Out of State Travel
Any employee who has traveled out of state must abide by New York State Department of Health guidelines, which are being updated in real-time based on a state’s COVID-19 impact. Some of these guidelines include required 14-day quarantine following travel to listed states. This information as of July 2, 2020 can be found here:
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/07/nys-covid-travel-advisory-faq_0.pdf.
Public Transportation
If an employee must take public transportation, they should wear a face covering before entering the bus and minimize touching surfaces with hands when selecting a seat. Upon disembarking, wash hands or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol as soon as possible and before removing face coverings.
SUNY Poly Vehicles/Fleet/Rentals
If employees must use SUNY Poly vehicles or rental vehicles to travel on or off-campus, they should make sure the vehicle has been disinfected before and after use. Ensure the vehicle has disinfecting wipes (where applicable). Avoid traveling in groups or with passengers. If passengers are necessary, all vehicle occupants must wear a face covering while in the vehicle. Minimize touching surfaces with hands. When leaving the vehicle, immediately wash hands or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol as soon as possible and before removing face coverings.
Public-Facing Counters
On-site work areas and functions that involve a high level of interaction with others (e.g. mailroom counter, Registrar, Financial Aid, Student Activities, Bursar, Residential Life, library reference desks, etc.) may have barrier shields installed. Requests for barrier shields should be directed to supervisors who will review with the appropriate Vice President. The Facilities Department will be notified of the request through the online work request system. General questions regarding barrier shield installations can be directed to the Facilities Department in Utica at 315-792-7456 or Environmental Health & Safety in Albany at 518-956-7229. Please note that the need for barrier shield installations will be based on volume of public interaction and the ability to practice other means of social distancing, such as floor decals or signs for distancing and line queues, limiting access through appointments, remote service, etc.
Working in Open Office Environments
Employees who work in an open environment are expected to maintain at least 6 feet of distance from co-workers and the public (including students). Brief encroachments on this distancing, for example passing in a hallway, are acceptable and low-risk especially when wearing a face covering. If possible have at least one workspace separating co-workers. Employees should wear a face covering at all times while in a shared work space/room, whenever 6 feet distance can’t be maintained, or as directed by a supervisor. Face coverings must be worn when engaging with the public, including students.
Departments should assess open work environments and meeting rooms in order to institute measures to physically separate and increase distance between employees, other coworkers, and customers, such as:
- Place visual cues such as floor decals, colored tape, or signs to indicate to customers where they should stand while waiting in line.
- Place one-way directional signage for large open work spaces with multiple through-ways to increase distance between employees moving through the space.
- Consider designating specific stairways for up or down traffic if building space allows.
Placement of signage or decals should be reviewed with the Facilities Department before placement.
Office cubicle environments where an elevated barrier exists between co-workers when sitting/in desk position are provided with proper social distancing and no additional barrier shields are necessary.
In offices, no more than one person should be in the same room unless the required 6 feet of distancing can be consistently maintained or if a barrier exists between occupants / co-workers. Face coverings should be worn at all times if more than one person is in a room and 6 feet distance cannot be maintained or if there is no barrier between employees. Within small enclosed office spaces, face coverings should be considered even if distancing is in place. Opening screened windows may also help to reduce exposure risks in smaller enclosed spaces. Check with the Facilities Department to ensure this is acceptable.
Face coverings should be worn by any employee in a reception/receiving area. Face coverings should be used when inside any SUNY Poly facility where others are present, including walking in narrow hallways where others travel and in break rooms, conference rooms, and other meeting locations.
Using Restrooms
Care should be taken in restrooms, when possible, to ensure at least 6 feet distance between individuals. Occupants should wear face coverings while in the restroom and wash hands thoroughly afterward to reduce the potential transmission of the virus.
Using Elevators
When possible, elevator use should be limited to one person and no more than two. If sharing an elevator, please distance as much as possible (e.g. far corners). Please use the stairs if physically capable. When using an elevator, wear a face covering and try to avoid touching the elevator buttons with exposed hand/fingers, if possible. Use a tissue if available to touch the buttons. Wash hands or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol prior to entering, when possible, and upon departing the elevator.
