Employee Health and Wellness

August 1, 2021 return to on-campus work

The University returned to traditional on-campus work as the default expectations for administrative and support functions (all non-faculty employees) beginning August 1, 2021 and in support of Rider’s vision for the 2021-22 academic year. Remote work arrangements after August 1, 2021, are governed by the updated Flexible Work Policy (PDF).

Revised flexible work policy

During the past year, we all adjusted to more remote-based work and departments found new and creative ways to stay connected and remain as productive as possible in a remote environment. While there is certainly something lost when our community is dispersed, and the importance of returning to campus grows with the return of students to the classroom and to campus in general, lessons learned from our remote work experiences can be applied to the post-pandemic work experiences to which we all look forward.

The recently revised Flexible Work Policy, which significantly expands certain employees' options to work remotely from what existed prior to the pandemic, has been adopted in light of these lessons learned, and in recognition of the complex and varied obligations all employees have, with both their personal and professional lives.

Medical accommodations

As we return to on-campus work, employees who have a diagnosed medical condition and resulting health concerns, even with a vaccine, are invited to consult with Human Resources about accommodations that may be available.

General workplace expectations

The following requirements are in effect for faculty and staff. These may be subject to change at any time as CDC and New Jersey guidelines continue to evolve. Where that is the case, it will be communicated via email and the website.

• Complete daily symptom monitoring via Campus Clear before coming to campus and only come to campus if you are cleared accordingly. Supervisors have the authority to check employees’ Campus Clear results.
   
• Employees who are not cleared by CampusClear must not come to campus, should monitor their symptoms and contact their primary health care provider when appropriate. You may not return to campus until you are symptom free, including being fever-free, for at least 24 hours. We encourage you to contact your primary health care provider as appropriate as well as your dean, division head or supervisor if you expect to be out for a period of time.
  
  COVID-19 symptoms overlap with those of other illnesses or conditions such as the common cold, flu, allergies, etc. Out of an abundance of caution, do not come to campus if you present any of the symptoms listed in CampusClear even if you are vaccinated. Also, do not come to campus if you are symptomatic and awaiting diagnostic COVID-19 test results. If you believe your symptoms are due to something other than COVID-19, please consult with your primary health care provider.
   
• Employees who are symptomatic and awaiting physician recommended COVID-19 test results must not come to campus for any reason. If you test negative, you may return to campus only when you are no longer symptomatic and are fever-free for 24 hours. If you test positive, you must notify Human Resources which will, in turn, conduct contact tracing and inform your dean, division head and/or supervisor. You can not return to campus until cleared by your primary health care provider.
   
• Employees who test positive for COVID-19 must contact Human Resources as soon as possible. You must not come to campus for any reason until you are cleared to do so by your primary health care provider. Rider will, in turn, conduct contact tracing as needed and inform your dean, division head or supervisor regarding quarantine or isolation requirements that will keep you from coming to campus for an extended time. 
• Physical distancing (6 feet) is NOT required outdoors nor in classrooms, residence halls, restrooms and other indoor public spaces (any space other than offices). 
• Students and employees are required to wear masks when instructed to do so by Rider’s contact tracers as per CDC and NJDOH guidance.  Otherwise, they are not required on campus, indoors or outdoors, regardless of vaccination status.  Anyone who wishes to wear a mask is certainly welcome to do so.
• In-person meetings can be held as normal pre-pandemic.  Employees are welcome to continue to use virtual meeting technology (such as Zoom), even if all participants are on campus.
   
• Ensure that guests complete the appropriate COVID-19 assumption of risk form before coming to campus.  You can find the form here.  Offices are required to file completed forms (this can be done electronically) themselves.
   
• Maintain healthy hygiene practices:  
  • Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and/or use hand sanitizer frequently. Additional hand sanitizer dispensers have been added throughout campus.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with your elbow. 
  • Regularly clean all high touch areas in your direct workspace.
  • Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.

Testing

Diagnostic testing

Employees are responsible for securing their own COVID-19 tests as needed via their primary health care provider, testing site or other testing provider. Human Resources has a list of available testing sites to share with you.

Surveillance testing

Rider will end its surveillance testing program for unvaccinated students and employees on March 30.

Reporting to Human Resources

Employees who are not cleared by CampusClear must not come to campus, should monitor their symptoms and contact their primary health care provider when appropriate. You may not return to campus until you are fever-free for at least 24 hours and your symptoms are improving. We encourage you to contact your primary health care provider as appropriate as well as Human Resources, your dean, division head or supervisor if you expect to be out for a period of time.

