Human Resources

COVID-19 Guidance and Resources for Faculty and Staff

On this page:

Red X on your Daily Health Screening?

You’ve tested positive for COVID-19?

Potentially exposed to someone with COVID-19?

Helpful Resources

Follow the instructions below to determine your next steps. If you need assistance, please contact the Office of Human Resources at 512.863.1435 .

1) Go to the CDC’s Symptoms of Coronavirus page.

2) Once on the CDC page, click the Coronavirus Self-Checker button, illustrated below: 

Coronavirus Self-Checker button

This will run the CDC’s Coronavirus Self-Checker, an interactive application that will ask you a series of questions about your symptoms and provide you with guidance on what to do next. 

3) If the Coronavirus Self-Checker instructs you to seek medical attention, please follow the recommendations and then notify the Office of Human Resources at 512.863.1435  for additional information.

1) Contact your healthcare provider, particularly if you (or someone in your household) have underlying health conditions.

2) Immediately self-isolate in accordance with the then-published CDC guidance for self-isolation, which currently states: “5 days since symptoms first appeared and 24-hours without fever without fever-reducing medications and COVID-19 symptoms have improved.”

3) Inform your Department Chair/Dean of the Faculty (for faculty members) or Supervisor (for staff members) to alert them of your anticipated absence from work (it is not required to disclose the reason), and, if applicable, discuss whether they approve you to teach/work remotely during your absence.

4) Remain at home or go home.

5) Contact the Human Resources department to confidentially discuss your situation.

6) Complete the Daily Health Check each day of your isolation period, and, if you are symptomatic in any way, complete the CDC’s Self-Checker .

7) Keep in contact with the HR department during the isolation period.

8) The return-to-work protocol is as follows:

  1. If you don’t have symptoms or you have symptoms that are improving within the first 5 days of isolation, and you have been following the CDC guidance for isolation/ending isolation, then you should send an email (or written note upon your return) to Elma Benavides in the HR department indicating that you have met the criteria to return to work after the 5th day of isolation. When you return to work on campus, you must wear a well-fitting mask for an
    additional 5 days any time you are around others.  
  2. If your symptoms don’t improve within the first 5 days of isolation or you are having severe
    symptoms, you will need to continue to self-isolate in accordance with CDC guidance and
    provide a return to work release from your healthcare provider. Note: if you have a fever,
    continue to stay home until your fever resolves. You should be fever-free for at least 24 hours without the aid of medication before returning to work.

Your next steps depend on your current vaccination and booster status:

  1. If you were exposed to someone with COVID-19 (or you’ve been identified as a “close
    contact”), and you have been boosted,
    OR you have completed the primary series of the Pfizer
    or Moderna vaccine within the last six (6) months,
    OR you completed the primary series of J&J
    vaccine within the last 2 months:
    1. You can report to work, but you must wear a well-fitting face covering for 10 days any time you are around others.
    2. You should get a COVID-19 test on day 5.

    If you develop symptoms, get a test and stay home until you receive your test result, then contact the HR office and follow the appropriate protocols.
  2. If you were exposed to someone with COVID-19 (or you’ve been identified as a “close
    contact”), and you completed the primary series of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over 6
    months ago and are not boosted,
    OR you completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months
    ago and are not boosted,
    OR you are considered by the University to be in the broader “unvaccinated” group (for example, you are exempted from vaccination, you have declined to disclose your vaccination/booster status, you are unvaccinated, etc.):
    1. Stay home (“self-quarantine”) for 5 days. After that continue to wear a mask at all times around others for 5 additional days.
    2. You should get a COVID-19 test on day 5.

    If you develop symptoms, get a test and stay home until you receive your test result, then
    contact the HR office and follow the appropriate protocols.