Employee FAQ

How does the most recent Emergency Order issued by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services impact current practices?

The new order is similar to the one it replaced so the College and course instruction, will largely continue operating as we have been recently. Please contact your supervisor if you have any questions.

Employees will return to campus beginning Monday, June 14 and follow the below work schedule.

• Now through Friday, July 30: 7:30am - 5pm Monday - Thursday
• Beginning Monday, August 2: 8am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday

At this time, the Fall 2021 semester will feature a mix of face-to-face, online, and hybrid courses available to students.

Please check your MidMich email regularly and visit www.midmich.edu/covid for updates. Contact your supervisor for details specific to your department.

Guidance for on campus interactions.

Teams have returned to working on campus as of Monday, June 14.

Services across the College are available on campus for students and community members, and face-to-face meetings are available if that is their preference.

If employees are able to accomplish tasks or resolve needs using remote technologies, like Zoom, even while on campus, they are encouraged to do so.

To keep employees safe, Mid is continuing the following protocols.

• Until further notice in-person meetings will be minimized to the extent possible and virtual meetings (or at a minimum the option to attend virtually) are encouraged.
• In-person employee gatherings should adhere to social distancing guidelines, which recommend staying 3 feet apart from one another.
• Employees are to refrain from sharing workspaces within areas.
• Meal times and breaks should be staggered to avoid having larger groups of employees together at one time.

What healthcare provisions and BCBSM benefits should I know about?

• BCBSM will waive prior authorizations for diagnostic tests and for covered services that are medically necessary and consistent with CDC guidance if diagnosed with COVID-19. BCBSM will also make dedicated clinical staff available to address inquiries related to medical services, ensuring timeliness of responses related to COVID-19.
• BCBSM will cover the full cost of medically necessary diagnostic tests that are consistent with CDC guidance related to COVID-19. BCBSM will cover, with no cost share to the member, the appropriate medically necessary diagnostic testing for COVID-19, where it is not covered as part of the Public Health Service response, and ensure patient testing and any subsequent needed care are done in close coordination with federal, state and public health authorities.
• BCBSM will increase access to prescription medications by waiving early medication refill limits on 30-day prescription maintenance medications (consistent with members' benefit plan) and encouraging members to use 90-day mail order benefits if available. BCBSM will also ensure formulary flexibility if there are shortages or access issues. Patients will not be liable for the additional charges that stem from obtaining a non-preferred medication for COVID-19 Treatment.
• BCBSM will expand access to telehealth and its 24-hour nurse hotline. Given the nature of the COVID-19 epidemic, seeking in-person medical care may lead to further spreading of the virus. BCBSM will encourage the use of virtual care and will also facilitate member access and use of nurse/provider hotlines.

Mid Michigan College's BCBSM plan already includes a free 24 Hour Nurse Line (1-800-775-BLUE / 1-800-775-2583) and covers online doctor visits. Seeking virtual consultations for flu-like symptoms is a safe step for members who want to talk with board-certified doctors and can help avoid the spread of illness in physician offices and emergency room settings. For more information about BCBSM's free 24-Hour Nurse Line and signing up for BCBSM Online Visits, click here.

If you have any questions or concerns about these changes, or any other aspects of your BCBSM Simply Blue PPO qualifying High Deductible Health Plan, contact HR.

What guidance is there for work-related travel and conferences?

Many conferences have already been canceled, but for those that remain scheduled, the decision about whether or not to attend is up to you. We understand if you want to cancel.

If you need to cancel reservations made through the Purchasing Office, please do so soon. If you purchased reservations/conference fees using a College card or personal card, request refunds directly from the contracted parties.

If you have recently canceled travel plans through the purchasing office, the Purchasing Office is working diligently with the respective airlines and conference providers to secure refunds and flight credits/vouchers for all scheduled trips. As we process various reservations, the purchasing team will forward the results to you.

If there are any questions, feel free to contact Dennis Adler.

How should I respond to student questions about Mid's COVID-19 response?

There are Student FAQ pages available for specific upcoming semesters that have a lot of answers that you can use to respond to students. If you don't see a question listed, submit a question form on that page so that we can get it added.

Students asking questions about individual instructor plans or courses are best handled by the course instructor. Please refer the student appropriately.

If you are unsure what communications have been sent to students or you would like additional help, contact Tricia Farrell.

How will the College communicate with me about important changes and updates?

We want you to stay informed and aware. The College will continue emailing updates to employees as they are available. In order to maintain consistent, real-time updates to all employees, we’ll be managing this Employee FAQ page.

How can I get answers to my questions or share my ideas?

It is a busy time and we are grateful for the patience and respect already shown by the College’s employees. We want to make sure that you are heard!

Please complete the Employee Questions and Ideas Form to submit your thoughts and questions. This way, we can share answers with all employees at once.

Your ideas will be directed to the appropriate department, division, or committee for review and consideration.

Beyond that, please continue to participate in shared governance meetings and departmental/divisional meetings.

What College-sponsored events have been canceled?

In light of the continuing pandemic, Mid's COVID-19 Taskforce has decided to limit Mid events. As you know, external groups are not allowed to hold meetings or events on campus. The intent is to limit the number of people gathering together and to reduce the risk of exposure and spread.

