Continuity of Operations Plan for a State Disaster Involving a Communicable Disease

Purpose

To ensure the continuation of services provided by the State of New York and the health and safety of the public sector workforce, each New York State agency and authority must prepare a plan for the continuation of operations in the event that the Governor declares a state disaster emergency involving a communicable disease.

Applicable agencies and authorities must post finalized plans by April 1, 2021 in (1) a clear and conspicuous location (e.g., bulletin boards or other similar location where employees normally view information posted by the employer), (2) in their employee handbook if they have one, and (3) on either their intranet or internet website.

It is important to note that a communicable disease event might be different in terms of visibility of symptoms, virulence, and transmission than the current COVID-19 virus, and therefore might require a different response based upon federal, state, or county guidance.

Continuity of Operations Plan for a Disaster Emergency Involving a Communicable Disease

lndividual(s) Responsible for Maintaining this Plan: 

Date of Posting:
April 1, 2021

Statutory Elements of the Plan:

1. A list and description of the types of positions considered essential in the event of a state-ordered reduction of in-person workforce.
   1. "Essential" shall refer to a designation made by the employer that an employee is required to be physically present at a worksite to perform their job. Such designation may be changed at any time in the sole discretion of the employer.
2. A description of protocols the employer will follow for non-essential employees to telecommute including, but not limited to, facilitating or requesting the procurement, distribution, downloading and installation of any needed technology, including software, data, and the transferring of office phone lines to work or personal cell phones as practicable or applicable to the workplace, and any devices.
   1. "Non-essential" shall refer to a designation made by the employer that an employee is not required to be physically present at a work site to perform their. Such designation may be changed at any time in the sole discretion of the employer.
3. A description of how the employer will, to the extent possible, stagger work shifts of essential employees in order to reduce overcrowding on public transportation systems and at worksites.
4. A description of the protocol that the employer will implement in order to procure the appropriate personal protective equipment for essential employees, based upon the various tasks and needs of such employees, in a quantity sufficient to provide personal
   protective equipment to each essential employee during any given work shift. Such description shall also include a plan for storage of such equipment to prevent degradation and permit immediate access in the event of an emergency declaration.
   A description of the protocol in the event an employee is exposed to a known case of the communicable disease that is the subject of the state disaster emergency, exhibits symptoms of such disease, or tests positive for such disease in order to prevent the spread or contraction of such disease in the workplace. Such protocol shall also detail actions to be taken to immediately and thoroughly disinfect the work area of any employee known or suspected to be infected with the communicable disease as well as
   any common area surface and shared equipment such employee may have touched, and the employer policy on available leave in the event of the need of an employee to receive testing, treatment, isolation, or quarantine. Such protocol shall not involve any
   action that would violate any existing federal, state, or local law, including regarding sick leave or health information privacy.
5. A protocol for documenting hours and work locations, including off-site visits, for essential employees. Such protocol shall be designed only to aid in tracking of the disease and to identify the population of exposed employees in order to facilitate the provision of any benefits which may be available to certain employees on that basis.
6. A protocol for how the public employer will work with such employer's locality to identify sites for emergency housing for essential employees in order to further contain the spread of the communicable disease that is the subject of the declared emergency,
   to the extent applicable to the needs of the workplace.

Any other public health requirements determined by the New York State Department of Health (DOH) that are designed to reduce transmission of infectious diseases, such as face coverings, contract tracing, diagnostic testing, social distancing, hand and respiratory hygiene, and cleaning and disinfection protocols.

A. Essential Personnel

What are the positions your agency or authority considers essential in the event of a stateordered reduction of your in-person workforce? Please provide a list and description of the types of positions.

Essential employees are defined as anyone whose job function is essential to the effective operation of their agency or authority, or who must be physically present to perform their job, or who is involved in the existing emergency response. Such designation may be changed at any time in the sole discretion of the employer.

