UT System Administration

Vaccination can protect you from getting ill and spare your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers from the dangers of this disease. When enough people get vaccinated, the spread from person-to-person becomes less frequent and thereby increases protection of the whole community.

No. Vaccination is voluntary, but strongly encouraged.

Please check the  DSHS COVID19 Vaccination Information page to find a vaccine provider near you. You may also want to contact your personal physician or local pharmacies to schedule a vaccination.

Vaccines are provided at no cost to UT SELECT plan members and are highly encouraged.

If you are a member of the UT SELECT health plan, the plan pays for any COVID-19 treatment, including vaccines, for covered employees and their dependents. 

If employees feel unwell, they may use accrued sick time off or other time off accruals for an absence from work.

 The current plan, informed by data and science, is that we will resume more in-person operations in the building beginning November 1, 2021. 

As a public organization, UT System Administration is expected to maintain business continuity and provide needed services to UT institutions and the state of Texas.

Now that vaccines are widely available, we anticipate most, if not all, roles will require some physical presence in the building. Working remotely will be a discussion between you and your manager or supervisor and should be in line with our telecommuting policy and procedures.  

We know there are many issues related to remote learning and available childcare. Supervisors and department heads will take into consideration an employee’s personal situation along with business needs when making scheduling decisions.

No, masks will not be required.  However, some individuals may decide to wear a mask and maintain physical distance.  Regardless of your preference, please respect and support the decisions of others.

There is no provision to reimburse an employee or pay directly for work from home furniture. Additionally, employees are not generally permitted to take their office chairs, desks, or other furniture from the UT System Building to use at home. If an employee has a physical condition that may qualify them to use their office furniture at home as a reasonable accommodation, they should contact their Human Resources business partner for further information.    

Other equipment such as computers and monitors may be taken home when properly documented and approved by their supervisor and department head. Upon returning to the office, any equipment that was removed should be returned to the UT System Building unless properly documented with Human Resources (OTI).

Any employee who needs assistance or has questions about setting up or modifying their work from home space may contact our Safety Specialist, Natasha Rogers. 

Any occupant of the building who is diagnosed with COVID-19 must immediately report that exposure or diagnosis to their supervisor and their HR business partner, who will notify appropriate System Administration officials. Employees should not send any medical documentation unless requested by HR. If HR requires further information, they will contact the employee and will keep the information confidential in accordance with state and federal laws related to employee health records. Supervisors and department heads must exercise the same level of confidentiality and treat the information and records they receive from an employee as they would any ADA or FMLA documentation.

Employees who contract the coronavirus will not be allowed to return to the workplace until at least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery, which is defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.   Employees who feel well enough to continue working while in quarantine may do so remotely if approved by their supervisor.

Supervisors should treat the information confidentially and send it to HR.  Supervisors and department heads must exercise the same level of confidentiality and treat the information and records they receive from an employee as they would with any ADA or FMLA documentation.

As soon as a case of COVID-19 is reported, contact tracing is implemented to identify and notify anyone who may be at risk of exposure. The CDC defines “contact” as spending 15 minutes or more within six feet of an individual within the timeframe they would have been contagious. If not fully vaccinated, those individuals are asked to proactively self-isolate until negative test results have been returned. The areas of the building where the at-risk individual spent time are also proactively cleaned and disinfected.

A confirmed positive COVID-19 diagnosis is confidential health information.  All System Administration employees will be notified in a timely manner if a positive COVID-19 case among staff, tenants, or visitors (including vendors) is warranted by health and safety concerns and if disclosure is consistent with guidance from federal, state and/or local health authorities.  Employees identified as having been in close contact with a positive individual will be notified first and asked to continue self-isolating for 14 days at home unless fully vaccinated.

Not all System Administration employees work in the same city, and a confirmed positive case in one building may not warrant a notification to System Administration employees in all locations.

When a confirmed case is reported, a member of the COVID-19 team will interview the individual to determine the dates, times and locations of the person in the building.  This includes the individual’s work area, any common areas, lobby, and elevators. 

The team member will also ask whether the person had close contact with any individual in the building.  For COVID-19, a close contact is defined as any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes within two days of exhibiting symptoms or of being tested.

If any close contacts are identified, the team member will notify these individuals, instruct them to self-isolate for 14 days unless fully vaccinated, and advise them to consult their healthcare provider if COVID-19 symptoms develop.  Employees who are notified that they have been in contact with someone being tested for COVID-19 should not return to the workplace until test results have been returned and confirmed as negative.

Employees who may have been in the same area but do not meet the definition of “close contact” are not considered to have been exposed and are not notified.

The CDC generally defines “contact” as being within six feet of someone for 15 minutes or more within two days of exhibiting symptoms or of being tested. 

Notify your supervisor of the exposure and await further instructions before returning to the UT System building. Supervisors should contact the Office of Talent and Innovation. 

If an employee is notified as a result of contact tracing that he or she has been exposed to COVID-19, we continue to follow CDC guidelines, which recommend the following:

1) Those who are NOT vaccinated and do not have symptoms should:

a) Work from home for 10 days or

b) Work from home for at least 7 days and then test negative for COVID

Anyone who is not vaccinated and develops symptoms associated with COVID should be tested immediately. A COVID test should be negative before returning to the workplace.

