Telecommuting Guidelines
Friday, March 13, 2020
We appreciate your understanding as we work through the issues and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. The commitment of HCU faculty and staff truly makes a difference in the lives of our students and the entire HCU community. As the situation changes, we will provide you information and updates. Please check this website frequently.
With the ever changing health issues in addition to the recent announcements regarding school district closings, we are providing guidance for telecommuting.
Telecommuting Guidelines
Telecommuting options may be available for employees who have valid reasons not to come to work due to the need to self-isolate after travel, exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19), caring for a sick family member or other reasons deemed appropriate by the University. Sick employees should not be required to work from home. Telecommuting is subject to manager approval and the manager should work with his/her VP to set up temporary telecommuting guidelines. Faculty and staff may complete the telecommuting request form to request a temporary telecommuting arrangement.
Additional Considerations
In order to do our part to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, HCU is participating in social distancing out of an abundance of caution. For this reason, employees are not allowed to bring their children to campus during this time.
Staff should be prepared to provide information to their managers about the specific reason why they need to telecommute. For example, if a staff member has a child whose school is closed, the employee should be able to provide the child’s age, school district and length of school closure when requesting the temporary telecommuting arrangement. If it is deemed that telecommuting does not work for your position and you still need to be away from campus, you will use sick time to cover your time away. Once all available sick time is used, please reach out to the Office of Human Resources to discuss any remaining time off needed. At this time, the University is not requiring that vacation time be used for any unworked time away from campus due to issues stemming from the coronavirus.
Managers and vice presidents should consider which jobs allow an employee to successfully perform their work remotely. They should also determine if the situation is appropriate for telecommuting. Any questions about this process can be directed to the Office of Human Resources at 281-649-3321.
International Travel
Students, faculty and staff who traveled internationally are required to self isolate for 14 days upon their return home before being permitted to return to campus. Please refer to prior notices about self reporting international travel and follow this link to the self reporting form. For faculty and staff who have to self isolate due to travel, please refer to the telecommuting guidelines above.
A Final Word
In the rush of changing circumstances, many decisions to make, and even confusion, take a few moments to be quiet. Be still. God is still the creator of all things, and all power and authority in heaven and on earth has been given to his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Trust Him. Be thankful in all things.
Romans 8:35-30. “What shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
…But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angel, nor principality…nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Robert Sloan
President