Telecommuting Tips and Resources

Please note: Working remotely is the default mode of operation and all are requested to continue to do so until further notice.

We understand that there has been a lot of messaging about returning to campus, especially around the steps to take before and upon returning to the workplace. While we are requiring training, checking in on the daily symptom check app, and risk assessments, completion of these steps does not mean that you should be coming back to campus. All returns to the workplace must be pre-approved. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please speak with your supervisor.

How does one get approval to return to campus?

• If a unit leader determines that an employee’s job duties or a group of employee’s job duties require on-site engagement, the unit leader or dean must clearly identify what activities these are, and submit a unit plan to the Campus Recovery Implementation Team (CRIT).
• The CRIT Team will review and the Return Plan Review Committee will approve, or ask additional questions to ensure we are only returning staff to campus who really need to be on-site.
• CRIT will notify units whether or not they are approved to return to campus. Employees will be notified by their unit leader or dean when they are approved to return to work on campus.

Additionally, with the understanding that spikes or outbreaks of new COVID-19 infections could occur, all operations will be ready to retreat to conservative phases if safety concerns arise.

Positive cases

Four students and one employee tested positive on June 28 and June 29 for COVID-19. All four students live off campus and all five individuals are recovering in self-isolation at their homes. People who were in contact with the individuals are being notified. For the current case count within the UCI community, please visit www.uci.edu/coronavirus.

As announced August 28, UCI Transportation is extending its parking permit reprieve through Jan. 3. If you have reactivated a parking permit payroll deduction, no further action is required as the charge will be taken care of centrally. Payments made by check or credit card will be refunded to the payment method and address used at the time of purchase.

A few employees do not have a computer at home and computing will be in touch with those who indicated a need on the survey. Computing also has a few webcams to loan if an employee has a desktop without a webcam at home. Meanwhile, it is possible to participate in Zoom calls by cellphone.

If you need to borrow something, please email hcf@uci.edu.

For healthcare workers feeling stress, the Department of Psychiatry is offering supportive therapy, techniques to manage anxiety and other resources for emotional help. Sign up for a free 30-minute support session via the links below. You’ll receive an email confirming your appointment.

• For staff: https://forms.gle/i5yAK6ZoQtuCokyJ6

Please note: If you’re feeling suicidal, go to the nearest emergency room or call the National Suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

Beginning Nov. 30, asymptomatic testing will include on-site employees who have been identified by their supervisors. The testing locations that are available to employees are the Bren Events Center (Bren) or the Division of Continuing Education (DCE). Visit the UCI Forward website for details.

Wondering where to turn for the latest coronavirus and COVID-19 news? Visit UCnet for current systemwide employee information, as well as links to location-specific, California, national and worldwide resources.

As the well-being of our community continues to be a top priority during this pandemic, our Working Well™ program has expanded to include daily mandatory COVID-19 symptom check screenings for all UCI employees. Effective August 24, 2020, employees will receive a Daily Symptom Check and are required to respond via email, mobile application, or by calling the UCI Coronavirus Response Center at 949.824.9918. Additional details are available in Chancellor Gillman’s Executive Directive. This decision to include all employees is based on Centers for Disease Control (CDC), State of California, County of Orange, and University of California Office of the President (UCOP) directives, guidelines and best practices.

To digitally sign a Purchase Order, a specific form is required.

Instructions and the PO Form are found on the SOH Finance Portal (authentication required).

As we work together toward reopening our campus in the fall, we ask those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 to please upload proof of vaccination.

Faculty and staff can reach out to our Employee Assistance Program by calling (844) 824-3273 or accessing services here, which also links to other campus resources.

