See the latest updates and information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, including a list of University contact information at semo.edu/covid19.
7/22 Employee Information Session Recording
University Guidance on wearing of Face Coverings and Social Distancing (As of July 10, 2020)
Teleworking Procedures Relative to K-12 Schools Virtual Learning
Approved supplies must be purchased through Facilities Management.
Facilities Management will be assisting the campus community in the purchasing of appropriate PPE and cleaning supplies. Guidance to assist you in determining necessary PPE for your department can be found on the University’s COVID-19 webpage under Employee Information - Employee Health and Leave category with the question “How does the University classify jobs as it concerns exposure risk, and what are the University’s PPE requirements?” Questions regarding COVID-19 requirements should be directed to Jeremy Gray, Emergency Manager, at (573) 651-2547.
Supplies provided by the University will include items listed on the COVID-19 online order form. Department supervisors should use this form identify and request needed supplies for their department. Facilities Management is working with many different vendors to obtain the necessary items. Quantities and availability will determine when items requested can be supplied. Facilities Management will fill completed orders and notify departments when orders are available. Supplies can be picked up at Central Receiving along with scheduled mail pick-ups.
All supplies requested, in accordance with departmental Emergency Operations Center (EOC) plans or needed for fall class reopening plans, and not listed on the form, should first be referred to Facilities Management at facilities@semo.edu. As the University’s EOC finalizes fall reopening plans, additional items may be added to the COVID-19 online order form that will be provided by the University.
Any purchase of supplies outside of those provided through Facilities Management or those purchases denied based on approved plans will require both financial manager and executive level prior approval. These supplies will be charged to the departmental index.
Questions concerning supply orders should be directed to Angie Mitchell at amitchell@semo.edu or (573) 651-2657.
Classifying Worker Exposure to SARS‑CoV-2
Lower Exposure Risk (Caution)
Lower exposure risk (caution) jobs are those that do not require contact with people known to be, or suspected of being, infected with SARS-CoV-2 nor frequent close contact with (i.e., within 6 feet of) the general public. Workers in this category have minimal occupational contact with the public and other coworkers.
Jobs Classified at Lower Exposure Risk (Caution): What to Do to Protect Workers
Engineering Controls
Personal Protective Equipment
Medium Exposure Risk
Medium exposure risk jobs include those that require frequent and/or close contact with (i.e., within 6 feet of) people who may be infected with SARS-CoV-2, but who are not known or suspected COVID-19 patients. In areas without ongoing community transmission, workers in this risk group may have frequent contact with travelers who may return from international and domestic locations with widespread COVID-19 transmission. In areas where there is ongoing community transmission, workers in this category may have contact with the general public (e.g., schools, high-population-density work environments, some high-volume retail settings).
Jobs Classified at Medium Exposure Risk: What to Do to Protect Workers
Engineering Controls
Administrative Controls
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Workers with medium exposure risk may need to wear some combination of gloves, a face mask, and/or a face shield or goggles. PPE ensembles for workers in the medium exposure risk category will vary by work task, the results of the employer’s hazard assessment, and the types of exposures workers have on the job. In rare situations that would require workers in this risk category to use respirators.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY COVID19 PAID SICK AND FAMILY LEAVE BENEFITS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
On March 18, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed into law. Under this law, eligible employees were entitled to emergency paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave benefits through December 31, 2020. Although the December 27, 2020, pandemic relief bill signed into law did not include an extension of the FFCRA paid sick and family leave provisions, it does provide a refundable payroll tax credit to employers who continue to voluntarily offer paid sick and family leave to their employees through March 31, 2021. The final version of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, passed on March 10, 2021, has again extended the FFCRA paid sick and family leave employer credits through September 30, 2021.
The University will continue to provide COVID19 paid sick and family leave benefits to eligible employees through September 30, 2021. To be eligible for these benefits, employees must be employed as of April 1, 2021, with active assignments and have not exhausted the former FFCRA paid sick and family leave hours entitlement. Eligible employees may receive up to two weeks (80 hours, or a part-time employee’s two-week equivalent) of paid sick leave paid for qualifying reasons below. In addition, eligible employees who have been employed for at least 30 days prior to their leave request may be eligible to receive up to 12 weeks of paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave paid at 2/3 pay for qualifying reason e) below.
An eligible employee may take COVID19 leave if the employee is unable to work, including unable to telework, because the employee:
To apply for these leave benefits, eligible employees must notify Human Resources of their need to take leave as soon as possible. An electronic Emergency Paid Leave and Family Medical Leave form must be completed and accompanied by appropriate documentation and/or information to support the employee’s reason(s) for leave. Human Resources will ensure proper payroll time reporting of these leave hours.
Questions should be referred to Human Resources at (573) 651-2206.
Employees who believe they are experiencing personal health issues associated with the COVID-19 virus should follow these procedures:
After a Positive COVID Test or Quarantine
After a Negative COVID Test or Sick With COVID-like Symptoms
Because other illnesses have symptoms similar to COVID, care should be taken to evaluate returning to work after recovering from them. Based on guidance from the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center, if you are sick with an illness you know not to be COVID-19, you should not return to work until you are:
- Symptom free for three days (without the use of fever-reducing medication)
- Wear a face covering when you return to regular activities
If feasible and in consultation with the supervisor, employees should telework during the three-day precautionary period.
If symptoms re-occur during the three-day precautionary period, teleworking should cease and the employee should seek medical attention.
- The appropriate leave should be recorded on the employee timesheet for the days after seeking medical attention.
- Medical documentation should be provided to Human Resources for determination as to whether the employee can return to their normal work environment at that time.
