Leave information related to COVID-19 is still in the development process. Please check this page for updates.
In addition to the leave provided by Mississippi law detailed in DSU Personal and Major Medical Leave policies, new categories of leave are now available for DSU employees to use between June 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020.
(1) Emergency Paid Sick Leave: Pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, all employees are eligible to receive up to 2 weeks of Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) to use if the employee is unable to work for one of the following reasons:
- The employee is quarantined (pursuant to Federal, State, or local government order); or
- The employee is under self quarantine at the advice of a health care provider; or
- The employee is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis; or
- The employee is caring for an individual subject to quarantine (pursuant to Federal, State, or local government order or advice of a health care provider); or
- The employee is caring for a child (under 18 years of age) whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19; or
- The employee is experiencing a substantially similar condition as specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretaries of the Treasury and Labor.
The number of hours of leave received by an individual employee will be based on the average number of hours the employee is scheduled to work in a two week period (for an employee with a normal work schedule, this will be 40 hours per week) or the employee’s average number of hours worked in a two week period over the previous 6 months (for an employee with a variable work schedule).
- Rate of pay – Leave for reasons 1-3 will be paid at 100% of an employee’s normal rate of pay. Leave for reasons 4-6 will be paid at 2/3 an employee’s normal rate of pay.
- Supplemental Leave – An employee may use accrued leave in accordance with our leave policy to supplement the 2/3 pay and receive the full salary.
(2) Expanded Family Medical Leave Act (EFMLA): The Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act expands an employee’s FMLA entitlement to include the employee’s inability to work because the employee must care for a son or daughter whose school is closed or childcare provider is unavailable due to COVID-19.
- FMLA Leave – EFMLA does not increase an employee’s overall entitlement to FMLA leave; employees may take up to 12 weeks combined in a 12-month period for any FMLA or EFMLA qualified reason.
- Rate of pay – While existing FMLA leave is unpaid, under FFCRA, EFMLA will be paid at 2/3 an employee’s normal rate of pay.
- Supplemental Leave – An employee may use accrued leave in accordance with our leave policy to supplement the 2/3 pay and receive the full salary
(3) Administrative Leave: Administrative leave is only available for those employees who currently are unable to work for the University due to their job temporarily being unavailable due to COVID-19. For example, employees who would typically work in a department that must remain closed will be eligible for administrative leave.