Attendance at Mid-sponsored events is currently limited to necessary students and employees only. Community members are not allowed to attend Mid-sponsored events. In addition to social distancing, food and/or drink should not be served at these events so that masks may be worn at all times.

Are there any special provisions for medical leave and pay during this time?

Yes.

Emergency Fund Resources

Recognizing that COVID-19 has added new burdens to some employees, we are making an interest-free loan of up to $250 available to each employee of the College. These loans may be paid back through small increments using payroll deduction. Please contact me or Vice President Lillian Frick if you would like to arrange for such a loan confidentially.

Hour Borrowing for Sick Leave

Employees who have exhausted their leave time, or who are still on their probationary employment period may borrow up to 80 hours of leave time, specifically for situations resulting from COVID-19.

What about the campus grounds and trails?

Events are not being scheduled at this time. However, the College's trail system and restroom access in the Poet Family Outdoor Education Center remain open and available.

What if I took College property/technology home while working remotely?

Teams have returned to working on campus as of Monday, June 14.

Any College property/technology taken home for the purposes of remote work should be returned to campus as soon as possible.

Please follow the procedure below when returning property/technology.

• Details coming soon!

Can I come to campus safely? Are buildings open?

Campus is open to students, visitors (community members, vendors, etc.), faculty, and staff based on course scheduling. These hours of operation are likely to differ from pre-COVID operating hours. If you need to access campus facilities outside of regular business hours (through July 30 7:30am-5pm Monday-Thursday) or your course schedule, contact Safety & Security to ensure access will be available.

#CampusClear Self-Screening App

As part of our comprehensive strategy for controlling the spread of COVID-19 on campus, we have deployed #CampusClear, a daily self-screening app.

• Fully vaccinated persons do not need to complete #CampusClear self-screenings prior to coming to campus.
• For those that are NOT fully vaccinated, we strongly encourage that you complete the #CampusClear self-screening prior to coming to campus.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we strive to ensure Mid's campuses are safe, healthy spaces.

How is the College handling pending and positive cases?

1. Case Receipt and Assignment

Maxient self-report is received and assigned.

• For employees who are not teaching an in-person class, the report will be assigned to HR.
• For students and instructors teaching in-person classes, the report will be assigned to Safety and Security.

2. Assessment of Situation

Immediate follow up by phone should be made by HR or Safety and Security (depending on the nature of the report). The COVID-19 assessment form should be used to ensure that all pertinent information is collected and assembled. If the report involves an on-campus/in-person class, the course instructor(s) should also be contacted as part of this assessment. All collected information is compiled, and the assessor writes a recommendation for operational adjustments to present to the COVID-19 Care Team.

3. Engagement of Covid-19 Care Team

The COVID-19 Care team assembles to learn about the situation and make decisions about operational changes that may be necessary. This team is briefed on the details of the situation and the recommendation by the assessor. The team finalizes decisions about any operational needs or changes (ie adjustments to work or course delivery, special cleaning and facility needs, etc).

4. Communications

Communications go out according to the positive case communications plan, and additional communications are engaged if directed by the COVID-19 Care Team.

Reference: (Section X. College Message Sent to Potentially-Exposed Individuals.)

5. Case Closure

Each reported case needs to be closed upon completion of these steps and when results of pending tests are known. All materials related to the reported matter, including copies of assessments, recommendations, actions, and communications should be included in the Maxient case.

How is the College communicating positive cases on campus?

Public information about the College’s management and communications regarding confirmed COVID-19 cases is available on our Confirmed COVID cases management webpage. This page also maintains a week-by-week total of confirmed cases.

What are the cleaning protocols and expectations for employees?

Mid’s custodial teams will disinfect during their night shift. Facilities will provide Sanitizer/ Virucide/Cleaner spray, and towels in all classroom areas and in centralized office areas. Because the sanitizer provided is safe for use without gloves, gloves and other disinfecting wipes are not being provided. In the event of an allergy or sensitivity requiring gloves, please make a request to Facilities.

Employees and students should wipe down their workstations, phones, copy machines, light switches, desks, etc. within their own office/classroom areas prior to using and before leaving the space each day.

Example: A classroom is used for a staff meeting. Employees should wipe surfaces prior to sitting down and clean them again once the meeting has ended. This would be the same for a course. Students should clean the area that they use.

What about eating and drinking on campus?

Eating on campus is permitted and no longer restricted to designated areas

Are face coverings required on campus?

Face coverings have been and continue to be an important part of ensuring a safe and healthy environment at Mid throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Face coverings are not required for fully vaccinated persons.
• For those who are NOT full vaccinated, face coverings are required in Mid Michigan College facilities.

Eating on campus is permitted and no longer restricted to designated areas.

Various protocols for safety may depend on the situation and environment, and will be communicated as needed.

For those who are not fully vaccinated and cannot wear a face covering for a documented reason, please contact the following department prior to or upon arriving on campus.

• Students must contact Acommodations accommodations@midmich.edu.
• Employees must contact Human Resources hr@midmich.edu.
• Visitors must contact Safety & Security security@midmich.edu.

Violations of this policy are considered a breach of the Code of Conduct and will be referred to the Director of Student Conduct, Human Resources, and/or Safety & Security as appropriate.