Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for Supervisors

If an employee has been vaccinated and has an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, they are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the following criteria:

• Are fully vaccinated (i.e. it’s been 2 weeks or more since you received your second dose in the 2-dose series or more than 2 weeks since you received one dose of the single-dose vaccine)

• Are within 3 months following receipt of the last dose in the series

• Have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure

Please direct any questions to HR.

Yes. Even if an employee has been vaccinated, they still need to follow LCC COVID safety 
procedures (i.e. wearing mask, practicing social distancing and personal protective behaviors, etc.)

In Proclamation 20-83, Governor Inslee states that because of the new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus found in other countries (currently United Kingdom and South Africa), entry into Washington is prohibited unless certain measures have been taken. Employees returning from a country in which this new variant is found must quarantine for 14 days upon return to Washington State. Therefore, they would not be permitted on campus until the end of the 14 day quarantine.

What we recommend

• Ask them if they would like to apply for a High Risk Accommodation per the Governor's Proclamation 20-46
• Scope of the Proclamation Effective July 29, 2020, only those employees who fall within the following categories are covered by Proclamation 20-46.2 and any future versions of the order.
• a) Employees who are 65 years or older;
• b) Employees whose conditions are listed by the CDC under the “at increased risk” category; and
• c) Employees whose conditions are listed by the CDC under the “might be at increased risk” category, but only if, based on the employee’s medical circumstances and workplace conditions, the employee is, in fact, at increased risk for suffering severe illness from COVID-19.** Medical Verification may be required 

Specifically:

1. The employer must offer high-risk employees alternative work assignments, including telework, alternative, or remote work locations, if feasible, and social distancing measures:
2. If an alternative work assignment is not feasible, or the employee declines, the employer must allow the employee to use any accrued leave or seek unemployment benefits;
3. The employer must maintain the employee’s health insurance benefits;
4. The employer is prohibited from permanently replacing high-risk employees.

This proclamation remains in effect until further notice.

• If an employee is in a high-risk category, as defined above and would like to request an accommodation under the Proclamation, please fill out this High Risk Employee Accommodation Request Form and send to Human Resources at hr@lowercolumbia.edu.
• If the employee asks to take time off to protect their health and cannot telework, you should allow them to do so in accordance with this leave chart.
• If an employee is unwilling to report to the worksite, the employer should work with the employee to explore options. Allow an employee to telework if telework is an option. If telework is not an option, employees may use leave in accordance with the attached chart.

Telework is an option for all employee types. Contact your VP if a staff member has technology issues. We will make arrangements for technology. If leave is necessary, leave may be used in accordance with this chart.

All employees are required to wear a face mask unless there is a need for an accommodation due to disability, medical condition, or religious reasons. If one of your employees indicates they are unable to wear a face mask, please refer them to HR so HR can assist with the accommodation process.

Can I ask my employee if they are experiencing symptoms of fever and cough or shortness of breath?

Yes, you may ask them this question. Don’t ask them to disclose if they have an underlying medical condition. If they are experiencing these symptoms, they need to stay home and not come to work for 24 hours after fever is gone and symptoms get better, whichever is longer.

Can I ask my employee if they are returning from travel in the CDC defined Level 3 travel zones?

Yes, you may ask them this question. Check the CDC website for the latest guidance and recommendations for each country to which employees may travel. 

Do I have to provide telework options for my employees? We’ve never done that before.

You should explore every possible option for teleworking.

Is it ok for me to tell my employees that they should follow proper hand washing techniques? What about cough and sneeze etiquette?

Yes. This is something you should be actively encouraging in your workplace. See the Department of Health’s website for cough and sneeze etiquette and hand hygiene.

Download a printable checklist of the steps below a supervisor should take when an employee is diagnosed with COVID-19 [PDF]

If someone you supervise gets diagnosed with COVID-19, there are several steps you can take to help with the administrative side of this event.

1. Get more information to make decisions about the workplace:
   • Make sure the employee is in contact with the local health department and they follow the health guidance/direction.
   • Contact your local health department to receive specific guidance to confirm the employee’s status and how to best clean or close your workplace.
2. Next, identify and notify people they’ve been in contact with at work:
   • If possible, ask the employee to review their schedule for the few days before they showed symptoms. Specifically identify those people that could be considered close contacts.
     • Tip: Look for someone the infected person had face-to-face contact with within 6 feet for more than 10 minutes.
   • Locate contact information for the people you identified as possible close contacts.
   • Contact your local health department and give them names and contact information for the possible close contacts.
     • Tip: Your local health department will make the official determination on who you will need to consider a close contact.
   • After you talk to the health department, you or your HR department can begin calling the close contacts to notify them.
     • Tips: Keep the name of the person who tested positive confidential.
   • Tell them their local health department will be in contact with further instructions.
   • Ask that they go home and telework.
   • Ask that they follow any guidance that the health department gives them.
   • Refer them to any internal resources or guidance available within your agency.
3. Communicate this event to your workplace:
   • Notify covid@lowercolumbia.edu and sorth@lowercolumbia.edu. Please notify as soon as you are notified by your employee.

Finally … take a breath and know you did your best to manage and minimize the health situation.