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EMPLOYEE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

PHASE IV – FALL 2021

 
Timeline and activities described below are contingent upon health and safety guidelines and current pandemic conditions and are subject to change.

Please refer to “General Guidelines and Precautions” for an overview of the precautions the College is taking. In addition, refer to the “Campus Access” section for campus access safety protocols.

The College may require employees to work at the campus as necessary to fulfill the mission of the College. It will be important for the College to determine whether a specific job function must be carried out on campus before requiring an employee to return. If an employee can continue to fully perform their job duties at home, it would be advisable to continue that arrangement or to design a phased-in return on a case-by-case basis.

Please refer to “General Guidelines and Precautions” for an overview of the precautions the College is taking. In addition, refer to the “Campus Access” page for campus access safety protocols.

Yes, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued the following guidelines:

  • The EEOC enforces workplace anti-discrimination laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act, including the requirement for reasonable accommodation and rules about medical examinations and inquiries.
  • The ADA and Rehabilitation Act rules continue to apply, but they do not interfere with or prevent employers from following the guidelines and suggestions made by the CDC about steps employers should take regarding the Coronavirus.
  • The EEOC has provided guidance, consistent with these workplace protections and rules, that can help employers implement strategies to navigate the impact of Coronavirus in the workplace.

The White House guidelines call for a three-phase return to work, with special accommodations for vulnerable individuals until the third phase, at which time the policy envisions a return to “unrestricted staffing of worksites.” Under the guidelines, vulnerable people are the elderly and those “with serious underlying health conditions, including high blood pressure, chronic lung disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma, and those whose immune system is compromised such as by chemotherapy for cancer and other conditions requiring such therapy.”

Pregnant women are not identified as vulnerable workers in the White House guidelines.

Discuss your concerns with your manager. If nothing changes, contact Human Resources.

If you can work from home, ask to do so. If you are considered a vulnerable individual or have an ADA-qualifying disability, you may qualify for an accommodation. Otherwise, you could be required to come to work. If working from home is not an option, you may be able to take paid leave if available.

The rules on this are tricky and evolving. Generally speaking, having an infectious disease such as the flu hasn’t entitled workers to compensation because it is nearly impossible to determine where someone contracted the illness.

No, not under current law.

Under normal circumstances, temperature screening would be considered a medical exam and would violate the ADA. But the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has determined that, given the risks associated with Covid-19, temperature screenings are permissible.

In accordance with state law, effective Nov. 15, 2021, Southwest no longer requests self-reports for positive COVID-19 test results. Stay safe and be well!

Yes. Your employer has a duty to protect all employees. If you are sick or not feeling well stay at home or go home if you have already reported for work.

During a pandemic, employers can require vaccinations, the EEOC says. An employee may be entitled to an exemption if the vaccine would interfere with a medical condition or violate that person’s religious beliefs.

The employee refusing to wear a cloth facemask or other proper PPE or refusing to stay 3 feet apart will be sent home until they consent. Days absent as a result can be recorded on attendance charts for students and failure to report to work for employees. For an employee, disciplinary action can be considered after more than one refusal.

Southwest has a new online application program for obtaining a Campus ID. Students and employees can apply for their campus ID by uploading a photo of themselves to their My.Southwest portal dashboard. The ID will be prepared and mailed using the photo and address provided. All students and employees are required to display their Southwest Tennessee Community College Campus ID whenever visiting a Southwest location. No IDs will be distributed on campus.

For more information on how to apply online for your Campus ID

For more information about the online campus ID program, email Student Development at studentdevelopment@southwest.tn.edu.

 

SOUTHWEST BACK TO CAMPUS OPERATIONAL LEVELS

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4

NEWS AND UPDATES

CONTACT

General Information Phone:
901-333-5000
Public Safety Email:
policeservices@southwest.tn.edu
Macon Cove Campus Phone:
901-333-4242
Union Avenue Campus Phone:
901-333-5555

LINKS

College Website
Coronavirus News and Info
Campus Access
Campus Access Video (Macon Cove)
Campus Access Video (Union Avenue)
Employees
Faculty and Students
General Guidelines
Academic Calendar
Letter from the President
Town Hall Student Q&A (June Session)
Town Hall Student Q&A (August Session)
Town Hall Legislator Q&A (August Session)
Town Hall Video Archive Playlist
You Down with PPE Video