This appendix is intended to provide additional detail and context to information contained in the UWG Return to Work Plan. Information included in this appendix represents up-to-date content as of its writing. Content in this appendix will be updated to represent changes necessitated by changes to the COVID-19 response, new guidance from the CDC, USG, or GDPH, or improved processes.

Definitions

Office and Service Space Access

• Customer Service/Transaction Spaces - locations where intentional and/or transactional interactions occur on a frequent basis
• Meeting/Conference spaces - department conference rooms, small meeting spaces for fewer than 10 occupants
• Office Service Spaces - shared break rooms, copy rooms, kitchens, mail rooms
• Office Secondary Spaces - storage areas, non-occupied offices, etc.
• Building Service Spaces - HVAC rooms, power/data closets, custodial closets

Contact Categories

• Employee - Limited Contact - employees whose role involves little to moderate direct interaction with other employees, students, or individuals. These employees shall use General Purpose Face Coverings unless their job duty requires use of more protective face covering.
• Employee - Service Contact - employees who interact with other employees, students, or individuals on a frequent, ad-hoc nature due to job role e.g. custodial, maintenance/repair, IT, dining services, transportation, etc. These employees shall use a face covering appropriate with the type of interactions they will be experiencing.
• Employee - Public Contact - employees whose role includes intended, intentional direct contact with other employees, students, or individuals e.g. Point-of-Sale locations, Office of Student Accounts and Billing Services Service Windows, Transportation Service Windows, Ticket Sales windows, etc. These employees shall use a face covering appropriate with the type of interactions they will be experiencing.

Staffing

Each division Vice President will develop a plan for the unique needs of each division for all phases of the phased return to campus. This decision-making process will take into consideration needs for each phase and the safety of employees.

Service and Operations Staff

Service and Operations Staff includes employees whose primary responsibility encompasses stewardship of campus assets, delivery of essential services, and public safety. These employees are often mobile or itinerant and are rarely office based. As such, their workplace and safety requirements are unique and require special consideration under this plan. Service and operations staff include but are not limited to:

• Facilities services (maintenance, custodial, and grounds)
• Construction Project Managers
• Food Services
• Transportation
• ITS service technicians
• Logistics (shipping, receiving, delivery, and post office)
• University Police

Hygiene (Individual Responsibility)

Social Distancing

• Maintain at least six feet apart from other individuals
• No physical contact with other individuals except for emergency response

Hand-washing

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds per CDC guidance.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover your cough and sneezes with a tissue or inside of your elbow.
• Use elbows to open/close doors and turn off water faucets when feasible

Face Coverings

• General Purpose Face Covering - cloth face mask prepared per CDC recommendations for covering the nose and mouth of an individual 
• Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Face Covering- specialized face mask specifically intended to reduce the risk of exposure by the user or other individuals 
• N95 Respirator- Task-specific PPE provided to an employee by their supervisor for qualifying job requirements

Cleaning

Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily (keyboard, mice, desk surface, chair handles, door knobs, copy machine, shared computers) at the beginning and end of a work shift.

Sanitation

Sanitation refers to the regularly scheduled and on-demand cleaning activities performed by Facilities personnel as required to sustain established cleanliness standards for building occupants, customers, and guests.

• Common Areas - entrances, lobbies, atriums, corridors, elevators, stairs, restrooms
• High Density Areas - transaction zones, food service, retail, vending, recreation/wellness, high traffic areas
• Instructional Areas - classrooms, labs, collaboration space, research, libraries
• Gathering Areas - meeting rooms, ballrooms, auditoriums, Kennedy Chapel, lecture halls (used as meeting space), other large gathering spaces with capacity > 75 people
• Office Areas - private offices, open offices, office services, internal hallways
• Athletic Areas - gymnasiums, locker rooms, workout rooms, athletic fields
• Building Service Areas - power/data closets, mechanical Rooms, custodial closets
• Residential Areas - resident bedrooms, suites, apartments, bathrooms, community bathrooms, study spaces, lounges, community rooms, and related spaces
• COVID-19 Exposed Space Response - follow CDC, GDPH guidance on cleaning

Scheduling and Workplace

Remote Work

• Employee completes job duties from off campus
• Requires procedures regarding computer equipment, office supplies, access to networks, work assignment, remote meetings, etc.

