Monday, July 27, 2020

Dear UNCW Faculty & Staff,

The UNC System Office and Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) have developed updated work and leave provisions effective August 1, 2020 and in place until revised or rescinded. An overview of these changes is as follows:

• Following the guidelines established by OSHR, employees will no longer be provided COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave for absences after they have exhausted their Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) leave benefits. Employees must use any accrued personal leave to make up the difference.

• If an employee cannot work due to the employee being subject to quarantine/isolation order, due to being advised to self-quarantine, or due to experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and awaiting a diagnosis, and has exhausted all of their FFCRA Emergency Paid Sick Leave, all of their accrued leave, and all of their accrued paid time off (comp time, etc.), then that employee will receive COVID-19 paid administrative leave at 100% of the employee’s pay, cumulative up to 160 hours through December 31, 2020. This is intended to assist an employee in this circumstance with fully completing a mandated or self-imposed quarantine period in the interests of workplace safety.

• Management may approve permanent SHRA and EHRA employees to use up to 80 hours of Expanded Community Service Leave to work with non-profit organizations on COVID-19 volunteer activities. These hours are accounted for separately from an employee’s regular annual community service leave allotment.

For more detailed information on who is eligible to use FFCRA and COVID-19 paid administrative leave, please review the guidance issued July 22, 2020. Please direct any additional questions to your leave keeper.

We will continue to keep you updated as further guidance is issued with respect to COVID-19. In the meantime, please continue to visit the UNCW coronavirus site and the  Human Resources coronavirus site for resources and information. 

Thank you,

Liz Grimes
Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources