Employee Reporting Procedures

Last updated April 29, 2021

Employees must immediately report if they are in quarantine or isolation.

All employees are required to immediately report if they have tested positive for COVID-19 or have been identified as a close contact. Employees may be notified of having tested positive, or having been identified as a close contact, by a positive case, the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH), a public health official, or a medical provider.

Reporting is necessary so appropriate public health measures can be implemented, and disinfection of UND spaces can occur. Employees must include if they have been on campus recently and where they have been.

ONLINE REPORTING FORM

Facts About Isolation and Quarantine

Isolation (Tested Positive)

Isolation is the separation of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 from people who are not sick.

• Lasts 10 days and cannot be shortened.
• If you have symptoms, the first day of your symptoms is Day 0. Your isolation period runs for 10 days following Day 0.
• If you do not have symptoms but test positive, the day of your test is Day 0. Your isolation period runs for 10 days following Day 0.
• If you have symptoms, and are tested, you should self-isolate at home pending your results.
• If you do not have symptoms, and have not been identified as a close contact, and participate in mass surveillance testing you do not need to self-isolate pending the test results.
• If you do not have symptoms, but test positive, your isolation period is 10 days following the test date. However, if you develop symptoms any day during your isolation period, your 10 day isolation period gets reset to 10 days following the date of onset of symptoms.

Quarantine (Close Contact)

Quarantine is the separation and restriction of the movement of people who were exposed to a positive case of COVID-19 to see if they become sick. A close contact is a person who has been within 6 feet of a positive COVID-19 case for a period of 15 minutes or more, cumulative over 24 hours.

Options to reduce quarantine for close contacts of a positive case of COVID-19 using symptom monitoring and diagnostic testing:

• Quarantine cannot be discontinued earlier than Day 7.
• Quarantine period continues following your most recent exposure to a positive COVID-19 case. If you are quarantining at home with a positive household member, you will need to quarantine throughout the positive cases isolation period plus the quarantine dates per CDC guidelines. A typical quarantine could last 20 days. A close contact’s quarantine, if quarantining separated from the positive case, can end after Day 10 without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring.
• Quarantine can end after Day 7 if a negative test is obtained within 48 hours of the end of the Day 7, and if no symptoms were reported during daily monitoring. The negative test may be a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or an antigen test. Antibody testing does not meet the criteria for reducing quarantine period.
• While in quarantine a close contact should test as soon as possible if symptoms develop.
• Continued symptom monitoring and wearing face covering must be continued throughout Day 14.
• If an employee learns that they have tested positive for COVID-19 during quarantine the employee should report the change in their status using the reporting protocol.
• An employee does not need to quarantine if they tested positive within 90 days of their close contact to a positive COVID-19 case, and they do not have symptoms.
• An employee does not need to quarantine if they completed their COVID-19 vaccinations at least 2 weeks prior to their close contact exposure to a positive case. For the two injection vaccination series, this refers to completion of both vaccinations.

Persons who are not included in the quarantine exemption following completion of vaccination include:

• Fully vaccinated inpatients and residents in healthcare settings.
• Fully vaccinated healthcare workers with higher-risk exposures (working in health care settings). Healthcare workers are advised to work with their employers for guidance. These healthcare workers would not be required to quarantine outside of their work environment.
• Fully vaccinated residents of non-healthcare congregate settings (correctional facilities, group homes) 

Fully vaccinated employees of non-healthcare congregate settings and high-density workplaces (food and manufacturing plants) do not need to quarantine if they do not have symptoms.

When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated

Next Steps

Once you have completed and submitted the online report, the appropriate HR Manager will reach out to you to discuss the next steps and options for you to continue working remotely if possible or what level of leave you are eligible for if unable to work.

Procedures

UND employees must follow these procedures in accordance with the guidance from the ND Department of Health (NDDoH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Sick Family Member Undergoing Testing

Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home undergoing testing for COVID-19:

Submit an online report and:

• MUST notify their supervisor and stay home and quarantine pending results of testing.
• Employee’s workplace will continue to receive routine cleaning procedures.
• Employee’s coworkers are expected to continue to report to work as usual if asymptomatic.

Family Member with COVID-19

Employees who are well but who have a family member at home diagnosed with COVID-19 will submit online report and will self-quarantine, avoid public places (shopping centers, movie theaters, stadiums, workplaces, etc.) and avoid public transportation for the duration of their household member’s isolation period plus the CDC recommended quarantine period. This ordinarily will involve self-quarantine for 17-20 days (10 days of household member’s isolation period plus 7-10 days beyond that.)

