School-Related Professionals: Coronavirus and school closures
School-Related Professionals are on the front lines in our daycares, pre-K–12 schools, colleges and universities, health facilities and many private sector jobs.
Information on the coronavirus and its impact on workers in New York State is constantly evolving due to the rapid response needed to reduce the transmission of this disease. This article will be updated as new information becomes available.
With the recent mandatory closure of schools in New York State, School-Related Professionals will have many questions about their positions at their workplaces. School districts are handling closures and staffing needs in a variety of ways. On March 22, 2020, Gov. Cuomo’s executive order and his 10-point plan, “New York State on PAUSE” closes all non-essential business, mandates social distancing of six feet, and encourages individuals to avoid all non-essential social gatherings, including parties, celebrations and other social events. You can see the plan here. Schools, which provide meals to students, and are engaged in cleaning and disinfection and certain other work to maintain the building, may continue to operate with a reduction in workforce.
Many school districts across the state continue to provide essential services to students and community. They are continuing to provide students with free and reduced lunches and sometimes breakfast. If your district is providing these meals, they may have staff preparing food and packaging it for distribution. Typical distribution appears to be on a two- or three-day rotation, providing a few days supply of these meals at a time. Some districts have instituted a pickup system, held at a site with varied pickup times based on eligible children’s last names, in order to practice appropriate social distancing. Other districts pack the food in coolers and distribute by school bus, either at student bus stops, with a monitor or aide handling distribution, or by delivering to residences — all while maintaining appropriate social distancing practices. Many districts around the state are rotating staff in, in order to provide essential services, while complying with the 50% reduction in workforce onsite for school districts.
It is also important to know that public or private employees involved with child care for certain parents (i.e., healthcare workers, first responders) are considered essential staff.] Check and resources on keeping yourself and others healthy in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
NYSUT SRPs usually fall within nine career families: clerical services; custodial and maintenance; health and student services; food services; teaching assistants, teacher aides and monitors; security services; skilled trade services; technical services; and transportation services. These occupations require a diversity of skills, duties and work environments. The impact of the closure of a school may look different depending on many factors including, your job, when school break is scheduled and your collective bargaining agreement. While school districts across New York State grapple with the changes implemented to keep us safe, SRPs can be allies in the process of working smart and safely during the pandemic.
If your school or other workplace has not sent out communications regarding their plan for coronavirus, work with your building rep and appropriate local union officers to find out the plan. Local presidents should contact their NYSUT Labor Relations Specialist (LRS) for
assistance. Your NYSUT LRS is your best source for determining best practices and next steps when your membership has questions or concerns.
During a closure, if you are working in the building, on school buses, or at another site you may want to know:
1. What about my safety? You have a right to ask what steps the school or office has taken to ensure your safety. You have a right to the appropriate training, protective equipment and materials to do your job in a safe manner. If your school district has not already made this information available to you, ask your local union rep for assistance in getting it. If the school is continuing to operate essential services, essential staff should be reduced to 50% onsite at any time. In some districts this means staff may come in on a rotating basis. If you are at work, make sure you continue social distancing, including defining your work space to give you a 6-foot buffer between yourself and other people around you.
a. Speak up. If you do not already have access to the necessary materials and protective wear to do your job in a safe manner, ask your district to provide you with them. Are you a custodian or a cleaner? Talk to your union representative to get the support you need to do this.
2. What is my role? While some employees, such as custodians, cleaners, food service workers, mechanics, clerical and IT staff may be doing the same or similar duties, other workers are being tapped to assist in new ways. Districts are preparing and providing free and reduced lunch and/or breakfast for distribution both on school grounds and via school bus delivery. Some are providing daycare. Some employees are being told they are not to report but are “on standby.” That means you must report if you are called in, unless you are ill, or take personal time off. Many SRPs hold second jobs or own their own businesses. You should not engage in any other work activities during the normal work hours for which you are being paid by your school or other union employer.
