3/13/20, 1:40PM
Our campus response to COVID-19 necessarily involves every reasonable strategy to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, staff and community. As part of our response, and in line with the social distancing guidance of the UNC System and the March 12 recommendations of Governor Cooper, we are implementing teleworking opportunities for all employees whose physical presence on campus is not required to perform the essential functions of their jobs.
Please make all necessary arrangements so that telework arrangements for eligible employees are in place to begin no later than Monday, March 23. This applies to all employee classifications, including student employees.
The Office of Human Resources is available to assist managers in their considerations and development of telework arrangements.
What this means:
1. Managers are responsible for determining which employees within their areas of responsibility are eligible to telework. Managers should base this solely on the nature of each employee’s work and the extent to which the work can be performed remotely. Our campus remains open and operational and managers are responsible to support employee telework options to the extent possible while also maintaining on-campus departmental operations. Telework will not be applicable to all employees, based on the functions of their respective jobs and departmental business need. Telework may also be implemented intermittently for employees, where practicable, to accomplish both safety goals and business need.
2. Managers are encouraged to be especially vigilant in considering teleworking options for employees identified by public health officials as being at high risk for COVID-19 infection and those who are caregivers for someone who is at high risk. See this page for these guidelines.
3. For student safety, and consistent with our campus transition to alternative course delivery methods, student employees will not be permitted to work on campus effective Monday, March 23. Departments employing students should consider all possible opportunities for student employees to perform available work remotely.
Additional teleworking guidance and a form for documenting telework arrangements is available here https://hr.appstate.edu/Employee_Resources_COVID19
Information Technology Services telework resources are available on the university’s “Keep Working” page.
Thank you for your ongoing support during this unique and challenging time. As circumstances continue to evolve, please continue to watch closely for ongoing campus updates.