IU President Michael McRobbie addressed concerns about employees’ pay and job status for the remainder of the semester in an email sent Monday to students, faculty and staff.
McRobbie said employees are expected to continue working either remotely or on campus if necessary, but employees whose supervisors decide they are unable to work as a result of the coronavirus pandemic will continue to receive their “full normal pay.”
Employees will not be required to use any sick time, vacation or paid time off for reasons related to COVID-19.
IU spokesperson Chuck Carney said every employee, including student employees, will get paid for the hours they are normally scheduled for. He said any hourly employee who is determined to be essential and required to work on campus will receive a a time-and-a-half pay premium when working on campus. Carney said employees will continue to receive the benefits they have through their position.
“This is a proactive step on behalf of the university that we hope provides people with some comfort,” Carney said.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, signed into law March 18, is meant to address income continuation but doesn’t go into effect until April 2, according to the National Law Review. McRobbie said IU is acting sooner to provide job and pay security for faculty, staff and academic appointees including graduate students and temporary workers.
McRobbie said these policies will continue until either the normal end of an employees’ employment, the end of the COVID-19 situation at IU or through the end of this academic year on June 30, 2020. The situation will be reassessed if the pandemic continues, he said.
IU will be putting all staff recruitment and hiring on hold as this situation continues but faculty searches will continue on a case by case basis. Carney said not all faculty searches will go forward, but IU will have to decide the criteria for which key position searches need to continue.
