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IMPORTANT VACCINE MANDATE UPDATE: STATE EMPLOYEES RETURNING FROM LEAVE

SUBJECT(S): Mandate 

DATE:  11/19/2021

AUDIENCE:  State Employees on Leave

 

IMPORTANT VACCINE MANDATE UPDATE: STATE EMPLOYEES RETURNING FROM LEAVE

We hope you are doing well. We are writing to ensure that you are aware of the NY State Department of Health Mandate, which requires all covered personnel to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. As a reminder, the order broadly defines covered personnel as “all persons employed or affiliated with a covered entity, whether paid or unpaid, including, but not limited to, employees, members of the medical and nursing staff, contract staff, students, and volunteers, who engage in activities such that if they were infected with COVID-19, they could potentially expose patients, residents, or personnel working for such entity to the disease.” 

If you have already submitted proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, thank you for your submission. There is no need to read further and you may disregard this notice. 

If you have NOT submitted proof of full COVID-19 vaccination: While you are not required to obtain the vaccine while you are on leave of absence, you will be required to provide:

  • Evidence of at least the first dose of the vaccine on or before your first day back to work. 

  • Proof of a second dose of a two (2) dose vaccine series must be provided no later than thirty (30) days from the first dose. You may use the same process as indicated below to provide proof of full vaccination.  

If you have already received your first dose of a two (2) dose vaccination series, please follow the guidance below. 

If you have already received your full vaccination, but have not provided proof, please follow the guidance below.

HOW TO PROVIDE PROOF:

  • Fax – Fax a copy of your vaccine card to HR at (631) 632-6621 

OR

  • In-Person – Bring a copy of your vaccine card to HR, Administration Building, Room 390, Monday - Friday 9:00am-4:00pm

Covered personnel on leave of absence who fail to provide evidence of their first dose of the vaccine on or before their first day back to work, or evidence of full vaccination for those who have already provided proof of the first shot, or who have not received an approved exemption on or before their first day back to work, must be immediately suspended without pay, pending termination by the applicable termination process. Employees may use time off benefits as prescribed by their union contracts while on suspension.

Those employees with currently pending exemption requests will be placed on an  unpaid leave pending a determination on their request.

VACCINE OPPORTUNITIES:

Vaccine POD - OPEN DAILY!

Monday through Saturday, 8:00 am to 6:15 pm; Sunday, 8 am to noon

R&D Park: 1500 Stony Brook Road  

Walk-ins welcome.

To make an appointment: am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov 

Click here for more SBU vaccine information

EXEMPTIONS: 

Only exemption requests for medical and religious reasons will be considered and must be submitted to the Health Information Line for medical (access medical exemption form here) and the Office of Equity Access for religious exemption requests (access religious exemption form hereno later than five (5) business days prior to your return to work. Those employees whose requests are pending determination will be placed on leave without pay with access to use annual leave accruals until a determination on their request is made. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

If you have questions or concerns about the efficacy or safety of the COVID-19 vaccine, please contact your healthcare provider. You can also request a meeting with a physician expert by calling our COVID hotline at (631) 638-1320. And you can find more information on these helpful links: CDC COVID Fact Sheet and FDA Approves First COVID-19 Vaccine (to learn more about the FDA’s safety and approval process).

Please contact the Human Resources Leaves Unit at (631) 632-6181 or hrs_info@stonybrook.edu if you have any questions.