Universal Mask Policy
To help prevent inadvertent asymptomatic spread of coronavirus among our essential staff, beginning on Monday, April 6, all members of our workforce accessing any of our facilities on the Worcester campus will receive a face mask upon entering. Employees must wear these face masks at all times while on the premises. This policy is fully aligned with that of UMass Memorial Medical Center.
COVID-19 Cases Among UMMS Students and Staff
To date at UMMS, three GME residents, two other employees and one student have confirmed cases of COVID-19. Thankfully, all are recovering at home. To the best of our knowledge, these cases were all transmitted through community contacts outside of UMMS. In each case, our protocol for contact tracing and facility decontamination (where needed) was quickly and successfully implemented. All contacts already have been informed. These cases, however, demonstrate the necessity for us to maintain our policies for working remotely and exercising social distancing.
Continuation of Remote Work for Most Employees
In alignment with federal and state public health guidance, UMMS is extending until May 2 all social distancing practices, including work from home for all employees who have been designated to do so.
As was discussed in detail at this week’s UMMS Virtual Town Hall meeting, UMMS employees will continue to be paid for an additional month, through Saturday, May 2 (which will be reflected in the May 15 pay checks). We appreciate that most of our workforce continues to be highly productive and responsive to the Medical School’s mission areas. Individuals with any questions about their status or work expectations should consult with their manager.
As we all recognize, the pandemic and its impact on our nation are evolving rapidly. Given that the federal government is expected to provide relief to many Americans in the coming weeks, we shall be taking this and other factors into consideration as we determine a course of action after May 2.
Families First Coronavirus Response Act
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which was passed into law March 18, extends certain additional benefits to employees, including paid sick leave for COVID-19 related illness and expanded family and medical leave coverage to address the lack of childcare due to the pandemic. The provisions of FFCRA will apply from April 1-Dec. 31, 2020, and an informational poster provided by the Dept. of Labor is attached. Employees with questions about the Act as it pertains to their personal situations should contact Paul Smith, Manager, Employee Relations, Investigations and HR Compliance at paul.smith@umassmed.edu or 508-856-1284.
Early Graduation Ceremony Held for SOM Class of 2020
It was a proud moment this past Tuesday at noon – albeit one we hope is truly once-in-a-lifetime! – when UMMS held a virtual Commencement ceremony for graduates in the School of Medicine’s Class of 2020. It is believed to be the first-in-the-nation graduation among all medical schools. During the ceremony, we had the privilege to confer 135 Doctor of Medicine degrees two months ahead of schedule, enabling our newly minted physicians to join and bolster the Massachusetts health care workforce immediately to help take on the unprecedented COVID-19 challenge. Click here to watch this year’s inspiring ceremony.
Virtual Town Hall Meetings
The next UMMS Virtual Town Hall meeting will be held Tuesday, April 7 at 1 p.m.; the Zoom link has been sent to all via a calendar invitation. Updates, resources and helpful links related to the coronavirus can be found at www.umassmed.edu/coronavirus.