• SUNY Campus Presidents are responsible for final determinations as to which functions or employees are essential based on how the crisis is developing or present on campus. In addition to campus leadership such as the Campus President, essential functions at the campus level also include functions required to support the well-being of individuals who remain on campus as well as the maintenance of SUNY properties and resources.
• Consistent with SUNY Cortland's Essential Personnel policy certain categories of employees are notified upon appointment of their designation as essential personnel subject to circumstance specific exceptions which are communicated directly by their director or vice president. Other employees will be notified in writing by human resources of their essential personnel designations consistent with the appropriate collective bargaining agreements. During an outbreak, the appropriate vice president is responsible to providing notice to specific groups of employees, or specific employees, of their necessity to be present, or changes in necessity, throughout the communicable disease outbreak.
• Below is a list of positions/functions at the campus level that may be essential in responding to a disaster emergency involving a communicable disease:

B. Telecommuting

What are the protocols your agency or authority will follow for non-essential employees to telecommute including, but not limited to, facilitating or requesting the procurement, distribution, downloading and installation of any needed technology, including software, data, and the transferring of office phone lines to work or personal cell phones as practicable or applicable to the workplace, and any devices? Please provide a description of these protocols as follows:

The Governor's Office of Employee Relations (GOER) has the authority to establish a Statewide, uniform, telecommuting program which outlines how agencies/authorities manage telecommuting. In the event of a future state disaster emergency involving a communicable disease, SUNY will receive direction from GOER on the rules and guidelines applicable to telecommuting and will take the necessary steps in order to implement and operationalize any official telecommuting program, where applicable, for SUNY Cortland, including:

• Protocol for procurement, distribution, downloading and installation of needed
  technology:
  • There are a variety of technological tools available to support a remote workforce. Cortland employs different tools, but they include online access from anywhere to Blackboard or other online learning system, WebEx, Zoom, Microsoft Office 365, One Drive, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint. In addition to these software tools, we may provide access to desktops and lab computers, and loaner laptops, Chromebooks, tablets and other technological resources.
• Protocol for phone coverage and transfer of office phone lines to work or personal cell phones:
  • The campus phone system supports ways to remotely access your calls and voicemail. Call forwarding is also available. Employees should check with the Help Desk to see what is available. Additionally, cell phone use is prevalent, and many employees choose to use their cell phones as their primary contact.

The university will periodically assess its technology needs for telecommuting and work with information resources to ensure that appropriate information technology resources are available.

In the absence of a Statewide telecommuting program, SUNY Cortland will work within the confines of current labor management structures to determine the appropriateness of employee presence on campus, to include the possibility of assigning alternate work locations.

Until a decision is made by the University about the nature and extent of the emergency, or a closure by the Governor, all employees should report to work as usual. Thereafter, management will determine and communicate which functions are essential and if any essential personnel will be excused from reporting to work and/or a physical work location.

C. Work Shifts/Schedules

How will your agency or authority, to the extent possible, stagger work shifts or adjust work hours of essential employees in order to reduce overcrowding on public transportation systems and at worksites? Consider the following in developing your work
shift/schedule adjustments, if applicable:

• Will you need to alter working hours/shifts/schedules of essential employees?
• Will you need to split shifts or change operations to different days of the week?
• How will you manage engagement between employees and any clients and/or visitors at the worksite, accounting for physical distancing requirements, as applicable?
• How will you promote physical/social distancing in this type of operation or work setting?
• What common situations that may not readily allow for 6 feet of distance between individuals exist at the worksite (including employees, clients and essential visitors)?

SUNY Cortland will ensure that essential employees can continue to fulfill their work responsibilities within the confines of what is advisable by the WHO, CDC and/or required by NYS or its DOH. In a future communicable disease event, current procedures and guidelines for workplace safety protocols will be adjusted to fit the specific threat and be distributed to all employees. Considerations will be made, within the confines of collective bargaining agreements and civil service laws, rules or regulations, to modify working hours, shifts, and schedules in such a way that social distancing and other workplace safety protocols can be enforced. We will ensure that appropriate physical and social distancing is followed for those physically present at work. These guidance documents include the following key elements:

