Employee Leave Policies for COVID-19

Caring for Yourself

For employees who are unable to work due to being ill with COVID-19, sick leave should be used to cover time away from work. If employees are unable to return to work after using five consecutive sick days, they will need to utilize short-term disability. Employees should contact human resources at bethelhr@bethel.edu if they need to begin using short-term disability.

Caring for Relatives

Sick leave can also be used to care for relatives ill with COVID-19, up to five days per occurrence, per relative. If the individual is still ill after using five days of sick leave, employees will be required to use accrued paid leave (vacation and/or personal leave) for the duration of that occurrence.

Quarantine Policy

Employees will not be allowed on campus for 14 days after they have been in direct contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 (clinically or test-confirmed). Employees may return after day 10, if they test on day 7 and receive a negative result, and are symptom free.  Direct contact is defined as being with the person infected for 15 minutes or more at less than 6 feet distance. All other contact is considered indirect and does not necessitate being quarantined. If quarantined, employees must/will:

1. Inform their supervisor.
2. Work remotely to the degree their position allows.
3. Record their quarantine time as C19 on their timesheet, if they are non-exempt. Exempt staff do not need to report anything.
4. Be paid at 100% during this time.
5. Begin using sick leave and short-term disability, as needed, if they become ill with COVID-19 during quarantine.

According to the CDC, an infected person can spread COVID-19 starting from 48 hours before the person has any symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19.