Scheduling

• Normal Schedule - full duties conducted on site
• Fully Remote - full duties conducted from off-campus
• Hybrid schedule - combination of on-site and remote work to complete full duties
• Shifting - full duties conducted on site in designated shifts
• Hybrid-Shifting - combination of on-site and remote work across a team using shared space

Workspaces

• Open Office - 60 SF per employee (minimum)
• Private Office - 90 SF for one employee plus 60 SF per additional employee
• Utilize scheduling options to maximize space and employee safety

Processes

• Transactional processes that involved face-to-face interactions
• Document signing processes
• Meeting processes

Gatherings

• Small Meeting/Conference spaces (<20 seats) at half occupancy (Max 10 occupants per 600 SF)
• Large Gathering Areas (>600SF) at 10 occupants per 600 SF with social distancing

Travel

• Non-Essential travel is prohibited
• All essential travel must be documented and approved
• Individuals returning from travel must follow defined return to work protocols defined for possible exposure to COVID-19

Faculty/Staff Monitoring

1. Self-Reporting Current Health

1. Employees will report their temperature daily prior to coming to work. If anyone does not have a thermometer at home, one will be provided for them upon arrival.

2. Employees will review the list of symptoms for potential COVID-19 infection and confirm that they are symptom-free. Symptoms of Coronavirus

3. Employees will confirm if they have been in contact with an individual confirmed positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days. (Positive answer will require following Return to Work Process step 3.2)

4. Employees will indicate if they have traveled outside of the country within the past 14 days. (Positive answer will require following Return to Work Process step 3.2) 

5. If the employee has a temperature above 100.4 or manifests any of the listed symptoms, they will immediately notify their supervisor.

6. Employees will follow the Return to Work Process based on the following results: a.They are tested and test negative (Employee may return to work with Manager approval) b. Tested and are positive for COVID-19 (Employee must follow Return to Work Process step 3.1) c. Are not tested, presumed to have COVID-19 (Employee must follow Return to Work Process step 3.1)

7. If an employee tests positive for COVID-19, they will self-report to their immediate supervisor, who will follow COVID-19 Reporting Process.

2. COVID-19 Reporting Process

1. Manager will notify their applicable Vice President. 
2. VP will notify the Medical Director of Health Services, who will notify GDPH. 
3. VP will also notify the President’s Office to provide USG notification.

3. Return to Work Process

For persons recovered from COVID-19 illness (isolation protocol)

1. CDC recommends that isolation be maintained for at least 10 days after illness onset and at least 3 days (72 hours) after recovery. 
2. Illness onset is defined as the date symptoms begin. 
3. Recovery is defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications with progressive improvement or resolution of other symptoms. Ideally, isolation should be maintained for this full period to the extent that it is practicable under rapidly changing circumstances.

For persons who come in contact with COVID-19 positive individuals

1. Employee will self-quarantine for 10 days
2. If no symptoms develop during their quarantine, then they are free to return to work.
3. If symptoms occur or are tested positive for COVID-19, Employee will notify their supervisor; and Employee will begin isolation protocol identified in 3.1.

Communications

Communications plans have been developed such that pertinent information is shared with both internal and external stakeholders in a timely, consistent manner. Potential messaging could include communications related to this phased return of faculty and staff; how faculty and staff will be trained before their return to work; any changes to the university’s response to COVID-19; and any changes related to large-scale events, including Homecoming, UWG Athletics seasons, etc.

The Return to Campus plan, which includes Phase IV – the full return of academic units and students – has been submitted to the University System of Georgia for approval.