• Employees required to physically report to the office may work with their supervisor on an individualized work schedule that will meet specific operating requirements and their personal needs. Subject to operating needs, an individualized work schedule can include:
  • Permitting essential employees to flex their schedules around available childcare, working some or all of their hours on evening and/or weekend shifts when alternate care options are available, dependent on operational needs.
  • Adjusting building access (hours and security) to support flex schedules.
• Office Social Distancing:
  • During the SARS CoV-2 and variant outbreaks, SUNY Cortland has evaluated and adjusted its individual and community office space to comply with social distancing requirements. These measurements will be kept and will be available during the next contagious disease emergency, in accordance with the threat.
  • Supervisors will monitor work schedules and limit occupancy in any enclosed space to no more than 50% and maintain a 6-foot distance between individuals.
  • Physical partitions or other barriers may be installed where 6-foot distancing between staff is not possible.
  • Facility and/or mechanical upgrades will be applied to meet or exceed recommended DOH or other requirements, such as HVAC upgrades and filter changes.

D. Personal Protective Equipment

What is the protocol your agency or authority will implement in order to procure the appropriate personal protective equipment {PPE) for essential employees, based upon the various tasks and needs of such employees, in a quantity sufficient to provide personal protective equipment to each essential employee during any given work shift? You should consider different job groupings or responsibilities (e.g., patient/ direct care, public-facing positions) when describing the protocol. Also, consider the following in developing your protocol:

• What is your plan for storage of such PPE to prevent degradation and permit immediate access in the event of an emergency declaration?
• What will be your protocol for cleaning and/or disposal of PPE, to the extent applicable?
• How will you train employees on how to put on, take off, clean and disinfect (as applicable) and discard PPE?
• What is your plan for posting signage to remind employees of appropriate use of PPE?

SUNY Cortland follows Infection Control Procedures in accordance with the Center for Disease Control and the New York State Department of Health in the development of all internal protocols and guidance relative to responding to communicable disease.

During a response to a communicable disease outbreak, procuring, distributing and inventory control will be centralized and prioritized. The Environmental Health and Safety Office and Facilities Operations and Services will coordinate these activities and supplies will be procured via OGS or from well-established New York State suppliers. These offices will also be responsible
for estimating the quantity of required PPE based on industry standards and previous experiences of use at the university.

It is the responsibility of SUNY Cortland's Environmental Health and Safety Office and Facilities Operations and Services to ensure that adequate medical (general medical supplies, medications as determined by the County and State Health Departments to obtain, store and distribute, and discard) and non medical (for implementation of CDC recommended infection control and biosafety measures; cleaning, disinfecting, and discarding) supplies are available to cover a public
health emergency. SUNY Cortland's PPE supply is stored at each campus location pursuant to PPE storage requirements. All related PPE and other supplies will be discarded consistent with product specifications and guidance from regulatory agencies. Additionally, they will ensure that employees are provided training on the proper donning, doffing, cleaning (as appropriate) and
disposal of PPE.

E. Exposure Protocol

What is the protocol in the event an employee is exposed to a known case of the communicable disease that is the subject of the state disaster emergency, exhibits symptoms of such disease, or tests positive for such disease in order to prevent the spread
or contraction of such disease in the workplace? Current requirements under the COVID-19 disaster emergency, as follows, should be taken into account in the description of your protocol:

• Implement mandatory remote or in-person daily health screening for COVID-19 contact or symptoms (e.g., questionnaire, temperature check) for in-person employees at or near the beginning of each workday.
• Coordinate screening to prevent employees from intermingling in close contact with each other prior to completion of the screening.
• Ensure agency/authority is following all screening, testing, and tracing procedures as outlined in the applicable DOH guidance, including instructions to employees on when to return home and when to return to work.
• Ensure screening staff are trained supervisory- level employees or health care professionals, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment including at least a face covering and gloves, if the screening involves contact.
• Maintain a record of all staff who are screened, as well as if screening was passed or if the staff member was instructed to return home, provided no other health information is recorded or maintained. Record must be reviewed and secured on a daily basis.
• Designate a worksite-level safety monitor whose responsibilities include continuous compliance with all aspects of the site safety plan.
• Where practicable, maintain a log of every person, including employees and visitors, who may have close contact with other individuals at the worksite or area, excluding deliveries that are performed with appropriate PPE or through contactless
  means.