• Employee’s workplace will continue to receive routine cleaning procedures.
• Employee’s coworkers are expected to continue to report to work as usual if asymptomatic.
• Consideration may be given to UND employees identified as close contacts, but essential to the sustained operation of the University, to continue to work, provided practices as identified by the CDC are followed. Supervisors will contact UND’s COVID-19 point person, Jed Shivers’ office, at 701.777.3511 for additional information.

Sick Family Member Not Tested

Employee has a sick family member at home with respiratory symptoms, but has not been tested for COVID-19, and the employee is well:

• Employee must notify supervisor and stay home at least until sick family member is subsequently tested for COVID-19 and found to be negative.
• Sick family member should be encouraged to seek medical attention and be tested for COVID-19.
• Employee will self-quarantine at home, avoid public places (shopping centers, movie theaters, stadiums, workplaces, etc.) and avoid public transportation for the duration of household member’s presumed COVID-19 positive illness plus the CDC recommended quarantine period. This ordinarily will involve self-quarantine for 17-20 days (10 days of household member’s isolation period plus 7-10 days beyond that.)
• Employee’s workplace will continue to receive routine cleaning procedures.
• Employee’s coworkers are expected to continue to report to work as usual if asymptomatic.
• If employee is unable to work, they may use UND Dependent Care Sick Leave (NDUS HR Policy 7).
• Consideration may be given to UND employees identified as close contacts, but essential to the sustained operation of the University, to continue to work, provided practices as identified by the CDC are followed. Supervisors will contact UND’s COVID-19 point person, Jed Shivers’ office, at 701.777.3511 for additional information.

Employee Sick

Employees who are sick: 

• Will notify their supervisor and stay home.
• If employee is unable to work, they may use sick leave. (NDUS HR Policy 7).

Employees who appear to have symptoms upon arrival at work or who become sick during the day must:

• Immediately inform their supervisor.
• Immediately be separated from others.
• Immediately be sent home.
• Employee’s workspace will be closed off for 24 hours, or as long as feasible, prior to cleaning and disinfecting.
• Employee’s workplace common areas (bathrooms, breakroom, etc.) will be cleaned and disinfected.
• Employee’s coworkers will continue to work as usual if asymptomatic.
• The ill employee may use sick leave. (NDUS HR Policy 7).

Employee with COVID-19

Employee is confirmed to have COVID-19 infections: 

Individuals who have COVID-19 must isolate for at least 10 days. Isolation keeps someone who has the virus away from others.

• Symptomatic employee will self-isolate in their place of residence until the following three are met:
• Employee has not had a fever (temperature greater than 100.4 degrees) for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
• Employee’s symptoms have improved (for example, employee’s cough and shortness of breath have improved).
• At least 10 days have passed since employee’s first symptoms appeared.
• Asymptomatic (not experiencing any symptoms, but have tested positive) employee will self-isolate in their place of residence for 10 days following the date of their positive test.  Employee will submit an online report upon notification of positive results. If symptoms develop during the isolation period, length of isolation may be adjusted. 
• NDDoH will lead the case investigation. UND has a contact tracing team working under the NDDoH. When the NDDoH identifies a positive case as a UND student, faculty and staff the positive case will be assigned to the UND contact tracing team. The UND contact tracing team will assist with case investigation and contact tracing. The faculty and staff self-reporting link includes an email resource for employee questions.
• Cases who have tested positive:  
  • Are considered to have presumed immunity for 90 days following a positive COVID-19 test.
  • Should not retest for 90 days.
  • Are not required to isolate again for 90 days following their own isolation period, unless told to do so by the NDDoH, a public health official, or a health care provider.
  • Those identified as a close contact, are not required to quarantine again for 90 days following their own isolation period, unless told to do so by the NDDoH, a public health official, or a health care provider.
  • Persons experiencing new symptoms within 90 days following a positive test should consult a medical provider.
• Employee’s workspace will be closed off for 24 hours, or as long as feasible, prior to cleaning and disinfecting.
• Employee’s workplace common areas (bathrooms, breakroom, etc.) will be cleaned and disinfected.
• Health Care Workers will follow the NDDoH Guidance for Health Care Workers Return to work procedure.
• Employer will inform employee’s coworkers of their possible exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace, but maintain confidentiality of the employee as necessary. NDDoH will provide assistance with notification process.
• Employee’s coworkers identified as close contacts will be contacted the positive case, the NDDOH, a public health official, or a medical provider. If employee’s coworker is not contacted by NDDoH, the coworker was not considered to be a close contact.
• Close contact is defined by the NDDoH as:
• Being within 6 feet of a positive COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time (15 minutes or more cumulatively over a 24 hour period). Close contact can occur while caring for, living with, or sharing a health care waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case, or
• Having direct contact with infectious secretion of a COVID-19 case (being coughed on).
• Employee’s coworkers will self-monitor for symptoms (fever, cough, or shortness of breath).
• Employee’s coworkers will continue to work unless notified by the positive case, the NDDoH, a public health official, or a medical provider to stay home.

