Employee FAQ

What do I do if I am sick, am at elevated risk, or face COVID-19-related barriers to working?

To keep employees safe, Mid is implementing the following changes to in-person interactions

and physical contact.

• Until further notice in-person meetings will be minimized to the extent possible and replaced by virtual meetings.
• In-person employee gatherings should adhere to social distancing guidelines.
• 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

To minimize the number of employees on a campus at a given time, supervisors will adjust employee scheduling. Some options for employee scheduling could include:

• Shift rotations of who works on campus vs remotely each day.
• Faculty scheduling based on the in-person courses/labs required for the semester.
• Any scheduling alternations should be made in collaboration with the employee’s supervisor.

Each department will prepare a schedule and share the schedule with their respective VP/AVP.

Employees should work with supervisors and the HR office to discuss leave allowances and needs, along with accommodations, and remote work expectations.

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 Jessie Gordon.

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?

Events scheduled to take place after July 5 will be evaluated and plans will be announced when they are available.

Lifelong Learning Classes: Visit the Lifelong Learning web page for complete class schedules and information.

Short-Term Training and Professional Development Workshops: Visit the appropriate page on the Corporate and Continuing Education site to learn about these offerings.

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 of 50+ people are canceled through July 5, which includes mountain bike races and other gatherings.

However, the College's trail system and restroom access in the Poet Family Outdoor Education Center remain open and available.

Can I bring home College technology to support my working remotely?

Yes.

Employees who would like to take home office or other technology equipment to support their remote work should complete this request form. The Tech Team will work with you on getting your requested equipment.

Can I come to campus? Are any buildings open to me?

Campus main entrances are 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 your course schedule, contact Safety & Security to ensure access will be available. All students, visitors, faculty, and staff are required to wear a face covering and practice social distancing.

Student and Employee Screening Protocols

The College is closely following the local health department recommendations, which include requiring self-screenings. Before entering campus locations each day, every student, visitor, and employee must self-assess for COVID-19 symptoms and any risk factors. If you have any of the following symptoms, do not come to campus.

• Fever
• Shortness of Breath or difficulty breathing
• Coughing
• Chills
• Repeated Shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Recent loss of the sense of taste or smell

Again, if you have any of these indicators, do not come to campus. Please inform your instructor(s) or supervisor of your absence. Thank you for doing your part in making Mid a safe and healthy environment for everyone!

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Throughout July, access to certain services will return to on-campus delivery through a phased approach. Communications will be distributed and remote service delivery will continue as needed. The services/teams listed below have been identified as returning to campus during the month of July:

• Orientation
• Library & Learning Services
• Testing Center
• Accommodation Services
• Mid Mentors, Financial Aid, and Registration & Records
• Information Technology/Help Desk
• Finance & Facilities
• Safety & Security
• Campus Stores
• Human Resources

Mid will gradually shift additional services/teams back to campus over time as the situation allows.

How can I come to campus safely?

Check-In/Health Screening Protocols

• All students, visitors (community members, vendors, contractors, etc.), and employees must complete a self-screening for COVID-19 symptoms and risk factors. If any of these symptoms are present, individuals are advised not to come to campus.
• Sign-in is not required.
• Main entrance doors are open based on course scheduling.These hours of operation are likely different from pre-COVID operating hours. If you need to access campus facilities, contact Safety & Security to ensure access will be available.
• Face coverings and practicing social distancing are required inside all campus buildings.
• Signs with directions on how to sign-up for E2Campus emergency notifications are posted on all entry doors. If you sign up, you will be notified of any COVID-19 occurrences on campus.
• Signs on Health Screening are also posted on all entry doors.

The College is closely following the local health department recommendations, which include requiring self-screenings. Before entering campus locations each day, every student, visitor, and employee must self-assess for COVID-19 symptoms and any risk factors. If you have any of the following symptoms, do not come to campus.

• Fever
• Shortness of Breath or difficulty breathing
• Coughing
• Chills
• Repeated Shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Recent loss of the sense of taste or smell

Accommodations

• If a student is unable to wear face covering of any type, they will be referred to Accommodations.
• If an employee is unable to wear a face covering of any type, they will be referred to Human Resources.
• If a campus visitor is unable to wear a face covering of any type, they will be referred to Safety & Security.
• Medical documentation will be required in order to receive an accommodation for not wearing a face covering.
• The Coordinator of Student Accommodations or the AVP of Human Resources will provide Safety & Security a list of those who are not required to wear face covering while on campus.

Enforcement of Face Coverings Inside Campus Buildings

• Safety & Security is responsible for monitoring and enforcing the use of face coverings inside all campus buildings, and will approach anyone not wearing a face covering, without an accommodation, inside any campus building. Faculty and employees may call Safety & Security if they have a student or visitor who is not wearing a face covering.
• Safety & Security will inquire if the individual has some type of face covering available and if so request that they wear it. If they do not have a face covering available, one will be provided.
• If the individual says they cannot wear a face covering, Safety & Security will refer them to Accommodations or Human Resources.
• If the individual says they do not want to wear a face covering, Safety & Security will inform them that face coverings are required inside any campus building and provide them with a face covering.
• If the individual refuses to wear a face covering, Safety & Security will escort them to the closest exit. If they refuse to leave, the police will be called and they will be escorted out of the building.
• Safety & Security will then complete an Incident Report for tracking purposes and a Maxient Report will be submitted.