SUNY Cortland will utilize engineering controls, safe work practices and PPE in order to minimize exposure in a future state disaster emergency caused by a communicable disease which will be dependent on the communicable disease that causes such disaster emergency.

SUNY Cortland will provide periodic updates, as information becomes available, on the communicable disease and its transmission as part of its exposure protocols in order to assist with reducing transmission.

SUNY Cortland, together with SUNY and NYS, has created a series of procedures to ensure that all employees physically reporting to work are screened for infectious disease and that the results of the screenings are collected and instantly reviewed. These protocols follow all screening, testing, and tracing procedures as outlined in the applicable NYS DOH guidance, including instructions to employees on when to return home and when to return to work. Protocols are updated as circumstances change.

SUNY System Administration has worked with the SUNY hospital network to develop tests in the current pandemic and requires weekly testing of all employees physically present at SUNY Cortland. Testing protocols can be modified to support other testing needs.

Employees who are physically reporting to work must complete either the Daily Office COVID Screening app or complete the screening questionnaire through a secure link hosted in myRedDragon, the campus's secure internal portal, preferably before arriving at work but no later than the first hour of physically reporting to the workplace. This includes employee's coming
into the building only for a brief period.

Procedures have been developed to comply with directives from the Director of State Operations and Infrastructure memorandum, entitled, "Employee Testing and Evaluation Protocols for COVID-19." which includes cleaning and disinfecting protocols, as well as notification to health officials as required.

As soon as practicable after an exposure incident in the workplace, human resources office staff will alert the director of facilities operations and services of the need to for the deployment of a cleaning team. If the notice of exposure occurs after normal work  hours, the cleaning team will disinfect the area prior to re-opening the following business day. Should an exposure event occur during normal work/operating hours, the remaining employees will be directed to return home as a precautionary quarantine and the workspace/office will be closed and secured until such time a cleaning team can thoroughly clean and disinfect the area.

SUNY Cortland also directs the daily thorough disinfection of any work area of any in-person employee as well as any common area surface and shared equipment such employee may have touched including:

• Building and elevator lobbies.
• Restrooms & drinking fountains.
• Hallway light switches, turnstiles, and waste receptacles.
• Building entrances, stairwell doors and handrails.

While the amount and types of leave available to an employee will be dependent on the particular communicable disease emergency that has been declared and any provisions of law that provide for leave under such circumstances, during a communicable disease emergency an employee's leave options include GOER quarantine leave, other applicable State policy leave, leave provided under a Federal Act and an employee's own leave accruals. Collective Bargaining Agreements may also be applicable. Policy on available leaves will be established by the Department of Civil Service and/or GOER who shall provide guidance to the agencies/authorities on how to instruct employees about available leaves.

F. Protocol for Documenting Work Hours/Locations

How will your agency or authority document hours and work locations, including off-site visits, for essential employees? Your protocol shall be designed only to aid in tracking of the disease and to identify the population of exposed employees in order to facilitate the provision of any benefits which may be available to certain employees on that basis. You should also consider the following questions in describing your protocol:

• How will these records be maintained?
• Who is responsible for maintaining these records?Who will be in charge of accessing these records for the purposes of disease tracking and identifying potential exposures?
• If these records are in paper form, what are your protocols for preserving these records?

SUNY Cortland's Human Resources Office is responsible for tracking the population of exposed employees in order to facilitate the provision of any benefits which may be available to certain employees on that basis. Contact tracing of employees will be done by the appropriate county health department. Should the volume be too excessive the university shall identify current
employees who will support contact tracing efforts or will contract for the appropriate services.

Employees entering SUNY Cortland worksites must self-submit a health screening which is recorded as described in Section E (above). Logs from that application are saved daily and are accessible by key personnel in the Human Resources Office, and the President as needed, who will use the information for the purposes of disease tracking, identifying potential exposures, and
contact tracing. This data is secured consistent with our data classification policy administered by the Director of Systems and Web Services (SAWS) who also serves as the Campus Information Security Officer.