Employee Sick Not Tested

An employee has any of the following symptoms but was not tested:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Employee will self-isolate in their place of residence until the following three criteria are met:

• Employee has not had a fever (temperature greater than 100.4 degrees) for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
• Employee’s symptoms have improved (for example, employee’s cough and shortness of breath have improved).
• At least 10 days have passed since employee’s first symptoms appeared.

Employee Sick and Results Negative

Employee is tested and results indicate employee does not have COVID-19:

• Employee is able to return to work once the following criteria are met:
• Employee has had no fever (temperature greater than 100.4 degrees) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
• Employee’s other signs and symptoms of illness are improved.

Employee Close Contact

Employee thinks they may have been at the same location as a person who was diagnosed with COVID-19: 

• The NDDoH conducts interviews with all persons diagnosed with COVID-19. People who are identified as close contacts will be notified by the positive case, NDDoH, a public health official, or medical provider, and will receive instruction on quarantine and monitoring.
• Being in an indoor environment (e.g., store, workplace, restaurant) with someone who has COVID-19 is not necessarily considered having close contact.
• Employee who has not been contacted by the the positive case, NDDoH, a public health official, or a medical provider as a close contact will report to work as usual.

Secondary contacts are contacts of someone who has been identified as a close contact. 

• Employee will report to work as usual as long as employee is not sick.

Employee has completed the COVID-19 isolation period, has met the following criteria, and is prepared to return to work:

• Employee has not had a fever for at least 24 hours (temperature greater than 100.4 degrees) without the use of fever reducing medications.
• Employee’s other symptoms have improved (for example, cough and shortness of breath have improved).
• At least 10 days have passed since employee’s first symptoms appeared.
• Employees who did not have symptoms and tested positive, are allowed to return to work after 10 days have passed since their positive test, so long as they remained symptom free.
• Positive cases receive a “Release from Isolation” letter from the NDDoH. Employee is required to provide the release from isolation letter, or a copy of the letter from the NDDoH or their health care provider before returning to work. Letter or copy of letter will be submitted to the appropriate HR Manager for their area. HR Manager will inform employee’s supervisor of employee’s clearance to return to work. If the employee submits directly to their supervisor, that supervisor must send to the appropriate area HR Manager prior to allowing the employee to return.

Employee identified as a close contact and the positive case were all wearing face coverings consistently and correctly throughout their encounter.

• UND employees will follow the CDC guidelines, which do not allow self- monitoring as an exemption from quarantine.

Sick Leave

The North Dakota University System is no longer legally allowed to continue offer the Extended Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) or Extended Family Medical Leave Act (EFMLA) as a state employer. Going forward from January 1, 2021, benefited staff or faculty who are required to quarantine or isolate due to exposure to or a positive test for COVID 19, will need to use their sick or annual leave. While the employee might not necessarily be ill during quarantine, employees are permitted to use sick leave in this instance. If COVID causes a serious health issue for an employee or their family member, they might be eligible for regular Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protection and should apply for that protection accordingly.

Employee Assistance Program

Please remember that the Employee Assistance Program is available. The following is the EAP contact information:

The Village Business Institute
1201 25th St S
PO Box 9859
Fargo, ND 58106-9859
P: 1.800.627.8220
F: 701.451.5058

UND Designated Hotels

Faculty and staff arriving to North Dakota from international locations, excluding Canada, may choose to quarantine at a UND designated hotel. Faculty and staff will be able to do so at no cost to them.

UND Divisional HR Representatives

For questions regarding protected leaves and time off please contact your appropriate HR representative:

Provost/Academic Affairs
Becca Jacobson
rebecca.jacobson@UND.edu

VP Marketing & Communications, VP Student Affairs& Diversity, VP Finance & Operations (except Facilities) 
Kelsie Carrier
kelsie.carrier@UND.edu

School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Melissa Arnold
melissa.m.arnold@UND.edu

Facilities Management 
Misty Brustad
misty.brustad@UND.edu

President
Peggy Varberg
peggy.varberg@UND.edu