Meetings
Convening in groups increases the risk of viral transmission. Meetings should be held in whole or part using the extensive range of available collaboration tools (e.g. Zoom, WebEx, Google Meet, telephone, etc.).
In-person meetings are limited to the restrictions of local, state, and federal orders. For commonly used meeting rooms on campus, the University will establish and post revised adjusted maximum occupancy limits. For all other rooms, attendance at a meeting should not exceed 50 percent of a room’s capacity, assuming individuals can still maintain 6 feet of separation for social distancing requirements. Where possible, and if necessary, Departments should remove or rearrange chairs and tables and/or add visual cue marks in meeting rooms to support social distancing practices between attendees.
Communication with co-workers, colleagues, and supervisors should occur via email, instant message, telephone or other available technology. When necessary, face-to-face meetings are allowed as long as social distance is maintained (at least 6 feet), occupancies are not exceeded, and face coverings are worn.
Meals
Before and after eating, employees should wash hands thoroughly to reduce the potential transmission of the virus.
Dining facilities operated by SODEXO will meet requirements to allow distancing between each customer, including lines and seating arrangements. Individuals should not sit facing one another. Employees are encouraged to take food back to their office area or eat outside, if this is reasonable for specific situations.
When eating in an on-campus work environment (e.g. break room, office, dining hall, etc.), maintain 6 feet distance. Individuals should not sit facing one another. Only remove face coverings in order to eat, then replace.
Departments should remove or rearrange chairs and tables or add visual cue marks in employee break rooms to support social distancing practices between employees. Cleaning and disinfecting of eating surfaces should occur before and after use.
Please dispose of food waste and packaging in kitchenette or common area trash receptacles, not in individual office trash bins.
Laboratory Work
Specific criteria are being developed for faculty and staff working in laboratory environments - Reopening Research at SUNY Poly. Social distancing, face coverings, hand hygiene, and disinfection procedures will be part of the use of Laboratories.
Academic Spaces
All protocols apply similarly to academic spaces (e.g. classrooms, libraries, etc.) including social distancing, face coverings, good hand hygiene, and surface disinfection. As the University continues to work towards finalizing instructional plans for the fall 2020 semester, additional information specific to academics will be communicated by the Provost’s Office.
Violations
Violation of these guidelines may result in the immediate revocation of building access privileges, as well as corrective action. Please contact Human Resources if you have any questions or to report activities that are not in compliance with these guidelines.
Do Not Report to Work Ill
What happens if someone reports to campus is sick?
- Presenting Symptoms: Any employee who is presenting COVID-19 symptoms should not report to their on campus workplace. Employees should report their condition to their supervisor and Human Resources and immediately seek medical guidance.
Current CDC recommendations for returning to on-site work are:
- At least 10 days since first symptoms first appeared.
- No fever, and no use of fever-reducing medication, for the 72 hours prior to return.
- All symptoms improving for at least 72 hours.
- Testing (presenting symptoms): Employees who are presenting COVID-19 symptoms and have been tested for COVID-19 should not report to work on campus.
- Negative Test Result: If results are negative, employees should return to work as soon as they are well enough to do so.
- Positive Test Result: Employees who have tested positive must self-isolate until the Department of Health or their health care provider clears them to return. They must notify Human Resources immediately and inform their supervisor they will not be reporting to work on campus. Supervisors must not disseminate this information to others.
What about the co-workers of an employee who is being tested for COVID-19?
If an employee in a department is being tested, Human Resources will reach out to the employee and department supervisor to determine individuals who may have been in close contact with the tested individual to determine the next steps. Any employees who are required to quarantine based upon recommendations by the Local Health Department should not report to work on campus but can continue to work remotely if their job allows. If the period of quarantine continues beyond 14 calendar days, the employee should consult Human Resources.