G. Protocol for Identifying Emergency Housing for Essential Employees

How will you work with local officials to identify sites for emergency housing for essential employees in order to further contain the spread of the communicable disease that is the subject of the declared emergency, to the extent applicable to the needs of the workplace?

To the extent needed, your agency's/authority's Director for Administration (DFA) (or in the case of facility operations the local equivalent) will be the point of contact for the identification of emergency housing for essential employees. The DFA or local equivalent will be responsible for contacting county and local elected officials, owners/operators of local hotels and similar establishments, and local college and university officials (both public and private) to develop information about the local availability of emergency housing for essential employees. Emergency housing opportunities, once developed, will be communicated to employees who may be in need of such housing.

SUNY Cortland officials are responsible for contacting county officials and/or hotels to identify the availability of emergency housing for essential employees. Emergency housing opportunities, once developed, will be communicated to employees who may need such housing.

H. Other Requirements Determined by the NYS DOH

Current DOH guidelines for COVID-19 are as follows and will be modified depending on the particular emergency declared.

• Ensure a distance of at least 6 feet is maintained among employees at all times, unless safety of the core activity requires a shorter distance (e.g., moving and lifting equipment). Any time an employee must come within 6 feet of another person, the employee and person should wear acceptable face coverings.
• When distancing is not feasible between workstations or areas, provide and require the use of face coverings or erect physical barriers, such as plastic shielding walls, in lieu of face coverings in areas where they would not affect air flow, heating, cooling, or ventilation.
• Tightly confined spaces should be occupied by only one individual at a time, unless all occupants are wearing face coverings. If occupied by more than one person, occupancy will be kept under 50% of maximum capacity.
• Social distancing markers should be posted around the workplace using tape or signs that indicate 6 feet of spacing in  commonly used areas and any areas in which lines are commonly formed or people may congregate (e.g., clock in/out stations, health screening stations, break rooms, water coolers, etc.). Further, bidirectional foot traffic should be reduced by using tape or signs with arrows in narrow aisles, hallways or spaces.
• Post signs, consistent with the DOH COVID-19 signage, to remind employees about social distancing, hand hygiene, PPE, and cleaning guidelines.
• Limit employee travel for work to only essential travel.
• Hygiene and sanitation requirements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and DOH must be followed, and cleaning logs that that include the date, time, and scope of cleaning must be maintained.
• Hand hygiene stations, including handwashing with soap, water, and disposable paper towels, as well as NYS Clean hand sanitizer or a hand sanitizer containing 60% or more alcohol for areas where handwashing facilities may not be available
  or practical, must be provided and maintained for personnel.
• Appropriate cleaning/disinfection supplies for shared and frequently touched surfaces must be provided, and employees must use these supplies before and after use of these surfaces, followed by hand hygiene.
• Regular cleaning and disinfection of the office location must be undertaken. More frequent cleaning and disinfection must be undertaken for high risk areas used by many individuals and for frequently touched surfaces, at least after each shift, daily, or more frequently as needed, and align with DOH's "Interim Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Public and Private Facilities for COVID-19".
• Exposed areas must be cleaned and disinfected in the event of an employee testing positive for COVID-19. Such cleaning should include, at a minimum, all heavy transit areas and high-touch surfaces (e.g., vending machines, handrails,
  bathrooms, doorknobs, etc.).
• CDC guidelines on "Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility" should be complied with if someone in your facility is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19.

SUNY Cortland will have internally identified key points of contact including but not limited to site safety monitors, individuals responsible for monitoring compliance with this plan and central points of contact who will coordinate efforts to notify appropriate health authorities of positive cases and assist with required contact tracing. All personnel with supervisory responsibilities are
critical to supporting communication, awareness of requirements to support health and safety, ongoing assessment, and accountability within their areas of authority. Additional key points of contacts will be made known through various Internal communications specific to the pandemic activity and needs.

SUNY Cortland will also comply with all executive orders and emergency regulations related to the state disaster emergency.