The following are a list of questions we have asked Penn State and are waiting on their response... we will provide updates as they come.

1) Will Penn State recognize this as a campus closure for UP and all Commonwealth Campuses?
2) Will our members who perform work get comp time for the hours they work?
3) Do those members who have childcare conflicts and are told to come to work have to use benefit time to miss work?
4) We want to extend the agreements about sick time and flexible schedule to the Governor time frame if extended.
5) Will those members who are told to report to work and told to quarantine because of themselves or if household family member is under quarantine be paid to stay at home?
6) Will those members who are required to work and call off sick or schedule a vacation day have to use their benefit time?
7) We have members who are currently out on a leave of absence, will they be paid by the University during this time?
8) When the University decides on the work force they need, they ask for volunteers by seniority order first and then force the junior members to work. If the unit gets enough volunteers, a rotation can be done among the volunteers. All parties have to agree to the rotation.
9) We may have situations when those members may have to contact with other employees due to work requirements (less then 6 feet), will we be given the proper PPE to perform that work. Things of respiratory, mask, face shield, and tyvek suit.
10) All safety and rules that govern the work to performed by our members be shared with the Union. Request that the Union and University create a safety task force that will govern all safety.
11) Request that we will be involved with conversation about the direction the University will go about the employment of the bargaining unit in mid April.
12) Provide the Union a list of life-sustaining areas or units that will require our members to work: Name of member, title of job, shift they will work, what work they perform.
13) Reimbursement of all parking pass fees for those who are told not to come to work.
14) How is the Governor’s order different from the following campuses: Abington, Great Valley, and Brandywine to the rest of the Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses and UP?
15) We have members that live in locations that have no internet, supervisor and Penn State should communicate to all member by phone, not just by email.
16) Members who max vacation, can they carry those extra days over max for those who are told to stay home?

As you heard from Dr. Barron during the virtual Town Hall meeting- we will be paid through the month of April and they are going to reassess mid April for the financial aspect going beyond.

We will request to be involved in those conversations. We will be addressing additional questions to clear up comp time for those who are coming to work, safety of those who are working, what is considered essential work and additional questions that may arise during these unprecedented times.

As we get the answer to any of our questions, we will post on Facebook and our Website. Remember that under the Governor's order, we will have to provide essential services. Thank you for your steadfast understanding and commitment to follow these orders.

Please call any Business Agents (Jon, Cliff or Jesika) if you have additional questions.

3/13/2020

Brothers and Sisters,

    I have been in communication with Penn State Human Recourses all week about the coronavirus. I have been asking question about our member’s health and safety. I have also asked to be involved with meetings about the health and safety with our members and have not been invited to one meeting. So, I am letting you know what I have been told. Today students start coming back to the University to get personal belongings and our members are being told to clean and escort student to their rooms. I have ask the University to write an SOP for our members. I have also asked that they take temperatures of all student before allowing access to buildings. I was told that was not feasible to do. Also, I asked that any member who is at high risk (as per the CDC) should not be in that environment with students. The high risk warning from the CDC:

Early information out of China, where COVID-19 first started, shows that some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness. This includes:

• Older adults
• People who have serious chronic medical conditions like:
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Lung disease

If a COVID-19 outbreak happens in your community, it could last for a long time. (An outbreak is when a large number of people suddenly get sick.) Depending on how severe the outbreak is, public health officials may recommend community actions to reduce people’s risk of being exposed to COVID-19. These actions can slow the spread and reduce the impact of disease.

If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is extra important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease.

So if you fall under this high risk warning from the CDC, I believe you have the right of refusal to perform the work of working in an environment of high risk contact with students. Article 35 allows the protection to do this.

1. If an employee has reason to believe that a particular assignment or piece of equipment or apparatus would present undue hazard to the employee or to others, the employee has responsibility for informing the employee’s supervisor of this condition.

If you are at high risk as per the CDC, you have the right to approach your supervisor for refusal of work.

In Solidarity,

Jon Light