The rise in COVID cases, coupled with the state’s travel guidance, reinforces the need for extra caution over the holidays. If at all possible, please refrain from traveling for Thanksgiving. Please remember that on Nov. 13 the California Department of Public Health issued a Travel Advisory for Non-Essential Travel, which triggers special travel restrictions contained in UCI’s Executive Directive on Travel. Until the state lifts the advisory, employees returning from travel outside of California should quarantine for 14 days. Supervisors and research plan owners are responsible for working with their teams concerning travel plans and ensuring that their team members follow this quarantine requirement. If you are one of our employees currently working onsite, please stay home or celebrate in small groups nearby. If that is not possible, please coordinate your work schedule with your supervisor before you leave for the holiday. Please reach out to human resources or academic personnel if you have any questions.

Starting January 4, UCI is offering voluntary asymptomatic COVID testing for all onsite campus employees.

Click for form

Please find information on Ergonomics Tips for Remote Work specific to UCI.  There should also be some information on products. And this is now up in the Ergonomic Main Page in ZotPortal

Other aspects that can be controlled are one’s posture while working from laptop. It is strongly discouraged to be lying in bed or sitting on couch flexing your neck to look down at laptop.

It is recommended to alternate positions such as sitting at a table and alternate standing at a countertop.

UCI’s Executive Directive on Travel is updated to add provisions related to travelers who have been fully vaccinated and is also revised so that travel related quarantine and isolation requirements correspond to the most restrictive requirements imposed by federal, state, or local authorities.

Through the end of April, the Deans’ Office Finance group will be offering weekly Zoom drop in sessions for anyone who has finance-related questions.Please email John Bodenschatz for the Zoom information.

UCI employees and their covered dependents who have UCI Health coverage can obtain a flu vaccination at the UCI Health drive-up testing site at Campus Parking Lot 70 located at 4600 Health Science Road, Irvine, at the corner of Bison and California. You may schedule an appointment through MyChart. The hours are 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Sunday through Friday.

Collapse

In order to remotely access your desktop computer, be sure to leave your office desktop powered on.

Using your UCI Google account and Google’s remote desktop software will allow you to see and control your desktop from home.

First, if you haven’t yet activated your UCI Google account, do so here.

Next, install Chrome on both computers.

Then, install Chrome Remote Desktop on your work computer.

Finally, from your home computer, use the Chrome browser to remote in.

Business offices from across campus have been receiving requests from employees for reimbursements of expenses associated with working from home during the COVID-19 crisis. Please review the communication that provides guidance on how University of California policy should be applied to the reimbursement of these expenses.

In this new remote environment, Faculty and Staff Support Services would like to share with you a new resource developed specifically for faculty and staff. Now, UCI faculty and staff can find a curated list of pre-recorded webinars available on demand on pertinent mental health topics for UCI and UCI Health employees.

The Time Reporting System (TRS) was recently updated to include earn codes for the following types of emergency leave:

• Emerg EE (Emergency Paid Sick Leave)
• Emerg FM (Emergency Paid Sick Leave – Family)
• Exp FML (Expanded Family Medical Leave)

Who can use these codes?

Usage of leave must comply with UCI Human Resources guidance on leave usage. For more information, see the Leaves page on the Coronavirus Staff Information website or prior communications from HR regarding Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) and Emergency Family and Medical Leave (EFML).

If you have any questions, contact the Employee Experience Center.

Be sure to either forward your office phone to your cell-phone or home phone (instructions here), or remotely check your office voice-mail throughout the day by calling (949) 824-8989.

Parking fees will resume over the summer to support the campus’s efforts to return to full operational capacity. Beginning July 1, discounted monthly general parking (C/CI, S) permit rates for faculty, staff and students will be implemented. Updates are being made in myCommute to accommodate the discounted rates. Detailed information on permit sales as well as sustainable transportation options will be provided via email on June 15.

UCI Payment Services: COVID-19 Operations UpdateWith campus access limited to essential individuals only, UCI Payment Services has temporarily modified its service offerings and procedures for payment card solutions, cashiering, and handling of deposits. Campus departments should review the information below and adjust any internal processes as needed.Payment Card Solutions

• All TouchNet Marketplace & Aventri inquiries can be emailed to Lindsay Carroll at carrolll@uci.edu or Nick Troup at troupn@uci.edu.
• All inquiries regarding the use of third-party payment systems, new merchant setups, PCI-related questions or concerns should be emailed to pcsgroup@uci.edu.
• The Campus Terminal Rental Program is suspended until further notice.

