EMPLOYEE FAQ

Vaccine Policy

UCN's official vaccine policy can be found here.

Working from Home Q&A

Please remember to complete the COVID-19 Return-to-Work On-Site Screening tool before you come to work. You can find the tool at the top of the this webpage.

All employees are required to complete this survey each day before working on site. If you are not feeling well, please stay home (or go home from your work site) and contact your Supervisor.

Although everyone on site is vaccinated, it is still possible to become infected with COVID-19. The good news is that immunization against COVID-19 lessens your chances of becoming critically ill. You can see the current case count in Manitoba by vaccination status here.

This screening is not a substitute for consulting with your doctor or with Health Links (204-788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257).

Let’s work to keep our students, our coworkers and ourselves safe.

Working from Home Q&A

Are employees that are currently working from home expected to return to their respective campuses at the start of the academic year?

UCN continues to follow the same recommendations for working from home that have been in place during the pandemic. Employees will be expected to work at their respective campuses for those roles where the operational requirements require them to be on site.

Who decides who should work from home and who needs to be on-site?

Supervisors review the need within their department, the types of roles they have, and whether or not the work can be done offsite. The focus is on the operational requirement of the department.

What if I want to work on-site even though my role doesn’t require me to be on-site?

Supervisors will review the workspace in their areas to determine if safe practices are in place for employees to return. Alternating work days on-site may be accommodated depending on the number of employees that want to return to their campus.

Work from home has worked successfully for me. I have been able to adapt to the new environment and still do my job. I don’t need to be at the campus. Can I continue to work from home?

Employees have no presumptive right to work from home. While there is no obligation of the employer to provide the option, UCN recognizes the way we work has changed and has created a working group to look at a variety of work models.

What if I don’t want to be vaccinated because it’s my body, my choice. Can I work from home if I choose not be vaccinated?

Vaccination status will not be factor in determining whether a person can work from home or not.

Can I work anywhere when I work remotely?

Employment standards, tax laws, worker’s compensation and health and safety regulations change from province to province and are different outside of Canada. Employees must make a request to work outside of Manitoba. UCN will review the impacts of the local laws and policies and determine if the request can be accommodated.

I have family responsibilities when working from home that require me to be unavailable during some parts of the regular working hours (such as dropping my kids off at school). Can I shift my work hours to accommodate this?

Accommodations are role dependent with a focus on operational requirement. Your supervisor will determine if your role can accommodate a shift in your work day while still working within the Collective Agreement.

I would like to compress my workday by not taking any breaks and finishing work early. Can I make these changes to my schedule?

UCN’s Collective Agreement defines hours of work and breaks during the day according to the category you fall under. These breaks are designed to alleviate stress and contribute to a work life balance. UCN does not support compressed workdays. However, there may be an occasion where a work day is compressed in consultation with your supervisor to assist you in a personal event.

What happens if I get injured while working from home?

Health and safety policies still apply. All employees are expected to ensure their work environment is safe. Employees should follow the regular reporting process should an accident occur.

When will we all be back at work?

Vaccination uptake, vaccine effectiveness and new case counts are decision making factors around a full return to campuses. While we may never see a full return to pre-pandemic conditions, we will have more employees on site when it is safe to do so.

(9-3-21)

Face Coverings – Information for UCN Employees

There will be information posted at UCN facilities to ensure proper use of face coverings, and other general information can be found through various sites as noted below:

A short video which provides direction and “training” on how to properly use non-medical cloth masks can be found at:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/video/covid-19-wear-non-medical-mask-face-covering-properly.html

Health-Related Information for UCN Employees

There is no shortage of information at present with regard to COVID-19; however, you will want to ensure that you seek information only from valid and authorized sources. Included below are a number of links to relevant and respected training and information about COVID-19:

For information on self-isolation, visit www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/updates/resources.html#collapse2.

Province of Manitoba COVID-19 general information: https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/coronavirus/
Province of Manitoba COVID-19 Fact Sheet: https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/factsheets/coronavirus.pdf
Shared Health Covid-19 on-line screening tool: https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/screening-tool/
Province of Manitoba COVID-19 Self Isolation: https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/factsheets/coronavirus_selfisolation.pdf
Travel Health Notices: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/travel-health-notices
Government of Canada EI Sick Benefit: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-sickness.html
MGEU Collective Agreement: https://www.mgeu.ca/uploads/document/ucn_april_1_2018_to_march_31_2022.pdf?t=1562947969
To speak to Health Links: 204-788-8200 or toll-free 1-888-315-9257

Mental Health Resources

We hope that all of you have had a good summer, and you are rested and ready to begin a new Academic Year at UCN.

We recognize that these COVID times can be concerning and stressful for a whole variety of reasons. All of us have our own situations to manage through these times. Please be reminded of the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) available to UCN employees.

The Employee and Family Assistance Program is voluntary and confidential. For employees to utilize the service, they simply need to contact the EFAP, identify themselves as an employee of UCN, and the intake person will assist with the process.

