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<p>The coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a global impact and the changes that it has caused are far reaching and drastic. In its effort to respond to the pandemic, the College has taken a measured approach, keeping the health and safety of our students and staff at the forefront. Much of our decisions have been guided by information from SUNY, the Governor's Office, the Monroe County Executive's Office, and the state and local departments of health; when reviewing the guidance from these external sources, the College has acted with the best interests of our employees and students in mind and in harmony with the <a href="https://www.monroecc.edu/about-mcc/history-mission/">College's values</a>.</p>
<p>To that end, at the outset of the pandemic, the College made a decision to continue paying part-time employees 12 hours per week, regardless of time worked, with the understanding that for any employee who worked more than 12 hours in a week, the College would make up the difference in pay at a later date. This decision was consistent with information that we had received from SUNY and the suggestion of the Governor of New York that we work to insulate employees to the extent possible from the disruptions and losses caused by the pandemic.</p>
<p>Since that decision to pay part-time employees was made, the landscape surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic has changed. Both the state and the federal governments have passed emergency legislation designed to assist workers and families with the loss of work and pay through emergency paid sick leave and an emergency extension of paid Family and Medical Act leave. For your reference, a copy of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act poster is attached.</p>
<p>It has become clear that the duration of the PAUSE period in New York State is uncertain, but will likely last for several weeks. Given the new state and federal benefits that have been introduced and the waiver of the waiting period for unemployment benefits, the College will cease paying part-time employees who are not performing any work for the College on March 30, 2020.</p>
<p>Beginning March 31, 2020, part-time employees will be paid for all hours worked on the regular payroll cycle. Part-time employees who are unable to work remotely due to the nature of their work, their inability to access technology or the internet, or the lack of hours available are encouraged to file for unemployment benefits to make up for their lost wages. Information regarding unemployment benefits and how to file for those benefits can be found at: <a href="https://applications.labor.ny.gov/IndividualReg/">https://applications.labor.ny.gov/IndividualReg/</a>. A reduction in hours or a layoff is sufficient reason to qualify for unemployment benefits.</p>
<p>Because of the fiscal strain that the pandemic is placing on the College, part-time hiring will be reviewed when the College resumes its normal operations. All part-time employees who were working prior to the pandemic will be given priority for part-time openings that are available at that time.</p>
<p><strong><em>Clarification to Prior Human Resources Update<br /></em></strong>To clarify the earlier Human Resources Update, faculty members who are teaching overload will receive pay for overload that began before March 18, 2020 and was entered into the system. Adjunct instructors with assignments that began before March 18, 2020 will also receive pay as regularly scheduled.</p>
<p>The reference in the prior Human Resources update to additional overload compensation or other non-regular compensation was related to <em>administrative</em> overload, not teaching overload, and we regret that this created confusion. To reiterate, administrative overload or other non-regular compensation that was not in place prior to March 18, 2020 will not be paid until the College returns to some onsite payroll processing, as that information is processed through a paper format that cannot be completed remotely.</p>
<p><strong><em>COVID-19 Leave Bank<br /></em></strong>In conjunction with the leadership of both the Faculty Association and the Civil Service Employees' Association, the College is examining the option of creating a leave bank where employees may be given an opportunity to donate leave time to a bank that will be used to grant paid leave to fellow employees who are not able to work remotely or to work at all due to issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. More information regarding this effort will be provided shortly.</p>

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MCC Daily Tribune

Human Resources/Payroll Update

MCC has spent the last few weeks managing the changes in operations that have been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic, which led to orders regarding social distancing and other non-pharmaceutical measures to stop the spread of the disease, required the College to move to distance learning for its students and to working remotely for its employees. The College is still open for business and we are delivering our educational programs and supports to students despite all of the changes that have occurred.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a global impact and the changes that it has caused are far reaching and drastic. In its effort to respond to the pandemic, the College has taken a measured approach, keeping the health and safety of our students and staff at the forefront. Much of our decisions have been guided by information from SUNY, the Governor's Office, the Monroe County Executive's Office, and the state and local departments of health; when reviewing the guidance from these external sources, the College has acted with the best interests of our employees and students in mind and in harmony with the College's values.

To that end, at the outset of the pandemic, the College made a decision to continue paying part-time employees 12 hours per week, regardless of time worked, with the understanding that for any employee who worked more than 12 hours in a week, the College would make up the difference in pay at a later date. This decision was consistent with information that we had received from SUNY and the suggestion of the Governor of New York that we work to insulate employees to the extent possible from the disruptions and losses caused by the pandemic.

Since that decision to pay part-time employees was made, the landscape surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic has changed. Both the state and the federal governments have passed emergency legislation designed to assist workers and families with the loss of work and pay through emergency paid sick leave and an emergency extension of paid Family and Medical Act leave. For your reference, a copy of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act poster is attached.

It has become clear that the duration of the PAUSE period in New York State is uncertain, but will likely last for several weeks. Given the new state and federal benefits that have been introduced and the waiver of the waiting period for unemployment benefits, the College will cease paying part-time employees who are not performing any work for the College on March 30, 2020.

Beginning March 31, 2020, part-time employees will be paid for all hours worked on the regular payroll cycle. Part-time employees who are unable to work remotely due to the nature of their work, their inability to access technology or the internet, or the lack of hours available are encouraged to file for unemployment benefits to make up for their lost wages. Information regarding unemployment benefits and how to file for those benefits can be found at: https://applications.labor.ny.gov/IndividualReg/. A reduction in hours or a layoff is sufficient reason to qualify for unemployment benefits.

Because of the fiscal strain that the pandemic is placing on the College, part-time hiring will be reviewed when the College resumes its normal operations. All part-time employees who were working prior to the pandemic will be given priority for part-time openings that are available at that time.

Clarification to Prior Human Resources Update
To clarify the earlier Human Resources Update, faculty members who are teaching overload will receive pay for overload that began before March 18, 2020 and was entered into the system. Adjunct instructors with assignments that began before March 18, 2020 will also receive pay as regularly scheduled.

The reference in the prior Human Resources update to additional overload compensation or other non-regular compensation was related to administrative overload, not teaching overload, and we regret that this created confusion. To reiterate, administrative overload or other non-regular compensation that was not in place prior to March 18, 2020 will not be paid until the College returns to some onsite payroll processing, as that information is processed through a paper format that cannot be completed remotely.

COVID-19 Leave Bank
In conjunction with the leadership of both the Faculty Association and the Civil Service Employees' Association, the College is examining the option of creating a leave bank where employees may be given an opportunity to donate leave time to a bank that will be used to grant paid leave to fellow employees who are not able to work remotely or to work at all due to issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. More information regarding this effort will be provided shortly.

Attached Files:
Employee Rights COVID_ADA.pdf

Melissa Fingar
Human Resources
03/31/2020