COVID-19 symptoms overlap with those of other illnesses or conditions such as the common cold, flu, allergies, etc. Out of an abundance of caution, do not come to campus if you present any of the symptoms listed in CampusClear even if you are vaccinated. Also, do not come to campus if you are symptomatic and awaiting diagnostic COVID-19 test results. If you believe your symptoms are due to something other than COVID-19, please consult with your primary health care provider. 

Employees who are symptomatic and awaiting physician recommended COVID-19 test results must not come to campus for any reason. 

If you test negative, you may return to campus only when you are no longer symptomatic and are fever-free for 24 hours. 

If you test positive, you must notify Human Resources so that Rider can conduct contact tracing and inform your dean, division head and/or supervisor. You can not return to campus until cleared by your primary health care provider.

Employees who test positive for COVID-19 must not come to campus and contact Human Resources as soon as possible.  Rider will conduct contact tracing, provide important information and inform your dean, division head or supervisor regarding quarantine or isolation requirements that will keep you from coming to campus for an extended time. 

Employees are asked to contact Human Resources and their supervisor to indicate that they have completed their quarantine or isolation. 

Contact tracing

Rider continues to work closely with the Lawrence Township Health Department to provide contact tracing for faculty, staff and students who test positive for COVID-19 and/or who come in close contact, as defined by the CDC, with someone who tests positive.

A close contact is someone who has been within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, with or without a mask, of someone who is COVID-19 positive.

Employees who receive a call from one of Rider’s contact tracers are expected to cooperate with them as part of their obligation as a member of the Rider community.  Contact tracers are trained and conduct their work with confidentiality and sensitivity. 

If you have any questions or concerns related to this information, please contact Rider’s lead contact tracer at 609-203-9955.

Rider follows CDC and New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) guidance regarding close contacts, quarantine and isolation.  Employees with any questions related to these areas should contact Chris Botti, Rider’s lead contact tracer, at 609-203-9955.

Close Contacts

A close contact is someone who has been within 6 feet of someone who is COVID-19 positive for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, with or without a mask.

Unvaccinated/Unboosted Employees: Unvaccinated or unboosted employees who come in close contact with someone who is  COVID-19 positive require quarantine.  They can not come to campus for the length of their quarantine.

• Quarantine lasts at least 5 full days (date of exposure is considered day 0).  
• Quarantine can end assuming the employee is asymptomatic or tests negative. 
• Those released from quarantine must wear a well-fitting mask around others for another 5 days.

Vaccinated/Boosted Employees: Fully vaccinated and boosted employees who come into close contact with someone who is  COVID-19 positive must wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days and get tested at least 5 days after the last close contact. They can come to campus and participate in work and activities as long as they are asymptomatic and follow these testing and masking guidelines.   

Employees who have had confirmed COVID in the last 90 days:  Employees who had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days who come into close contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive do NOT need to quarantine but must wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days. They are not required to get tested. They can come to campus and participate in work and activities as long as they are asymptomatic and follow these testing and masking guidelines.  

Fully vaccinated employees who live in a household with someone who is immunosuppressed, at increased risk of severe disease, or unvaccinated (including children <12 years of age) could also consider masking at home for 14 days following a known exposure or until they receive a negative test result. Most fully vaccinated individuals with no COVID-like symptoms do not need to quarantine or be restricted from classes, work or activities following an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 if they follow the testing and masking recommendation above.  Fully vaccinated employees should monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days following an exposure.

Close Contacts with Ongoing Exposure

Ongoing exposure refers to individuals who live in the same household with someone who is COVID-19 positive.

Unvaccinated Employees: Unvaccinated employees with ongoing exposure are required to get tested immediately when they are identified as a close contact.  They must quarantine immediately and throughout the isolation period of the person with COVID-19.  They must continue to quarantine for an additional 14 days starting the day after the end of the isolation for the COVID-19 positive individual.  They are required to test again 5 to 7 days after the end of the isolation of the infected household member.  They must also wear a mask when in contact with the person with COVID-19 throughout the person’s isolation period and with any other people in the home until quarantine ends.  

Vaccinated Employees: Vaccinated employees with ongoing exposure are required to get tested 5 to 7 days after their first exposure. A person with COVID-19 is considered infectious starting 2 days before they develop symptoms, or 2 days before the date of their positive test if they do not have symptoms.  They are required to get tested again 5 to 7 days after the end of isolation for the person with COVID-19.  They must wear a mask when in contact with the person with COVID-19 throughout the infected person’s isolation period.  They must also wear a mask indoors on campus until 14 days after the infected person’s isolation period ends or until the fully vaccinated close contact receives their final test result.

