Level I - Normal Operations
Effective July 1, 2021, the State moved to Level I - Normal Operations under the State's
Pandemic Flu and Other Infectious Diseases Attendance and Leave Policy. With the return to Level I - Normal Operations, only employees in classifications that have been designated as telework-eligible may be permitted with supervisory approval to telework in accordance with the Telework Policy.
COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Leave
Employees who are eligible to receive an initial COVID-19 vaccine booster will be eligible for two (2) hours of COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Leave to obtain an initial booster.
New! Employees who are eligible to receive a second COVID-19 vaccine booster will be eligible for an additional two (2) hours of COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Leave to obtain a second booster.
To receive COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Leave, employees must provide Human Resources (HR) the following:
- proof of full vaccination and proof of receipt of initial COVID-19 booster and/or second COVID-19 booster shot; and
- a written request form (provided below).
Employees who have received a COVID-19 vaccine booster will be granted two (2) hours for each COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Leave upon receipt of the required documents, up to a maximum of four (4) hours of leave.
COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Leave is available to SPMS and MDOT regular, temporary and contractual employees.
COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Leave will not expire but is forfeited upon separation from State service. In order to receive COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Leave, an employee will need to receive an initial and/or second COVID-19 vaccine booster by December 31, 2022. The final paperwork submission deadline is January 10, 2023, for State regular and temporary employees, and January 3, 2023, for contractual employees.
COVID-19 Leave
The State will continue to accept the results of COVID-19 rapid tests for the purpose of verifying a COVID-19 infection through December 31, 2022.
Beginning on November 3, 2021 (State Regular and temporary employees) and November 10, 2021 (contractual employees) through December 31, 2022, vaccinated employees or those with valid vaccine exemptions who test positive for COVID-19 using a PCR or rapid test are eligible for up to 10 days (no more than 80 hours) of COVID-19 Leave to use in place of an employee’s own leave or leave without pay to recover from COVID-19. This leave is available to State regular, temporary and contractual employees of SPMS and MDOT.
To receive the leave, employees must:
- be fully vaccinated prior to usage of COVID-19 Leave (i.e., received 2 doses of Pfizer/Moderna, or 1 dose of Johnson & Johnson, in addition to any required boosters);
- provide proof of vaccination or proof of vaccine exemption to HR prior to usage of COVID-19 Leave;
- provide a positive PCR or rapid test result for COVID-19; and
- submit the required documentation to HR by the end of the pay period that follows the pay period the employee is requesting COVID-19 Leave.
Timekeepers will restore previously recorded leave and record use of COVID-19 Leave after required documentation has been submitted. Timekeepers will not make adjustments for employees who do not turn in required documents by the end of the pay period following the pay period leave is requested.
Additionally:
- COVID-19 Leave must be taken consecutively and used in full-day blocks; however, an employee is not required to use all 10 days at once.
- COVID-19 Leave is not available to employees for the purposes of caring for a member of their household, or for childcare.