The contact information for the EFAP is as follows:

(Winnipeg) 204-945-5786

(Toll Free) 1-866-669-4916

(TTY) 204-948-3401

http://www.manitoba.ca/csc/aboutcsc/efap/index.html

There are many resources available in our communities, and on-line. A number of resources have been reviewed, and the following list provides some very useful information to assist you, your family, friends and colleagues:

Take care – stay safe!

UCN Working from Home Guidelines

(Temporary Arrangements due to COVID-19) August 20, 2020

The following guidelines are for those who have approved work at home arrangements with their Supervisor. We recognize that many of you may not have envisioned working from home in your current role with University College of the North, and certainly not for an extended period of time. Therefore, we have put together these “Working from Home Guidelines” for your reference during this temporary situation when you may be working from home.

Please note that all of UCN’s regular policies and procedures continue to apply, as well as the provisions of the Collective Agreement for bargaining unit members, including hours of work.

For Supervisors:

• Check the UCN COVID-19 page regularly for updates

• It is important to continue to communicate regularly with employees who are working from home.

• Work collaboratively to establish daily work assignments (employees are to document work assignments and report progress regularly). It may help to establish daily check-ins with employees to provide direction and to monitor work progress (including setting daily/weekly goals) – whatever works best for your individual employees or team.

• Employees may request to take their office chair or other UCN property home during any work from home period. Please keep a record of what equipment/furniture each employee has moved to their home.

• Use technology for employees to work collaboratively through work assignments (i.e. email message, phone calls, text messaging, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc.).

• Hold regular video meetings through Microsoft Teams as needed to ensure everyone stays connected and has the necessary information and support to complete tasks.

• Support employees’ flexibility around work life balance through alternate work hours if the need arises, and where this is reasonable for the particular role.

• If employees are sick, or require other personal leave, they are to advise you and use appropriate leave to support their health and personal life, as is always the case. Please check with leavetime@ucn.ca if you have any questions about leave provisions.

• Ensure employees are using properly secure UCN equipment to store and share electronic information.

• Be sure to check-in with employees to ensure they are handling the stress of the situation appropriately, and offer resources and counselling services as required.

If you have any questions please email communications@ucn.ca

Some employees may have higher than usual concerns and stressors during these unprecedented times. As a Supervisor, you may hear from your employees who may be seeking assistance in this regard. Please refer to the information below:

Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) – this is a voluntary and confidential service

Employees are encouraged to contact the EFAP as follows: (Winnipeg) 204-945-5786 (Toll Free) 1-866-669-4916 Email: efap@gov.mb.ca

For Employees:

• Check the UCN COVID-19 page regularly for updates.

• It is important to continue to communicate on a regular basis with your Supervisor.

• Establish daily work assignments (document work assignments and report progress regularly). Your supervisor may work with you to set daily/weekly goals.

• Use technology to work collaboratively through work assignments (i.e. email messages, phone calls, text messaging, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc.). Prepare as though you are attending the office at your regular work schedule – a meeting may be called at any time through the day, and you may not want to be on video through Microsoft Teams in your pjs!

• Choose a dedicated workspace and set it up like your office to the extent possible. Employees may request to take their office chair or other UCN property home during any work from home period.

• If you are sick, please use appropriate sick leave to support your well-being. If you do not have sick leave accrued, you may have the option when requesting leave to use other types of paid leave (if available) to cover the period of absence. Otherwise, as is the case currently, leave without pay is to be submitted on the leave form.

• Ensure you are using properly secure UCN equipment to store electronic information.

• The same as when you are at the office, you are not to use regular work hours to attend to personal responsibilities (eg. shopping, personal appointments, gym, laundry, etc.) or spend time on social media (other than during specific break times). Of course many external activities are curtailed due to COVID-19; however, it is important to keep in mind that if personal time is required, you are to work with your supervisor to receive approval (i.e. vacation, family related leave, OT, etc.) through the regular leave request process.

• Please ensure you are available for meetings or phone calls during your regular working hours as required. Employees may be called back to UCN on short notice if the need arises.

• As you normally would if you are working at a UCN location, check your email and work phone number(s) on a regular basis.

• At this time, based on the advice from professional tax and legal services, T2200s will not be issued by UCN for employees who are temporarily working from home.

If you have any questions please email communications@ucn.ca

Some employees may have higher than usual concerns and stressors during these unprecedented times.

Please be reminded of the counselling services available to UCN employees:

Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) – this is a voluntary and confidential service

Employees are encouraged to contact the EFAP as follows: (Winnipeg) 204-945-5786 (Toll Free) 1-866-669-4916 Email: efap@gov.mb.ca

Schools and daycares are closing. I still have to come to work. What do I do if I have children?

Please keep in mind that as in any other situation, it remains the employee’s responsibility to find alternate care for children (or other family members if this is necessary) where possible. With previous notification that schools and daycares are closing, it is assumed that employees are already working on making other arrangements (e.g. other family members/friends caring for children, splitting time at home with others, etc.).

Will UCN pay for my home internet costs?

