State universities publicize policies to work remotely
ASU encourages employees to carry out tasks from home
FAYETTEVILLE — Supervisors at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville have “significant discretion” in granting requests from employees to work remotely given concerns about the spread of the covid-19 illness, the university’s human resources department stated in a message to workers Tuesday.
Requests to work remotely made by healthy employees without sick family will be considered under UA-Fayetteville’s normal policy on telecommuting, states the message.
“Supervisors have significant discretion when determining whether to allow employees to work remotely, especially under the current circumstances,” the UA-Fayetteville message to workers states.
In December, a UA-Fayetteville spokesman said the university had about 5,200 workers, including 1,337 faculty, 2,999 appointed staff and 870 hourly employees.
Some other large public universities in the state have also made announcements or established new policies about employees working remotely.
Arkansas State University, the state’s second-largest university behind UA-Fayetteville, on Tuesday announced a “Public Health Emergency Remote Work Policy” effective through May. The policy states that “employees whose job duties may be performed by working remotely shall be allowed to do so after receiving approval from a Chancellor, or Chancellor’s designee, from the ASU System institution.”
The campus in Jonesboro has roughly 1,600 full-time faculty and staff, said spokesman Bill Smith.
Arkansas Tech University on Monday announced that its faculty and staff would work from home “as much as possible” beginning today . The Russellville campus has about 870 workers, said spokesman Sam Strasner.
All three schools — like other colleges in the state — have suspended in-person classes, doing so either late last week or as of this past Monday. Arkansas Tech, Arkansas State and UA-Fayetteville also are among large public universities in Arkansas that have kept campus residence halls and dining services open.
Health experts advise frequent hand-washing and to stay home if sick, as the coronavirus causing the respiratory illness covid-19 is thought to spread via close contact and through droplets from coughs and sneezes, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The UA-Fayetteville message to employees released Tuesday notes that hourly workers also may work remotely at the discretion of their supervisor “if their job duties are able to be properly performed remotely.”
“I feel like our administration is doing a good job of being flexible for the staff,” said Trish Watkins, chair of the UA-Fayetteville staff senate.
As far as UA employees requesting to work remotely, “I personally am not aware of any staff member who has been denied,” Watkins said.
Watkins, who works in Rogers as director of grants, finance and human resources for World Trade Center Arkansas, said workday adjustments have also been made, like holding meetings online rather than in person.
She said she expects more UA-Fayetteville workers to begin working remotely with the university’s approaching spring break, set for next week.
LEAVE POLICIES
Arkansas State University also on Tuesday announced a “public health emergency leave policy,” effective through May, which states if workers have been advised to self-quarantine and cannot complete job duties, they would use accrued sick leave and then other accrued leave. Once their leave is exhausted, “then the employee could receive authorized leave approved by the institution’s Chancellor,” the policy states.
If ASU workers have symptoms or are diagnosed with the “public health emergency” illness, they shall not come to work and would first “use accrued leave for that time, starting with sick leave.” If that’s all used, “then the employee could receive authorized leave approved by the Chancellor,” the ASU policy states.
UA-Fayetteville has an “acute communicable illnesses” leave policy, but the message Tuesday said the policy is not in effect.
“If the policy is activated, the campus will be notified,” the Tuesday message states.
The UA-Fayetteville “acute communicable illnesses” leave policy, updated Friday, states that if an employee is quarantined but cannot fulfill job responsibilities, the employee would be charged accrued sick or annual leave “or, if necessary, may be placed in leave without pay status.”
If a worker gets sick with an illness covered by the policy, the policy states “accrued sick leave” would be used, then, if that is exhausted, “annual leave or comp time.” If those forms of leave are exhausted, “the employee may be allowed to use leave without pay,” subject to approval of the president of the University of Arkansas System, the policy states.