2) For individuals who are FULLY vaccinated:

a) No need to quarantine unless experiencing symptoms;

b) Obtain a COVID test 3-5 days post exposure; and

c) Wear a mask in public spaces until test comes back negative or 14 days post exposure.

3) An individual who has had laboratory-confirmed COVID within the last 3 months and is asymptomatic can follow the guidelines outlined for those who are fully vaccinated.

Individuals should follow current CDC guidelines regarding self-isolation and contact Human Resources before returning to the building.  Employees who are working remotely may be able to continue working during the self-isolation period.

System Administration may provide information to local, state, or federal health authorities as requested to facilitate ongoing measures to address and prevent spread of the illness. System Administration will follow the CDC recommendations related to reporting.

The building interior is cleaned and disinfected according to CDC guidelines and Occupational and Environmental Safety Office requirements. The custodial staff regularly cleans all common areas, including lobbies, meeting rooms, breakrooms, restrooms, main hallways, and common area appliances and equipment, such as printer keypads. Disinfectant wipes have been provided for employees to use in cleaning their own desks and workspaces and any shared equipment they use. 

HVAC, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are regularly assessed and cleaned. 

Employees are encouraged to use disinfectant wipes to clean the surfaces of commonly used equipment and surfaces, such as printers and doorknobs, before and after use.

Yes.

Elevators: No more than 4 people at a time are allowed in an elevator to avoid close proximity with others. Masks or face coverings are encouraged while in the elevators. 

Breakrooms: Dining areas in the breakrooms are open with appropriate distancing. Disposable plates, cups, and flatware will be provided. 

Wellness Center: The Wellness Center will be open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Disinfection and additional cleaning will occur Monday through Friday in the evenings.  The Wellness Center will also close daily during the hours of 9:30-10:30 a.m. for cleaning.

Individuals should maintain at least six feet of distance from one another unless required for a safety reason such as spotting.

Equipment must be wiped down before and after use by the person using the equipment.  

Individuals should also maintain at least six feet of distance from one another in locker rooms and shower areas.

Grab-N-Go: The Grab-N-Go on the 19th floor is open. The 19th floor dining area is open with appropriate distancing.

The air filtration system used in the UT System Building is actually rated higher than the systems typically required for comparable buildings. It uses a MERV 13 air filter, which blocks bacteria, smoke, and other microscopic particles. We also have increased the frequency of filter inspections and associated change-out of filters.

The building’s air handlers are equipped with UV bulbs, which also help kill a variety of bacteria, mold and viruses within the bulbs’ “line of sight.”

Additional related safety measures include increasing the outside fresh air flow to 50% to dilute and remove contaminants and air particles, and increasing our preventive maintenance inspections and cleanings of the HVAC systems.

Domestic travel is permitted and must be managed and approved in accordance with HOP 2.1.1

All business related international travel must be considered high risk and reviewed and approved by the International Oversight Committee (IOC) in accordance with UTS 190.  The Risk Management Executive Committee serves as the IOC for UT System Administration.

Telecommuting employees are expected to complete their job responsibilities as established by their supervisors and to work their regular total number of weekly hours. Supervisors may allow employees to perform work outside of regular business hours and must approve flexible work arrangements in writing (email) with the employee.

Employees who continue to work in the building based on business needs, and in consultation with their supervisors, should take whatever technology and/or materials are needed to work remotely home with them daily. Employees who need to take a sick day or wish to take a day off should request the use of personal leave as they typically do.

Employees should refer to UT System’s Coronavirus Leave Guide for detailed guidance on the FFCRA.

If possible, the employee could telecommute according to System Administration guidelines.  

If the employee cannot work or telecommute due to school closures or the unavailability of childcare, the employee may be eligible to use paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act or may use accrued vacation or compensatory time.  Employees should refer to UT System’s Coronavirus Leave Guide for detailed guidance.

Any UT employee who believes he or she has suffered an on-the-job injury or illness should contact their WCI Representative to report the injury or illness.

• Effective January 15, 2022, FDA-approved COVID-19 test kits are available through the prescription drug benefits of UT SELECT and UT CONNECT at no cost to the member. 
• Effective September 1, 2021, treatment for COVID is covered as “any other illness.”  Applicable medical plan deductibles, copays, coinsurance apply as well as prescription drug expenses related to treating COVID-19 will apply.
• The cost of the vaccine and testing is covered at 100%.
• Telemedicine visits with UT SELECT providers that began as a result of the pandemic will continue.  Effective September 1, 2021 UT SELECT will follow the CMS and AMA guidelines regarding what is covered as a telemedicine visit.  Member co-payments will still apply.
• Virtual doctor visits through MDLIVE continue to be available with no out-of-pocket costs and can be used when appropriate.
• For specific questions about your UT SELECT coverage, members should call your Blue Cross and Blue Shield Health Advocate at 866-882-2034.  For UT CONNECT please contact the CONNECT customer service team at 888-399-8889.
• For specific questions about your prescription drug benefit, UT SELECT and UT CONNECT members should contact Express Scripts at 800-818-0155.  Retirees with Part D should call 800-860-7849. 
• Any person experiencing illness should contact their doctor or MDLIVE.
• All other UT Benefits programs will continue to operate according to the plan specifications outlined here. This includes dental, vision, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability and Life Insurance. For disability and life insurance purposes, COVID-19 will be considered just as any other illness.
• Providers may be located through the Blue Cross and Blue Shield provider link.