The following message was sent to Drexel faculty and staff on March 11.
As the University continues to closely monitor the evolving situation regarding the coronavirus, or COVID-19, we wanted to provide some further guidance and resources for faculty and professional staff. The health and safety of all community members are of the utmost importance here at Drexel.
Currently, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Drexel University, and most administrative operations are continuing as usual. Meanwhile, there are steps we can all take to help keep each other and our communities safe and healthy.
- Reporting COVID-19. If you believe you have symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough or difficulty breathing) or have come into contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, please contact your primary care provider for guidance and testing. Immediately after calling your provider, please contact covid19health@drexel.edu, providing your name and a phone number to be contacted by a Drexel representative. It is imperative that we are aware of any exposure risk to the members of the Drexel community.
- Drexel Health Plan Co-Pays. If you are on the Drexel medical plan, Drexel will cover the costs of COVID-19 screenings. If you are not on the Drexel plan and/or have questions about health insurance, you may contact Health Advocate 24/7 for assistance.
- Paid Time Off. While the University provides a generous time-off package for professional staff, we understand that the current situation may require additional flexibility. Therefore, Drexel is allowing professional staff to utilize future sick leave accruals to ensure they are paid for time taken off from work for the care of themselves or a family member. All faculty and professional staff who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms must remain off campus.
- Telemedicine benefit. To help reduce potential exposure, Drexel University is encouraging faculty and professional staff with minor health issues unrelated to COVID-19 to utilize telemedicine services, which allow you to see a board-certified doctor by secure video, phone or mobile app. If you are on the Drexel medical plan, effective March 13 through June 11, 2020, the co-pay for all telemedicine visits through MDLive will be waived. Please note, registration may take up to 20 minutes per covered person, so we encourage you to register in advance before using the service. For more information, please see the MDLive flyer [PDF].
- Avoid close contact in the workplace. In addition to washing hands and sanitizing personal and common spaces, make use of technology tools such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom conferencing, which are available to help you reduce instances of close group contact. Avoid hand-shaking and sharing communal food and beverages.
- Employee Disability Resources. If you have concerns related to a medical condition that you feel could rise to the level of a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact your HR Business Partner to request a reasonable accommodation and begin the interactive process.
- Caring for our community. Know the facts about coronavirus and help stop the spread of rumors and the stigmatization that unfortunately can arise during public health emergencies. Take care of yourself and each other, and know when and how to seek help. Drexel offers an Employee Assistance Program administered by Lincoln Financial Group that provides confidential, 24/7 counseling online or via toll-free phone call. For more information, please call 888.628.4824 or view the Lincoln Employee Assistance Program Brochure [PDF].
If you have questions related to specific circumstances in your work environment and/or available resources, contact your HR Business Partner.
Please continue to monitor Drexel's Response to Coronavirus for the most current official information, including the CDC's prevention tips. We are developing a series of FAQs that will help address questions you may have, and we expect to share those with you in the days ahead.
We hope that you continue to remain healthy, but in the event that you are feeling ill, please follow guidelines to stay home, rest, and contact your care providers if needed.
Regards,
Megan Weyler
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer