Employees who can work from home are required to do so
Dear Furman Community,
As we continue to work through the rapidly developing COVID-19 pandemic, the health and safety of Furman faculty, staff and students is our priority. While the university will continue its operations, starting tomorrow, March 17, all Furman employees who are able to work from home will be required to do so until further notice, in an effort to minimize the potential spread of the virus. This is mandatory in the interest of the health and safety of the remote employees as well as of the employees who must work on campus; the fewer people on campus, the less chance of spreading infection.
To be clear, the university is continuing normal business to the extent possible, and employees will continue to receive their normal pay and benefits, whether working remotely or on-site. To fulfill this goal, however, requires that everyone be as flexible as possible. The vice president of your division will work with supervisors to determine who will work remotely and who must continue to work on campus, and other potential changes to duties or hours. Please refer to the HR website for an FAQ with more information.
We also remain committed to completing the academic year and will follow up soon with more information about the academic calendar.
The university has also decided to close the Physical Activities Center (PAC) and the Child Development Center starting tomorrow, March 17. The library will be open this week; however, access will be restricted to faculty and library staff who are completing training for remote teaching, and the library will close starting Saturday, March 21.
Our health partner, Prisma Health, is advising all employees and students who think they may have COVID-19 symptoms to use the online virtual visit feature instead of going to a physical health clinic. The virtual visit will provide referrals for COVID-19 testing when warranted.
I deeply appreciate everyone’s understanding and grace as we navigate this difficult situation. Please continue to support and help one another and take care of yourselves.
Warmly,
Elizabeth