Employees may also contact H&H Health Associates, the University's Employee Assistance Program, for help with feelings of stress or anxiety about these events.
Additional information is available on the Employee Assistance Program benefits.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages employees to use telehealth services, rather than visiting a doctor's office or clinic, to limit the spread of the disease. University employees may access Teladoc for telehealth services. Teladoc gives you access 24 hours, seven days a week to a U.S. board-certified doctor through the convenience of phone, video or mobile app visits. More information about the CDC’s assessment tool for COVID-19 risk categories.
Employees who have symptoms of illness should stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever, and any other symptoms, for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g., cough suppressants). Employees will be expected to use their available paid sick leave to cover time away from work unless their physician or public health determine the illness is related to COVID-19.
Employees with concerns or questions about their illness or seeking advice about whether to come to work should contact their supervisor, the Director or Assistant Director of Human Resources and their personal health care provider to manage their situation appropriately.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY COVID19 PAID SICK AND FAMILY LEAVE BENEFITS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
On March 18, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed into law. Under this law, eligible employees were entitled to emergency paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave benefits through December 31, 2020. Although the December 27, 2020, pandemic relief bill signed into law did not include an extension of the FFCRA paid sick and family leave provisions, it does provide a refundable payroll tax credit to employers who continue to voluntarily offer paid sick and family leave to their employees through March 31, 2021. The final version of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, passed on March 10, 2021, has again extended the FFCRA paid sick and family leave employer credits through September 30, 2021.
The University will continue to provide COVID19 paid sick and family leave benefits to eligible employees through September 30, 2021. To be eligible for these benefits, employees must be employed as of April 1, 2021, with active assignments and have not exhausted the former FFCRA paid sick and family leave hours entitlement. Eligible employees may receive up to two weeks (80 hours, or a part-time employee’s two-week equivalent) of paid sick leave paid for qualifying reasons below. In addition, eligible employees who have been employed for at least 30 days prior to their leave request may be eligible to receive up to 12 weeks of paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave paid at 2/3 pay for qualifying reason e) below.
An eligible employee may take COVID19 leave if the employee is unable to work, including unable to telework, because the employee:
To apply for these leave benefits, eligible employees must notify Human Resources of their need to take leave as soon as possible. An electronic Emergency Paid Leave and Family Medical Leave form must be completed and accompanied by appropriate documentation and/or information to support the employee’s reason(s) for leave. Human Resources will ensure proper payroll time reporting of these leave hours.
Questions should be referred to Human Resources at (573) 651-2206.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY COVID19 PAID SICK AND FAMILY LEAVE BENEFITS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
On March 18, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed into law. Under this law, eligible employees were entitled to emergency paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave benefits through December 31, 2020. Although the December 27, 2020, pandemic relief bill signed into law did not include an extension of the FFCRA paid sick and family leave provisions, it does provide a refundable payroll tax credit to employers who continue to voluntarily offer paid sick and family leave to their employees through March 31, 2021. The final version of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, passed on March 10, 2021, has again extended the FFCRA paid sick and family leave employer credits through September 30, 2021.
The University will continue to provide COVID19 paid sick and family leave benefits to eligible employees through September 30, 2021. To be eligible for these benefits, employees must be employed as of April 1, 2021, with active assignments and have not exhausted the former FFCRA paid sick and family leave hours entitlement. Eligible employees may receive up to two weeks (80 hours, or a part-time employee’s two-week equivalent) of paid sick leave paid for qualifying reasons below. In addition, eligible employees who have been employed for at least 30 days prior to their leave request may be eligible to receive up to 12 weeks of paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave paid at 2/3 pay for qualifying reason e) below.
An eligible employee may take COVID19 leave if the employee is unable to work, including unable to telework, because the employee:
To apply for these leave benefits, eligible employees must notify Human Resources of their need to take leave as soon as possible. An electronic Emergency Paid Leave and Family Medical Leave form must be completed and accompanied by appropriate documentation and/or information to support the employee’s reason(s) for leave. Human Resources will ensure proper payroll time reporting of these leave hours.
Questions should be referred to Human Resources at (573) 651-2206.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY COVID19 PAID SICK AND FAMILY LEAVE BENEFITS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
On March 18, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed into law. Under this law, eligible employees were entitled to emergency paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave benefits through December 31, 2020. Although the December 27, 2020, pandemic relief bill signed into law did not include an extension of the FFCRA paid sick and family leave provisions, it does provide a refundable payroll tax credit to employers who continue to voluntarily offer paid sick and family leave to their employees through March 31, 2021. The final version of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, passed on March 10, 2021, has again extended the FFCRA paid sick and family leave employer credits through September 30, 2021.
The University will continue to provide COVID19 paid sick and family leave benefits to eligible employees through September 30, 2021. To be eligible for these benefits, employees must be employed as of April 1, 2021, with active assignments and have not exhausted the former FFCRA paid sick and family leave hours entitlement. Eligible employees may receive up to two weeks (80 hours, or a part-time employee’s two-week equivalent) of paid sick leave paid for qualifying reasons below. In addition, eligible employees who have been employed for at least 30 days prior to their leave request may be eligible to receive up to 12 weeks of paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave paid at 2/3 pay for qualifying reason e) below.
An eligible employee may take COVID19 leave if the employee is unable to work, including unable to telework, because the employee:
To apply for these leave benefits, eligible employees must notify Human Resources of their need to take leave as soon as possible. An electronic Emergency Paid Leave and Family Medical Leave form must be completed and accompanied by appropriate documentation and/or information to support the employee’s reason(s) for leave. Human Resources will ensure proper payroll time reporting of these leave hours.
Questions should be referred to Human Resources at (573) 651-2206.