Central Cashiers

• Central Cashiers are primarily on a remote schedule.
• All in-person service windows in Aldrich Hall are closed.
• UCI departments should not accept cash at this time.
• Central Cashiers will process checks and deposits picked-up from the North Campus Mail Processing Center on Thursdays.
• Sub-cashier deposits will be accepted only by appointment on Thursdays. Please contact Payment Services at cashiers@uci.edu.

COD System Deposits – New Processing ProceduresWith most campus departments now working remotely, there is still a need to ensure deposits are delivered safely to UCI Payment Services. UCI departments receiving checks that need to be deposited should institute the cash handling procedures below for the duration of the current public health emergency.Be Aware of Limited Campus Mail ServiceCampus business offices should keep in mind that Distribution Services is running limited service during the next several weeks. No mail is being picked up or delivered to campus departments. Drop boxes and mailboxes across campus have been emptied and signage has been placed informing customers not to use them at this time. The drop slot outside the main entrance to Aldrich Hall, second floor is available, but it is a very small slot. If you have a large deposit, please send it via campus mail by dropping it off at the North Campus Mail Processing Center.To Ensure Monies are Secure and Deposited Weekly:UCI department staff planning to make check deposits should do the following:

• Staff with a valid UCI ID may retrieve their incoming mail from the North Campus Mail Processing Center 9:30 – 10:30 a.m., Monday through Friday.
• Prepare checks for deposit through Campus Online Deposit (COD). Only staff with COD approved Kuali Security Access Management System (KSAMS) access can complete this step.
• Departments may drop off their outgoing mail at the North Campus Mail Processing Center from 7:00 – 9:00 a.m. for same day service. Outgoing mail delivered from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. will be processed the following business day.

Questions? Please contact Payment Services at cashiers@uci.edu.

Reporting criteria for staff and faculty who suspect they have coronavirus or have confirmed through a test that they have coronavirus is available, in a three-step format of report, respond and return. This form may also be used to report staff and/or faculty who may have been exposed by a contractor or vendor.

OIT has created a guide to help employees choose the right cloud storage solutions for their needs that are secure and reliable. There are two cloud storage providers under enterprise contracts with UCI, Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive. Choosing which is best for you depends on what level of protection your data needs.

Once you are connected to the VPN you can use the instructions at this link to connect to our shared drive from home.

All employees must complete the 15-minute Returning to Campus training available through the UC Learning Center. This training is required by Cal/OSHA and the California Department of Public Health. Even if you work remotely but might need to come to campus occasionally, you must complete the training. New employees have 30 days from their start date to complete this one-time-only training.

Please review the Working Well Remotely information on the Working Well website

UC recently announced changes to UC’s benefits rules designed to provide relief to faculty and staff affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These changes give faculty and staff greater flexibility in withdrawing or borrowing money from their Retirement Savings Program plans and in making changes to their benefits.

It is now easier for participants to access funds from the Retirement Savings Plans (the Defined Contribution Plan, Tax-Deferred 403(b) Plan, and 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan). For more details, please refer to: UC Regents approve loans and withdrawals from UC Retirement Savings Program plans for those impacted by COVID-19

The changes to UC’s Group Health plans give employees and non-Medicare retirees the flexibility to make changes to some of their plans, as well as more time to complete certain transactions. For more details, please see this story on UCnet: Important changes to UC benefits programs for relief during the pandemic

Questions can be directed to our Employee Experience Center (EEC) at eec@uci.edu or (949) 824-0500 (Mon. – Fri., 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)

COVID-19 Cancellation Procedures

The Program in Public Health COVID-19 chatline is available now for general questions about COVID-19. The chatline is open to the public and is staffed Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. PST and Sat/Sun: 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. PST. There is a Live Chat link to speak with a chatline operator to help answer your questions. If you wish to speak with an operator outside of these hours, you can leave an offline message and it will be answered as soon as the chatline opens for the day.

