Yes, we were notified on March 23 that a graduate student tested positive for COVID-19 and is now in home quarantine. The individual was last on campus on March 9, 2020 to attend a musical performance by the Virginia Commonwealth University Black Awakening Choir that was held in the foyer of the Willie E. Gary Student Center.

We also were notified on March 30 that a current employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee was last on campus and interacted with staff and students on March 13, 2020. The employee and family are now quarantined at home.

We urge everyone in the Shaw University community who may be experiencing symptoms to contact your personal physician for treatment advice. The University is adhering to the recommendations and orders of federal, state, and local agencies to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

At the present time, the CDC has determined that people with COVID-19 are most contagious when they first become symptomatic. Therefore, public health officials are working to identify who came in close contact with a patient. Currently, “close contact” is defined as people who were within six feet of the symptomatic patient for 10 minutes.

As these contacts continue to be identified, the Wake County Health Department can assess their risk of exposure and implement the appropriate public health recommendations. 

Shaw University will utilize the process described below to calculate and process board and meal charge refunds or credits to students as a result of changes made to the spring 2020 semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The steps are as follows:

1. - We will calculate a pro-rated amount of unused spring semester board and meal charges per student. That pro-rated amount will extend March 23 through May 9, 2020, the last day meals were scheduled to be provided and all residence halls were scheduled to close for spring 2020 semester.
2. - If a student currently owes the University monies based on the establishment of a payment plan and/or debit balance for the spring semester, we will offset the pro-rated room and housing charges against the amount that is still outstanding. There is a possibility that the amount currently owed will offset the total credit and there will be no refund.
3. - If a student received institutional aid (Shaw Ed, Athletic, Band and Academic Scholarships) from the University in order to cover the direct cost of attendance, the student will not be eligible to get a refund, as the institutional aid amount awarded to the student for attending the spring semester of 2020 will be adjusted accordingly.
4. - For graduating seniors who do have an outstanding balance and did not have institutional aid adjusted as described in 3 above, the credit amount on your account will be refunded via check or direct deposit.
5. - For freshmen, sophomore, and juniors who do not have an outstanding balance, did not receive institutional aid adjusted as described in 3 above, the credit amount will be applied as a credit against your Fall 2020 charges.

Who can I reach out to if I have more questions?

- If students or parents have questions or comments, please contact either the Office of Student Accounts at sa@shawu.edu or the Office of Financial Aid at financial_aid@shawu.edu. Representatives will be there to provide assistance.

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Please know that your well-being is always our highest priority as we strive to provide you with an excellent educational experience. We look forward to your return to campus.

While classes are moving to online learning mode, campus offices and services will remain open and operations will continue normally. Employees who are feeling well should report to work as usual. Temporary remote work options will be utilized on a case-by-case basis, at the approval of each employee’s division leader. If you need an accommodation, please complete the COVID-19 Accommodation Request form located on the HR intranet.

Governor Cooper recently signed an executive order relaxing requirements for unemployment. Some of the changes include:

- It removes the one-week waiting period to apply for unemployment payment for those workers who lose their jobs.

- It removes the requirement that a person must be actively looking for another job during this time when many potential employers are closed, and social distancing guidelines are in effect.

- It allows employees who lose their jobs or, in certain cases have their hours reduced due to Covid-19 to apply for unemployment benefits.

- It directs that employers will not be held responsible for benefits paid as a direct result of these COVID-19 claims.

- It waives the requirement that people must apply for benefits in person; workers can apply for benefits online or by phone.

If you feel ill, you should use the same judgment you would normally use about attending work, staying home or seeking medical care. Because the campus offices and services will remain open and operations will continue normally, leave policies will apply for work attendance. You should always notify your supervisor if you are unable to make it to work for any reason.

On March 18, President Trump signed into law H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. This law became active on April 1, 2020 and is not retroactive. This piece of legislation is intended to help workers, businesses and the healthcare sector in their response to and the consequences of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The law provides free coronavirus testing, expands food assistance and unemployment benefits, and requires employers to provide additional protections for healthcare workers. The law also creates two forms of paid leave for workers impacted by the outbreak. 

Emergency Family and Medical Leave

The first paid leave provision requires private-sector employers with fewer than 500 employees and all public sector employers to provide employees who have been on the payroll for 30 calendar days up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave as established under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for “a qualifying need related to a public health emergency.” The law defines “qualifying need” as instances where the employee is unable to work or telework due to the need to care for a minor if the child’s school or childcare has been closed or is unavailable due to a public health emergency.

The first 10 days of the leave would be unpaid, but the employee would have the option to substitute available PAL. The remainder of the leave would be paid; eligible employees would receive generally two-thirds of their regular rate of pay for the hours they would be scheduled to work if the public health emergency was not occurring. However, the per employee paid leave under this provision is capped at $200 per day, or $10,000 total.

As is established by typical FMLA leave, H.R. 6201 ensures employees’ positions are job-protected until they return to work.

If you meet the requirements for either the Emergency Paid Leave or expanded FMLA, please complete the Families First Coronavirus Response Act Request form located on the HR Intranet.

Emergency Paid Sick Leave

The second paid leave provision within H.R. 6201 requires private employers with less than 500 employees and all public employers to provide up to 80 hours (pro-rated for part-time workers) of paid sick time for employees who are unable to work or telework, because:

- they are subject to a government quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19;

- they have been advised by a healthcare provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19;

- they are experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19 and are seeking a diagnosis;

- they are caring for an individual subject to or advised to quarantine or isolate;

- they are caring for a child whose school or childcare is closed or unavailable due to COVID-19; or

- they are experiencing substantially similar conditions as those specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor and Treasury.

The leave would be immediately available for all workers. Employers would be required to pay each employee up to $511 per day, or $5,110 total, when leave is taken for the first three reasons identified above. For the latter three reasons, employers would be liable for up to $200 per day, or $2,000 total.