Jennifer Lucas, Co-Director of Human Resources, informs employees about workplace expectations during COVID-19.
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I hope that you are safe and well. Gettysburg College remains committed to the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic together. I am writing to share some important reminders as our students rejoin us on campus this week.
The Employee Health and Safety Transition Team worked to develop a detailed plan with protocols to maintain a healthy and safe workplace environment. The plan outlines COVID- 19 pandemic and workplace expectations. Please review this plan carefully.
To maintain the health and safety of our campus community, employees are strongly encouraged to contact the Human Resources Office if they are undergoing testing for COVID-19. Likewise, if a faculty, administrator or support staff member is confirmed to have COVID-19 or has been in close contact with someone who tests positive, they are required to inform the Human Resources Office as soon as possible. The College will maintain your privacy to the greatest extent possible. Following direction from the CDC, we will notify any individuals known to be in contact with a person within our community who tests positive for COVID-19. Notifications to individuals will be sent as quickly as possible and include specific CDC guidance on the steps one should take, depending on the nature and extent of the contact they had.
All faculty, administrators, and support staff must self-screen and conduct symptom monitoring before reporting to work each day. If you have tested positive, have been in close contact with anyone who is sick with COVID-19 or has tested positive, or if you are showing any signs or symptoms of the flu or COVID 19, do not come to work. The Human Resources Office has worked with our colleagues in the Health Center to develop an Employee Health Form to help us track and minimize the spread of illness among the Gettysburg College community. Employees should use this form to report their symptoms of flu or COVID-19 (if you have difficulty completing the form online, please email hr@gettysburg.edu to report your illness).
As a reminder, every student and employee will be required to wear a mask or face covering while on campus, inside and outside. Exceptions to this are:
- When a student is in their residence hall room, suite, or apartment with their assigned roommate(s).
- When an employee is isolated in their personal office or workspace which is not shared with any other individual.
- When an employee or student is driving a college owned vehicle by themselves with no passengers.
- When eating meals.
- When exercising outside or in water. (*Walking alone or in groups does not qualify as exercise within our policy. Therefore, masks must be worn by students and employees at all times when walking outdoors.)
Face masks should cover your nose and mouth and fit securely under your chin. Bandanas are not considered to be proper face coverings. Reusable face coverings should be washed after each use.
In addition to wearing masks and face coverings, every student and employee will be responsible for practicing physical distancing. Again, regardless of whether an individual is six feet apart or 60 feet apart from another person, all Gettysburgians should be wearing their mask or face covering at all times. Student consequences for failing to abide by our shared mask/face covering or physical distancing policies were shared with students earlier this week. They are also currently on the website: https://www.gettysburg.edu/opening/health-wellness/covid19-behavior-rubric
I believe strongly that Gettysburg College students and employees alike will act in good faith this semester and adhere to the health and safety guidelines the College has put into place. If you observe a behavior that falls outside of our health protocols, I would encourage you to address the behavior directly—yet respectfully—with the student or employee, if you are comfortable in doing so. Additionally, if you see a student not complying with the guidelines you can fill out a community concern form. If you see an employee who is not complying, please email hr@gettysburg.edu.
As always, I appreciate your patience and flexibility as we continue to navigate the many challenges ahead. Please take care and stay well.
Jennifer
Jennifer Lucas, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Co-Director of Human Resources
Gettysburg College
717-337-6211
jlucas@gettysburg.edu