The most up-to-date information on the University’s ongoing response to COVID-19 is available on the Florida Poly coronavirus webpage. Important updates also will be communicated via University email.
COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots are widely available at retail pharmacies throughout the state. These tools can help you find a place where you can receive a COVID-19 vaccination: Vaccine Finder and Vaccine Locator.
COVID-19 tests are available at health centers and select pharmacies throughout the region. Search for a testing provider here and view more resources available from the Polk County website.
COVID-19 self test kits also are being made available to student-facing faculty and staff as the semester begins.
Before reporting to work each day, assess your physical well-being at home and determine if you are feeling well. These self-screening questions can help with your daily health assessment. If you show no symptoms, come to work. Bring your face covering as the University expects our students and employees to wear it for many daily activities.
Every person on campus is expected to wear a mask while inside any Florida Poly facility in a public space. This applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.
Everyone should bring their mask to work each day. However, disposable face coverings will be made available to anyone who has forgotten, lost, or damaged theirs. These may be picked up at each entrance of the IST Building, at the IT Help Desk, and at the reception desks in all other buildings. A limited number of face coverings are available, so please make sure to bring yours daily.
KN95 masks can provide significant protection against the coronavirus. Student-facing employees can request a KN95 mask by contacting their supervisor.
Meetings should be conducted in a manner that is reasonable under the circumstances. For faculty, virtual/online meetings cannot replace on-campus obligations; for staff, this cannot replace reporting to your primary work location. Employees are encouraged to actively communicate with their supervisors, and supervisors are, in turn, encouraged to remain flexible.
Visitors and invited guests (e.g., contractors) are allowed at Florida Poly facilities, but are expected to abide by all University-wide and building-specific protocols.
For personal domestic travel, no prior approval is required. For job-related domestic travel, please follow the standard process for requesting approval, but be advised that authorization for most job-related domestic travel requests will be denied until circumstances improve. Job-related international travel requests will not be authorized until further notice.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to offer support during this stressful period. Phone or video counseling can be accessed using smartphones, tablets, and computers with a camera. The BayCare EAP may be contacted by email or call 800-878-5470.
For questions regarding COVID-19-related matters, please contact:
If you are experiencing any symptom(s) of COVID-19, as outlined by the CDC, you should stay home and immediately contact your health care provider, who will determine whether testing or treatment is needed. This is regardless of your vaccination status. You should also notify your supervisor and Human Resources at 863-874-8425, and update both with any information your health care professional provides.
Do not return to campus. Leave campus if you are there. All employees should contact their supervisor and also notify the University that they have tested positive by filling out this form and by calling Human Resources at 863-874-8425. This will help ensure the University is identifying and containing potentially affected populations. This will also allow Human Resources to provide instructions to you about when you will be allowed to return to work and assist in coordination with your supervisor.
The following is the CDC's most recent guidance:
"For people who are unvaccinated or are more than six months out from their second mRNA dose (or more than 2 months after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine) and not yet boosted, CDC now recommends quarantine for 5 days followed by strict mask use for an additional 5 days. Alternatively, if a 5-day quarantine is not feasible, it is imperative that an exposed person wear a well-fitting mask at all times when around others for 10 days after exposure. Individuals who have received their booster shot do not need to quarantine following an exposure, but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure. For all those exposed, best practice would also include a test for SARS-CoV-2 at day 5 after exposure. If symptoms occur, individuals should immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19."
*Exposure is defined as being within six feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period.
All employees should notify the University that they have tested positive by filling out this form and by calling Human Resources at 863-874-8425. This will help ensure the University is identifying and containing potentially affected populations. Furthermore, this will allow Human Resources to provide instructions to you about when you will be allowed to return to work and assist in coordination with your supervisor.
In line with public health practices and medical and student privacy laws, only those who would need to know about confirmed COVID-19 cases for personal health and safety reasons will be informed.
Individuals in quarantine or isolation who are feeling well may work remotely if they are able to complete their duties and their supervisor approves their working remotely. Those unable to work remotely or who are not feeling well may use FMLA and/or accrued sick leave. For more information, please contact HR by email or call 863-874-8425.
All requests for accommodations for medical conditions and disabilities must be submitted to Human Resources via email. Human Resources will assess your situation through an interactive process and evaluate appropriate accommodations on a case-by-case basis. You may be asked to provide additional information, including a note from your health care provider, depending on the nature of your request. If you have any questions or concerns, contact HR by email or call 863-874-8425.
Generally, an employee without a medical condition or disability is not entitled to an accommodation in order to protect a family member in the household from potential COVID-19 exposure. However, if you have any questions or concerns about your particular situation, please contact Human Resources by email or call 863-874-8425.
Similar to pre-pandemic procedures, employees with unexpected childcare issues should coordinate with their supervisor and contact Human Resources by email or by calling 863-874-8425.