UCI Student Center & Event Services is offering two new resources.

Advertise Your Virtual Events for Free With Your UCInetID

UCI Now is one of the fastest and easiest ways for UCI faculty and staff to promote virtual events online. Download and log in to the Virtual Events feature of the UCI Now app to get started. Download on the App store here and on Google Play here.

Visit the Virtual Events Minisite.

Start Meeting and Collaborating Like a Pro

The Student Center can get UCI faculty and staff started with Enterprise-Level Webinars for up to 1,000 participants.

SCES Senior Meeting & Event Planners will help with:

• Zoom webinar account management
• Registration and reminder emails
• Designating your speakers & panelists
• Managing attendee engagement with Q&A and polling features
• Report generation and analytics
• A training session scheduled with SCES tech support
• A practice event run-through scheduled prior to your event
• Optional SCES tech support throughout the duration of your event
• Advertising and promoting your event
• Option to livestream to YouTube and Facebook

Request to host a webinar.

Each webinar will be offered live multiple times and will be recorded for on-demand viewing. You can find upcoming webinars and recorded sessions here.

Under emergency regulations that took effect Jan. 1, the California Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) Standards Board requires employers to mitigate workplace exposure to COVID-19 by establishing and implementing a written COVID-19 Prevention Program. UCI’s COVID Prevention Plan can be viewed at UCI’s Environmental Health & Safety website.

If you live in Long Beach and work at UCI, you’re eligible to be vaccinated in that city. According to Long Beach’s Health & Human Services website, residents in the “education and childcare” category — which the city defines to encompass “all faculty and staff (including facilities and maintenance staff) at preschools, K-12, community colleges and universities” — can sign up for shots, subject to vaccine availability.

UCI offers a number of virtual self-care resources for staff, faculty and retirees here.To help employees cope with the stress of COVID-19, HR is offering several resources and webinars, which you can access here.

The Susan Samueli Integrative Health well-being initiative is offering free virtual well-being services for UCI employees. Mindfulness and meditation, guided acupressure, stress management, biofeedback and relaxation techniques, and wellness education sessions are some of the available services. Appointments are required.

Here is the link for OIT’s VPN software and installation instructions. We recommend the software version for its ease of use. This is not required for remote desktop but is required for access to our shared drive. By logging on to the VPN you are on the campus network and your traffic is secure.

4/1/20 – NEW VPN Information from OIT

UCI’s Office of Information Technology has created a Zoom help website to assist campus users with the video conferencing and communication tool. The site includes a quick start guide, features and best practices for UCI Zoom, along with Q&As.

Establish your UCI Zoom account here.

IMPORTANT: Read how to Keep a Zoom Meeting Secure

Zot your Zoom with these backgrounds from the School of Humanities! Whether you want to feel like you’re back on campus again or share some school spirit, these backgrounds are a fun way to dress up your next class, meeting or hangout. Click here to download.

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) is offering a new UCI Zoom Temporary License Upgrade service to faculty and staff who wish to host presentation-style webinar for up to 1,000 participants, a moderated discussion, or a collaborative meeting with up to 500 participants. A limited number of licenses are available for UCI Zoom users to check out, free of charge, for up to 7 days.

UCI released a series of enhanced features and security settings that may affect your meetings:

• Password or waiting room requirement on all Zoom meetings (scheduled, instant, and personal meeting ID)
• Enhanced alternative host options through Zoom in Canvas
• Streamlined account creation through Zoom in Canvas
• One-year storage policy for Zoom cloud recordings

To limit disruption, these changes were made before Summer 2020 instruction begins. Further details can be viewed on the TechPrep website.