For procedures and best practices for cleaners, custodians, and others performing disinfecting procedures click here. Bus drivers and monitors can find best practices and procedures for cleaning and disinfecting buses here.
a. You may be asked to complete tasks you normally do at other times of the year, as districts comply with requirement for no more than 50% of essential employees onsite. You are entitled to receive training for anything you are being asked to do. Some districts are providing virtual professional development for staff to access from their home computers.
3. What if I’m doing different duties than I usually do? The closure of schools means, if you are doing essential work, you may be doing different work during that time. Some school districts are having school bus drivers and aides or monitors deliver meals to students who receive free- and reduced lunch. SRPs may also assist with the preparation of these meals. They may also be tapped to assist with other tasks associated with running the school. The district must provide you with the training and materials you need to work in a safe manner. If you have concerns about the tasks you are being asked to do during school closure, talk to your local president and NYSUT LRS. Some districts are rotating custodians and cleaners during the closure, to limit the amount of people in the workplace, while carrying out cleaning and disinfecting procedures.
4. If my school is closed will I get paid? Many districts are paying employees during the closure. Talk to your local union rep or officer to learn what your district is doing.
5. What if I am sick? Do I have to work? Stay home if you are sick. If you are ill with coronavirus, you will not have to use sick leave in order to stay home from work. If you have another illness, you must use your sick leave.
Think about the aspects of your job and look for opportunities to break a possible transmission cycle. Talk to your building representative or other union official to find out the status of infection-control protocol at your workplace. Click here for the NYSUT coronavirus toolkit and check back often for updated information.
NYSUT members with concerns about health and safety issues, or about additional duties they have been assigned, should talk to their building rep or local union officer. Local presidents with contract issues and concerns involving their members and COVID-19 should contact their NYSUT Labor Relations Specialist for guidance and for referral to the NYSUT Health & Safety specialist.
LEGISLATION
Federal
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, HR 6201 passed in the House of Representatives on March 14 and on March 18 in the Senate. The bill, once signed into law, will provide:
Free coronavirus testing to everyone who needs it.
Paid emergency sick leave (up to two weeks, 10 days for full time employees and part timers are entitled to the typical number of hours they work in a two-week period.)
Paid Family and Medical Leave.
Food Security Initiatives – strengthening the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other programs.
Medicaid – Federal funds for Medicaid are being increased by approximately 36 billion dollars.
Enhanced Unemployment Insurance.
State
The New York State Legislature has passed a bill to provide relief for workers who may be out due to a quarantine, or due to a worksite temporarily closing. NYSUT is monitoring this bill and is advocating for its passage.
New York State on PAUSE – Gov. Cuomo’s executive order and 10-point plan to ensure uniform safety for everyone, puts a moratorium on residential and commercial evictions.
Background:
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person, and through indirect contact. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified in Wuhan, China.
While most people who contract the disease will experience only mild to moderate effects, the elderly and people with underlying health issues are the most vulnerable to having a serious to critical reaction to contracting the virus. It is important to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.
As experts learn more about coronavirus, the information we receive and how our leaders respond to it evolves. NYSUT has excellent information about the Health & Safety concerns related to coronavirus. The NYSUT COVID toolkit and resources can be found here.
Social distancing and other concerns surrounding coronavirus may exact a heavy emotional toll. Click here for tips on managing anxiety at this time.
If you are experiencing financial difficulties, see this article on finances for tips and ideas.
Resources:
AFT’s “Cleaning Tips for Custodians.” https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/covid19-tips-custodians030320.pdf
AFTs Parent and community Printables for COVID-19 Prevention tips, www.AFT.org
Center for Disease Control COVID-19 information www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov
COVID-19 Information, Johns Hopkins University https://hub.jhu.edu/novel-coronavirus-information/
NEA toolkit “Schools and Coronavirus: What you Should Know.”
NYSUT coronavirus toolkit and resources: https://www.nysut.org/news/2020/march/coronavirus-toolkit
