Do we still have to work under these circumstances?

Yes, if you have not been allowed to work from home, from another site, or approved to use leave, you must continue working. If you don’t, you may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment, for willful failure to report for or remain at work. Each situation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine appropriate action.

I recently returned from a cruise. I have not exhibited any symptoms yet. Should I stay home?

If you have been out-of-country or experiencing symptoms, contact your supervisor or your HR rep for guidance.

I have underlying health concerns and/or live with someone who does. What should I do?

If you are a high-risk person or caregiver for someone that is, speak with your supervisor or agency Human Resource rep to re-evaluate your work status.

For those that continue to work, use social distancing when possible, wash hands frequently with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer. Additionally, avoid touching your face with unwashed hands, cover your mouth and nose with a (clean) tissue when you cough or sneeze, and clean and disinfect surfaces that you frequently touch.

If you are sick, do not go to work. If you are a temporary worker, speak with your supervisor or HR rep to see if you qualify for the special State of Emergency leave to stay at home and recover.

If you are concerned about a coworker who appears sick, speak with your supervisor.

I think I can work from home, but management has yet to give me the option. What should I do?

To the greatest extent possible, Governor Cooper encourages all state employees to telework to minimize the risk of contagious infection. Management is encouraged to be flexible to allow telework, but some duties cannot be readily managed offsite. For example, some state agency employees require a secure computer environment or other resources that are not easily portable. Management's decision to allow an employee to work at another location or from home will depend on several factors, including the employee's job responsibilities and whether tasks can be completed temporarily at another location. For example, some state agency employees require a secure computer environment or other resources that are not easily replicated. If this has not been addressed with you or your department, speak with your supervisor.

Will we receive hazard pay for working in these conditions?

As of right now, hazard pay has not been granted for all state employees who continue to work. When an agency is closed or when management determines that only mandatory employees are required to report to a specific worksite (particularly when all other employees are restricted from coming into the workplace), the mandatory employees may be granted time and one-half pay or one-half compensatory time for all hours worked, at an agency head's discretion, subject to the availability of funds. If funds are not available, the employee may be granted the additional half-time pay at a later date or one-half compensatory time.

This provision applies to all designated mandatory employees, both exempt and non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under special and limited circumstances, highly compensated professional and management employees may be granted these special compensation provisions or may be considered for other compensation options with the approval of an Agency Head. This provision does not include temporary employees under any circumstances.

However, at an agency's discretion, temporary employees (including retirees) whose positions support emergency operations may receive a temporarily adjusted higher hourly pay rate while supporting the emergency operations. Per the Communicable Disease Emergency Policy https://files.nc.gov/ncoshr/documents/files/Communicable-Disease-Emergency-Policy-Revised-03.30.2020.pdf

If I can’t work, what kind of leave should I use?

Agencies have several flexible options to support state employees who need to take time off due to COVID-19 infection or exposure, to care for sick family members, or to manage other eligible COVID-19 issues. Agencies may advance leave to employees without adequate leave to cover missed work time, allowing 24 months to make up the time without penalty. Agencies also have the discretion to use up to 10 days of special "State of Emergency Leave" for all employees who request leave due to having symptoms potentially related to COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath), subject to the availability of funds. This special leave also may be authorized for temporary employees, who normally do not earn sick leave, to encourage sick temporary workers to stay home to limit contagious exposure to others. This is provided by the Office of State Human Resources as an additional resource to agencies but is not a mandate and may not be available to all employees. Check with your agency Human Resources Office for more information.

How is the state able to keep paying us?

The State is operating under the previous year’s funding except for items that were funded through “mini-budgets.” Most state employees were included in H226, the “mini-budget” addressing pay raises which was signed by Governor Cooper. It is unknown what will happen when the Legislature returns- if they are able to safely return during the COVID-19 crisis. Once we know more about the legislature returning and what may happen, we will let our members know.

I am a retiree who would like to return to work part-time to help during the crisis. Are we still allowed to do this?

Currently, there are no exceptions to the work restrictions for retirees who return to work. It is possible that this might change, but would require legislative action.

My worksite desperately needs hand sanitizer. How can I get some from SEANC?

SEANC has ordered more hand sanitizer and will work with the districts and agencies to get supplies to you when it comes in. Contact Member Relations Director, Lynn Cote at lcote@seanc.org to request supplies and snacks. At the moment, SEANC is unable to provide supplies to individual members; however, contact your district chair, and they may be able to provide support.

We are working closely with the OSHR to address inconsistencies in the implementation of the State of Emergency Leave Policy. Monitor our website and social media for more details.