As of November 22, employees can now work from home if they test positive for COVID-19 or need to quarantine due to exposure.
In a memo, Park City School District Chief Human Resources Officer Shad Sorenson said the new policies are aimed at addressing employee absences and an increasing shortage of substitutes who can fill in.
For remote work, employees must get approval ahead of time and satisfy all job-related duties while working from home.
Employee supervisors and human resources will determine who can work via Zoom.
Park City Education Association Co-president Mary Morgan is a choir and band teacher at Ecker Hill Middle School. She said the remote work policy is an excellent option for some teachers who can instruct students through Zoom the entire day.
"We're appreciative that the district office is willing to allow for teachers to work remotely at home if they need to quarantine or if they have the virus themselves. But it's a great option for us because they can continue to actively teach on zoom with the kids and also not have to take their own sick leave, especially if they don't need to if they're not having symptoms or they have mild symptoms or their quarantining because of their family members."
She's not sure working remotely is feasible for her since she can't be there in person to play piano or conduct band practice.
The other new provision is a change to the district’s Paid Time Off policy that will cover half an employee’s sick time due to COVID, rather than an employee having to use all their PTO when they’re out.
Morgan said Superintendent Jill Gildea initiated the reimbursement plan. The district is paying for the extra compensation with a $69,000 grant.
"The PCEA was extremely appreciative to the district for writing the grant and for going through that process. So, teachers will be able to only take half of their sick leave if they are out with COVID or out with quarantine, up to five days. So, let's say that a teacher is out for five days with COVID or needs to quarantine, cannot work remotely, and has to take sick leave. They will receive two and a half days back."
Morgan said the COVID leave reimbursement policy is retroactive to the first of the school year.