UCN is not considering paying for home internet for employees at this time.

What if I make ever effort, but I'm not able to make alternate childcare arrangements?

Work from home (full or part time) may be arranged where appropriate and possible. Arrangements are to be made between the employee and their supervisor. It must be recognized that some work can be done from home and other tasks cannot. Maximum flexibility, creativity and any ideas will be considered. Any work at home arrangement must be approved in writing by the employee’s supervisor.
Flexibility in hours of work will also be considered between the supervisor and the employee. There is potential for working part-time hours, evenings/weekends rather than regular days/times so families/friends can split the care needs if necessary so that employees can attend work at different times where possible.
Submit leave request to use vacation, over time, or Family Related leave (if applicable and eligible based on available sick leave). Employees are entitled to up to five (5) FRL days leave with pay each fiscal year (April 1 to March 31) for attending to family responsibilities which are “real, immediate and unavoidable and which necessitate the employee’s absence from work”. UCN has agreed to allow an extra five (5) FRL days leave until March 31, 2021 due to COVID.
Submit leave request for Leave Without Pay.

I have recently returned from travelling. What do I do?

If you are returning from any travel outside of Canada, please notify your supervisor and humanresourcesdepartment@ucn.caand you will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.

If you are returning from travel outside of Manitoba but inside of Canada, please follow the health professional’s guidelines in regards to what has been put in place to self-isolate. UCN recommends that people returning from inter-provincial travel self-monitor for signs of COVID-19.

Employees should check the Province of Manitoba COVID-19 travel guidelines at http://www.manitoba.ca/covid19/restartmb/prs/index.html#collapse6for travel within the Province of Manitoba and inter-provincial travel guidelines.

Employees who have to self-isolate for 14 days may use the options available in question 2 (a) above, after discussion with, and approval by, their supervisor. Employees may also use sick leave for this unforeseen circumstance.

I have upcoming travel plans – what do I do?

It is important to note that, effective immediately, if you have any upcoming travel plans and have not left yet, and you still plan to travel despite the warnings, then you must include the 14-day isolation period upon your return. This will need to be submitted as vacation leave, OT or Leave Without Pay.

If you are returning from out of country travel, you will be required to self-isolate for 14 days, as noted above.

I'm worried about COVID-19. I want to stay home to prevent getting the illness. What are my options?

Staff may decide what’s best for their household. These are difficult times, with many difficult decisions needing to be made.

If you choose to stay home but are not experiencing any flu- or cold-like symptoms and do not need to self-isolate for reasons outlined by health professionals, then you can submit a request for vacation leave, OT, or leave without pay.

It is very important to ensure that staff and students who are returning to the work place, that have had any COVID-19 symptom(s), even if mild, follow the guidelines provided by Manitoba Health to decrease the potential transmission of COVID-19 at UCN.

If I have flu- or cold-like symptoms, what should I do?

mployees experiencing flu- or cold-like symptoms including fever, cough, shortness of breath, or any combination of these signs must stay home and submit a sick leave form. If sick leave is not available, alternate forms of leave can be utilized (e.g. vacation, OT, leave without pay).

If you have a fever higher than 38 degrees Celsius, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing or any other symptoms call Manitoba Health Links (1-888-315-9257).

Please access the on-line screening tool from Shared Health Manitoba (https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/screening-tool/).

If a member of my household has COVID-19 or displays flu or cold like symptoms, what should I do?

Public Health Official have issued the following guidelines to stay at home in the following instances:

Individuals identified as having COVID-19 or a close contact of someone with COVID-19 must immediately enter mandatory isolation/self-isolation (quarantine) until public health officials advise they can end isolation/self-isolation (quarantine).
Household members or close contacts of a person or persons with COVID-19 must immediately go into mandatory self-isolation (quarantine) for 14 days from the last date of exposure and call Health Links--Info Santé (204-788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257) if they develop symptoms.

If you are awaiting test results or have a member of the household who has tested positive for COVID-19 and are unable to work productively from home, you are able to use sick leave, family related leave, vacation leave or leave without pay.

Will I be paid when I am off sick?

If you have accumulated sick leave, you should submit a leave form to use your accumulated sick leave to continue receiving pay. If you do not have sick leave accumulated, then as it the case with any other illness, you may opt to use other accumulated time for paid leave (e.g. vacation, over time).

I am worried about the COVID-19 situation. Who can I talk to?

We understand that the current world health situation can cause a lot of stress for you and your family. Our EFAP program is a safe place to talk through your worries and concerns. This benefit is available for all staff and their immediate families. Here is the contact information for the EFAP:

(Winnipeg) 204-945-5786
(Toll-Free)  1-866-669-4916
(TTY)  204-948-3401
http://www.manitoba.ca/csc/aboutcsc/efap/index.html

I'm worried about COVID-19 and would like to talk with someone about it. Who can I talk to?

(Winnipeg) 204-945-5786

(Toll Free) 1-866-669-4916

(TTY) 204-948-3401

http://www.manitoba.ca/csc/aboutcsc/efap/index.html