Dear UV Staff,
First, we want to thank you for your continued loyalty and care of our residents during this trying time. We realize the COVID-19 situation has transformed our lives and caused a great deal of disruption to you personally. You have stayed strong and our community continues to operate well because of your efforts.
Many of you have sought clarification on policies with respect to this ever-changing situation. There is no change to our very generous PTO policy and please know that this time is available for you to use, should you need to. While University Village employees are exempt from the recent DOL Families First Coronavirus Response Act (see excerpt and link below) please know that each incident is evaluated and treated individually as we want to minimize the risk of exposure to others. Of course, we will work with any of you who may need special accommodation, during this crisis, on a case by case basis. We value you and want to ensure your own health and safety, even as we all do our part to protect the health and safety of our seniors and one another.
We have a great responsibility to our residents who need us now more than ever. In light of our current situation, I would like to reiterate that our policy, as it pertains to absences and calling in, also remains unchanged. Many families are reliant upon us entirely for the care, and in some cases the only source of communication, for their loved ones. I cannot fathom how difficult it must be for the loved ones of our residents to relinquish all control and rely upon faith to ensure the appropriate care for their spouse, or parent or sibling during this time of isolation. It is asking so much and this is the responsibility each of us hold as health care professionals. We thank you for going above and beyond the call of duty every day, every time.
Understanding that all of us respond differently to stress, practicing patience and allowing a bit of grace will go a long way in making our world, at University Village, a better place. As some individuals may be sent away from work due to specific symptoms and others may be referred by their physician for testing, please understand it is our responsibility to ensure this information, as with any individual medical issue, remains private and confidential. I want to reiterate that University Village has not had any positive cases. In the event that we do, we will ensure all individuals who may have been exposed are informed while maintaining the privacy of any potentially affected individual. We ask that, should you be privy to this information, you do the same. Our goal is to maintain transparency while respecting individual rights to privacy as it relates to health information.
We are all in this together as we navigate through our new normal. Please know that we are here to support you in any way we can. A list of resources, addressing some of the common concerns and questions, is available below. Should you have any questions, please let me know. We are here to help!
Sincerely,
Wynter Hill-Ferrell
Human Resources Director
State of Oklahoma Resources:
https://govstatus.egov.com/oklahoma-coronavirus-information
City of Tulsa Resource Center:
https://www.cityoftulsa.org/covid-19
City of Tulsa Housing Impacts:
“Evictions are suspended in Tulsa County. Any tenant who receives an eviction or foreclosure notice does not have to move out until a law enforcement official or a court tells them to do so. Because civil hearings are suspended, residents cannot be forced from their homes until April 15 at the earliest. Read additional eviction FAQs at: www.cityoftulsa.org/residents/coronavirus-covid-19/businesses-closed-under-civil-emergency/ “
OKDHS Benefits (Child Care, SNAP, WIC, TANF, Medicaid, etc):
Community Care COVID-19 Testing and Treatment Coverage:
https://www.ccok.com/News/2020/Coronavirus/
Department of Labor FFCRA Q&A:
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-questions
“For the purposes of employees who may be exempted from paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave by their employer under the FFCRA, a health care provider is anyone employed at any doctor’s office, hospital, health care center, clinic, post-secondary educational institution offering health care instruction, medical school, local health department or agency, nursing facility, retirement facility, nursing home, home health care provider, any facility that performs laboratory or medical testing, pharmacy, or any similar institution, employer, or entity. This includes any permanent or temporary institution, facility, location, or site where medical services are provided that are similar to such institutions.”
