COVID-19 & Leave

Due to the end of the state-wide public health emergency, the following changes will be made to the COVID-19 work and leave provisions.

Effective August 16, 2022:

• Employees must use personal leave for absences due to isolation and quarantine orders, as well as COVID symptoms, if they are unable to work.
• COVID-19 administrative leave will no longer be available.

Effective September 1, 2022:

• Employees may no longer use paid time to receive COVID-19 vaccines/boosters during work hours.
• Employees must use personal leave for adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines/boosters if they are unable to report to work or, if eligible, to work from home.
• Although leave to receive vaccines/booster shots is no longer available, employee vaccination is important to the continued wellness of our community. Supervisors are encouraged to offer flexibility in allowing employees to receive vaccines/boosters at Student Health Services or one of the neighboring drug stores (i.e., Walgreens) offering the vaccine/booster during the workday. Such visits can usually be accomplished in an hour or less..

Advanced Leave

• Supervisors may advance leave to employees in accordance with the Office of State Human Resources Vacation and Sick Leave policies.
• Employees may be advanced the amount of leave they will accrue through the end of the calendar year.
• This applies to all leave earning employees.

Extended Leave

• Employees who experience long term effects from COVID-19 preventing them from being able to report to work may be eligible for family medical leave.
• Supervisors should contact the Benefits Office regarding employees with an extended COVID-19 illness.

Please continue to submit supervisor and self reports of COVID exposures and/or positive cases.

• Report Website: https://go.uncg.edu/selfreport
• Supervisor Report Website: https://go.uncg.edu/supervisorreport

Incentive Leave for Vaccine Booster Shots

Pursuant to Governor Cooper’s May 4, 2022, Executive Order #257 the President of the UNC System Office has authorized chancellors at UNC System Institutions to provide the COVID-19 Booster Shot Incentive Leave Program for SHRA and EHRA leave-earning staff and faculty.

• Leave earning employees are eligible for up to eight hours of paid leave if they receive their first COVID-19 booster shot on or before August 31, 2022 (leave only applies to the first booster shot).
• Leave is prorated for part-time employees (i.e, an employee working 30 hours a week will receive 6 hours of leave).
• Employees must take the leave by March 31, 2023, or the leave will be forfeited.
• Unused incentive leave will not be paid out should an employee leave University employment.
• Employees who have received their booster shot (including those who received it prior to the Executive Order) need to submit documentation through the UNCG Employee Vaccine Portal to be eligible for this leave.

Receiving a booster shot is entirely voluntary and employees are not required to participate in this program.