Advisory Services: Support and advice on dealing with the range of services available to elders, including selecting the right health care or housing provider, assessing risk, and creating care action plans; and.
• Care Management Services: In-home assessments or consultations, facility evaluations, family consultation meetings, and ongoing care management and monitoring.

Stress Management

CSUN offers many avenues to help you relax and be in the moment:

Healthy Matadors

Mindfulness Mondays

Oasis Wellness Center YouTube Channel

Wellbeing Wednesdays

LifeMatters offers the following resources with much more available online:

LifeMatters Mindfulness Series

Self-Care for Stress

Using Guided Imagery to Manage Stress