January 6, 2022
Dear Supervisors,
We appreciate your leadership as we navigate through the current COVID-19 surge. Our focus remains on our community’s safety and on preventing further spread. While data suggests that the Omicron variant may be less severe than previous versions of the virus, it is vital that we do our best to reduce the spread infections and help ease the rapid rise in hospitalizations. This includes testing, masking and remaining up to date on our vaccinations/boosters.
Considering the current surge, we are encouraging all supervisors to exercise flexibility and allow staff employees who can work remotely to do so. Effective immediately through Friday, Jan 21, please transition employees to remote working when possible. We understand that not all employees will be able to work remotely due to the nature of their positions. It is our hope, however, that by reducing density on our campuses, we are providing a safer environment for those who must work on-site. Additionally, we ask that you provide extra layers of support for those employees who will remain on campus, such as sharing Wellness Resources or looking for opportunities to provide flexibility within their on-campus experience.
As we shift into more remote work over the next few weeks, please keep the following in mind:
- Virtual meetings, rather than in-person meetings, are strongly encouraged to protect employees whether they are working on-site or remotely.
- Continue to schedule your regular surveillance testing and report any COVID-19 cases via the Campus Health Patient Portal.
- Review the Work Anywhere Resources for helpful tools available during this transition.
- Find the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19 at tulane.edu/covid-19.
- Contact the Tulane Living Well Clinic should you have any urgent care needs.
Finally, we thank you for your support and ongoing commitment each and every day. Should you have any questions or need additional support, please contact your HR Business Partner.
Patrick Norton, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Jonathan Small, Associate Vice President, Office of Human Resources and Institutional Equity