Isolation

Isolation is required when someone tests positive for COVID-19 regardless of vaccination status. Isolated employees can not come to campus for any reason. 

Employees must isolate for at least 5 full days if they test positive for COVID-19. 

• Calculating isolation: Day 0 is the first day of your symptoms. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms began or the day you took your COVID-19 test.  
• Isolation can end as long as the employee is fever-free for 24 hours and other symptoms are improving. They must continue isolation if fever or symptoms persist.  
• Employees who have questions regarding when to end isolation should contact their primary healthcare provider or Chris Botti, Rider’s lead contact tracer, at 609-203-9955.
• Employees must wear a well-fitted mask when around others through day 10.  That includes while at home around others. 
• Employees should avoid activities where they cannot wear a mask. 

If employees test positive but have no symptoms, they can end isolation after 5 full days of their positive test (day 1).  If symptoms develop within one week of the positive test, the 5-day isolation period starts over with day 0 being the first day of symptoms. They must then follow recommendations for ending isolation for persons who have COVID-19 symptoms.

Employees are asked to contact Human Resources when their isolation or quarantine period has ended.  

Rider has engaged the services of an industrial hygienist, an architectural firm and a mechanical engineer to examine campus building cleaning protocols, room layouts and HVAC/ventilation, respectively.

Normal day to day cleaning and disinfecting remain in place. Extra disinfecting is focused primarily in restrooms and high traffic common areas.  Housekeeping staff clean offices, classrooms, restrooms and residential spaces based on CDC guidelines for disinfection and Occupational and Environmental Safety Office (OESO) protocols. Facilities Management continues to maintain anti-bacterial soap dispensers, paper towel dispensers, hand-sanitizer stations and sanitizing wipes throughout campus buildings and residence halls. University vehicles used for Athletics, Public Safety, Student Affairs, Science and Facilities are frequently sanitized. 

Employees are responsible for wiping down commonly used surfaces before and after use with products that meet the EPA’s criteria for use against COVID-19 and are appropriate for the surface. This includes any shared-space locations or equipment (e.g., copiers, printers, computers, A/V and other electrical equipment, coffee makers, refrigerators and microwaves, desks and tables, light switches, door knobs, etc.).  Employees can contact Facilities Management for appropriate products.

Mechanical and HVAC systems have been assessed and readied.  Rider follows the recommendations outlined in the “American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Position Document on Infectious Aerosols” dated April 14, 2020. For most campus buildings and areas, HVAC systems operate under normal conditions. Where appropriate, additional ventilation and outdoor air have been increased. Filtration systems will be increased if possible, for each system. Additional ventilation  has been implemented for all systems to their maximum capability.  

UV lighting was installed in the air handlers for all academic buildings and public gathering spaces. These lights are designed to sterilize the air and kill microbes as they pass through the system. Temperature and humidity control will be maintained as normal.

All employees are strongly encouraged to get the COVID vaccine and booster as soon as possible. Doing so not only helps to protect each individual and their family members, but also our larger Rider community.

Employees must show proof of vaccination to their supervisor.  Those who do not show proof of vaccination will be assumed to be unvaccinated. 

Employees are no longer restricted from professional travel. We just ask that employees follow CDC and New Jersey travel guidance. 

Please check the Rider Dining Services website for the latest happenings.  Dining Services will continue to monitor State and CDC COVID-19 guidelines and update its operations accordingly.

Retail Dining Locations

The following practices are in effect:

• Please wash and sanitize your hands prior to eating.
• Rider Dining will continue to remain predominantly cashless.  Students, employees and guests are encouraged to download the GrubHub app for seamless transactions. Cash will continue to be accepted at Daly Dining Hall, Starbucks and The Market within Cranberry’s.

Daly Dining Hall

The following dining practices are in effect:

• Everyone is asked to wash and sanitize their hands prior to eating.
• Contactless scanning is now available at the entrance using your mobile ID via the GET App.  
• Limited self-service options are available. Please follow the sanitizing protocols at each station. Self-service beverages are also available.  Please use a new cup for each use.
• Individual condiment packets are available. 

Daly's offers three dining options this semester:

DINE-IN

Dine-In will continue to be available for all-you-care-to-eat dining.

TAKE-OUT

Option 1: Order ahead with the use of the GrubHub App during lunch and dinner. The GrubHub Take-Out option will allow guests to pick meals from several menu options. This will offer students on meal plans the ability to order ahead and have their meal pre-packaged for contact free pick up.  

Option 2: If you would like to take out additional menu items that may not be included in the GrubHub Take-Out menu, you may select the option to come into the dining hall and ask the dining hall attendants to package the meal for take-out.