FAQ - Employees

Yes. Per the Healthy at Work Reopening Minimum Requirements for all Entities, “Businesses, organizations, and entities must ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that their employees, volunteers, and contractors wear a cloth mask.”

Yes. If wearing a mask would create a serious health or safety hazard, when you are working alone in an enclosed space, or when you are working alone in an area with more than six (6) feet of social distancing, you are not required to wear a mask. An individual seeking an exception to mask protocol for a serious health or safety hazard reason shall request approval from the College’s Healthy at Work Officer. These exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis with consultation from the College President and KCTCS General Counsel.

A surgical or N95 mask is not required. A cloth face covering that covers the nose and mouth (such as a bandana) will suffice (but note “mask” is used herein for ease of reference).

WKCTC is required to provide PPE at no cost to employees, but we highly encourage you to bring your own from home. If you need a mask, please contact Shay Nolan, VP of Operations and/or Jennifer Tubbs, Healthy at Work Officer, and the College will supply one for you. Please note you can be denied entrance to the facility if you do not have a mask.

Yes. Students as well as any visitors to campus will be required to wear a mask.  Students/visitors may be denied access to campus facilities without a mask.

All students are required to wear masks. If the College has masks available, they may provide them to students, but are not required to do so. You may deny any student not wearing a mask entry into the classroom/lab/office space. Any student who declines to wear a mask and remains physically present in a facility after being instructed to depart can be considered a threat to the safety and well-being of the campus environment and thus given an immediate temporary suspension, subject to normal KCTCS administrative normal processes. Please notify Chase Durrance, associate dean of students, should this occur.

No. Employees and students should wash hands frequently and/or use hand sanitizer. The College should encourage employees whose job duties include touching items often touched by others (e.g., credit cards/cash, paper, computers) to wear gloves that are “regularly replaced,” per Minimum Requirements, but the best approach is to wash and sanitize hands often.

All on-site employees are required to undergo daily temperature and health checks. These checks will be self-administered and performed at home. The screenings will be accessible via MyPath – you will see a local West Kentucky Check-in tile.   Employees are required to complete the check-in prior to arriving on campus each day.  After the check-in is completed, you will receive an email that will approve you for on-site work for that day.

Employees who have a fever and/or any symptoms of COVID-19 should not report to work and should contact their health care provider to be tested and quarantine at home as soon as any illness is detected per their provider’s instructions. This includes employees that passed a temperature and health check prior to reporting to work but became ill during the course of the day.

Students are required to conduct daily self-administered temperature and health checks. Students with a fever and/or any symptoms of COVID-19 should not come to campus and should contact their health care provider to be tested and then quarantine at home as soon as any illness is detected per their provider’s instructions. If any student reports a positive test or displays COVID-19 symptoms, you are permitted to deny the student entry into your classroom/office area. Should a student be unable to attend class due to COVID-19, you will need to work with the student to provide extensions on assignments.

Social distancing of at least six (6) feet is required. You may need to modify your classroom and/or office space to ensure that this is followed.  Space out chairs/desks as needed.  If immovable objects are too close together, mark some “closed” to allow for appropriate distances.  If you need assistance moving furniture or items to ensure appropriate social distancing, contact Shay Nolan, vice president of operations.

Signage will be posted at the College in the common areas such as bathrooms, common areas, entrances, etc.  Six-foot spacing markers will be added for higher traffic areas.  All congregating, vending, break, and meeting spaces will be either closed or modified to ensure appropriate distancing.

All employees must keep a log of all individuals they spend 30 or more minutes with at one time, especially if this time is within 6ft. of each other.  This log should list the names of any individuals as well as contact information if possible. The method of maintaining the log (electronically, paper hard copy, etc.) is at the discretion of the employee, however the employee’s supervisor should know how/where to access the log if needed. 

Faculty must take attendance/use sign in sheets for each class they teach to ensure available information for contact tracing in case a student or faculty member in the class becomes ill with COVID-19. If using a sign-in sheet, students must clean or sanitize their hands after using a shared pen/pencil. You and the College must be prepared to assist public health officials if an employee or student tests positive or becomes exposed to COVID-19. The Healthy at Work Officer will be the point of contact with health department officials.   

Maintenance and Operations staff will continue to sanitize frequently touched surfaces and areas a minimum of twice daily (e.g., doorknobs, credit card machines, shared computers).  Hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray/wipes will be available and easily accessible in all classrooms and departments.  Employees and students will need to disinfect their work space before and after use. 

When there is an identified employee or student who has COVID-19, the College must further ensure that they immediately restrict access to contaminated areas and adequately clean impacted areas.  Any contaminated area will be off-limits to all but essential personnel for a minimum of 24 hours or as directed by local public health officials.

Water fountains will not be available for use.  Employees and students will be encouraged to bring their own water from home.  The College must, to the greatest extent practicable, restrict common areas such as lobbies, waiting rooms, break rooms, lunchrooms, and vending areas to maximize social distancing and reduce congregating.  If left open for use, hand sanitizer will be made available in the area.  Signage should be placed on frequently used items reminding employees and students to sanitize them before and after each use with supplied wipes.

Jennifer Tubbs, director of human resources

All employees must complete required COVID-19 Compliance Training prior to returning to on-campus work. This training can be accessed via MyPath (mypath.kctcs.edu) and by selecting the Healthy at Work tile. Employees need only complete the training one time.

August 1st is the start of Phase 4 of the WKCTC Healthy at Work Reopening Plan. Phase 4 marks the point in which the majority of all campus operations will resume, which includes the return to campus of employees, students and the public. Operations will resume while also adhering to local, state and federal requirements/protocols related to COVID-19.

Through the month of July, there will be a single point of entry for each building on campus.  The doors at this point of entry will be unlocked, except for Anderson Technical Building and Emerging Technology Center which will require security to unlock entrance.  Those wishing to access ATB and ETC should call security and wait to be admitted.  A sign-in sheet will be located inside the entry.  Every individual entering the building is encouraged to complete this form upon entry and exit.

Effective August 1st, all building access points will be unlocked and available for use.  Employees must continue to administer the online employee check-in and receive approval prior to entering a building.  Sign-in/out sheets will no longer be required.  Signage will remain in place reminding individuals that masks are required and not to enter buildings if experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms.

The employee will need to discuss their concerns with their supervisor first. The supervisor will consult with the WKCTC human resources director and the KCTCS general counsel’s office to determine what accommodations, if any, can be made. Employees may be required to provide documentation from their physician that supports their being considered high risk.

Employees are expected to return to on campus when notified by their supervisor to do so, unless a documented exception has been granted by the WKCTC Healthy at Work Officer and/or the College President. Employees may consult the human resources director to discuss any existing policies, procedures or practices specific to COVID-19 that may be helpful. If alternate arrangements cannot be made, employees will be expected to utilize accrued leave time.

No. All non-required travel is suspended through at least the end of the Fall semester. We will reevaluate this protocol as we move through the Fall semester.

Yes. If it is not possible to travel separately, employees will be required to wear masks while in the vehicle together. Steering wheels and others vehicle surfaces should be sanitized. Employees should not stay in the same hotel room, unless employees are family members.

Yes, food service will be available beginning in mid-August but in a limited capacity.  All dining locations will be required to follow all local and state health department requirements related to COVID-19.

Large scale public events may return to campus in August following all state and federal COVID-19 requirements/protocols (social distancing, PPE, capacity, etc.). Event organizers must seek the approval of the WKCTC President and the Healthy at Work Officer prior to scheduling an event.