Employee Information

UNG will continue to focus on serving the best interests of our university community to ensure its continued health and safety, and every employee is encouraged to be part of that solution by following the recommended guidelines as well as getting one of the proven safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines.

These have been trying times, but we have gotten through them together and will continue to persevere by remembering UNG's values of excellence, student-focus, integrity, engagement, and service that are essential to our identity and mission.

Employee Exposure

If you test positive for COVID-19 at any time, you are still required to report it through the UNG Self-Reporting Form. Please stay home if you become ill or until you have excluded COVID-19 as the cause of your symptoms. UNG adheres to and requires students, faculty and staff to follow current CDC quarantine and isolation guidance. Note, if you have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you are not required to quarantine if you have been fully vaccinated against the disease and show no symptoms.

High-Risk Employees

High-Risk Populations

Alternate Work Arrangements (AWA) or accommodations granted to employees for fall 2020 or spring 2021 due to increased risk for severe illness with Covid-19 will end no later than June 30, 2021. All employees are expected to return to their previous work arrangement at that time. Current summer teaching assignments are excluded from this transition deadline.

Employee Travel

The state has lifted travel restrictions that limited faculty and staff travel over the past several months to those activities approved by the president as essential. Effective immediately, UNG will revert to normal travel approval procedures. Travel remains subject to university and departmental policies, guidelines and budgetary limitations. University-sponsored international travel will continue to be evaluated based on U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories and COVID-19 restrictions in the destination country.

COVID Vaccination Leave

Employees may continue to use COVID-19 Vaccine leave in order to receive the vaccine and if they experience side effects from receiving the vaccine. The COVID-19 Vaccine leave is not permanent leave and may conclude as early as August 29, 2021 at the end of the State of Emergency for Continued COVID-19 Economic Recovery declared in the Governor’s Executive Order No. 06.30.21.01.

We encourage employees who have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine to do so and to use this leave while it is available. An employee may take up to eight (8) hours of Non-Closure Emergency Leave for the purpose of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, an employee may also take up to sixteen (16) hours of Non-Closure Emergency Leave if he or she receives a COVID-19 vaccine and experiences severe negative side effects that prohibit the performance of their duties of employment.

COVID Vaccine Leave
All employees of the University System of Georgia, not including temporary employees, may use Non-Closure Emergency Leave for the purpose of COVID-19 vaccinations as follows:

Available Leave

An employee may take up to eight (8) hours of Non-Closure Emergency Leave to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

An employee may also take up to sixteen (16) hours of Non-Closure Emergency Leave if he or she receives a COVID-19 vaccine and experiences severe negative side effects that prohibit him or her from performing their duties of employment.

Process and Procedures

An employee who uses such leave must provide proof of vaccination to their supervisor.

An employee who uses such leave for the purpose of recovering from negative side effects of a COVID-19 vaccine shall also provide documentation from a medical provider to his or her supervisor, if requested.

An employee who uses such leave must request the leave through their supervisor in accordance with the institution’s leave procedures.

Leave must be entered and documented in the system by a supervisor or practitioner as Non-Closure Emergency Leave to ensure proper tracking and reporting. The respective leave codes are as follows:

00NHP – Non-Closure Emergency Hourly Paid

00NSP – Non-Closure Emergency Salary Paid

After an employee has exhausted Non-Closure Emergency Leave balances, an employee may use other available leave as appropriate.

Effective Dates
This temporary Non-Closure Emergency Leave policy for COVID-19 vaccination is effective as of March 31, 2021. It will expire at the conclusion of the Public Health State of Emergency declared in the Governor’s Executive Order No. 03.14.20.01 and last renewed by Executive Order No. 03.31.21.01.

If you have any questions, please contact the UNG Office of Human Resources.

COVID-19 Related Leave

COVID-19-specific leave for isolation and quarantine is no longer available.

Employees who must isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19 illness or exposure may telework during this time with the approval of their supervisor. The nature of their position influences whether an employee is able to telework, since some positions are not able to be performed remotely.
- Any change in modality for a class requires the approval of the Provost’s office. Change in modality is subject to an end date and is correlated to isolation or quarantine timelines.
- Department chairs will make arrangements for class coverage when faculty are unable to teach due to illness.
- Fully vaccinated individuals do not have to quarantine.
When telework is not possible, employees who must isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19 must use their accumulated leave to be away from work.

Work Schedule Options/Leave Options

Employee is out due to	Options
Employee is subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19 Employee has been advised by a healthcare provider to self- quarantine due to COVID-19 symptoms Employee needs to obtain a medical diagnosis or receive care related to COVID-19 symptoms	Telework (if available) Accrued Leave FMLA (standard unpaid option may be available for qualifying event)
Employee is caring for an individual subject to an isolation or self- quarantine order as described above Employee is experiencing any other substantially similar condition specified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services	Telework (if available) Flexible Schedule (if available) Combination of Flexible Schedule & Telework (if available) Accrued Leave
Voluntary Quarantine (no symptoms, willing/able to work) Those exposed to COVID-19 who have been fully vaccinated against the disease and show no symptoms are not required to quarantine.	Accrued Leave
Employee’s own personal illness or injury, unrelated to COVID-19 (employee needs leave due to unrelated illness or injury or was already on leave when new forms of leave were added)	FMLA (standard unpaid option may be available for qualifying event) Compensatory Time (if non-exempt and comp time exists) Accrued Leave
Employee’s own personal leave plans, unrelated to COVID-19 (employee is taking leave for an event unrelated to COVID-19; annual leave had already been planned and employee will continue with plans)	FMLA (standard unpaid option may be available for qualifying event) Compensatory Time (if non-exempt and comp time exists) Accrued Leave

Past Faculty/Staff Town Halls

Did you miss a town hall?

View past faculty/staff virtual town hall meetings (login required)