COVID-19 FAQs

The college has established a process to streamline the approval and planning of components of courses and programs that need to be delivered on campus.

• WorkSafeBC, as part of the COVID-19 returning to safe operation guidelines requires all employers to:
  • “ensure that everyone entering the workplace, including workers from other employers, knows how to keep themselves safe while at the workplace”;
  • “ensure everyone is trained on the measures the employer has put in place and the policies around staying home when sick”.
• More information and links at WorkSafeBC and BC Centre for Disease Control.

All Camosun employees must take the training prior to returning to campus.

• The COVID-19 Employee Safety Training is online and available here.

• As with all training, the length of time it takes an individual to complete varies with a number of individual factors. However, the majority of people should expect to complete in less than 30 minutes.

• WorkSafeBC requires all employees on campus to complete a COVID-19 Self-Assessment Symptoms Screening form to confirm that they do not have COVID-19 symptoms. The Initial Self-Assessment Symptoms Screening form in the employee training is the first screening that must be done before the employee is permitted to return to campus. After this initial screening, the employee needs to complete a similar COVID-19 Daily Self-Assessment Symptoms Screening form each day before they come to campus.

• The Initial Symptoms Screening asks employees to respond to yes/no statements about potential risks associated with COVID-19: Have you recently traveled (within the last 2 weeks) outside of Canada? Have you had close contact with someone who has travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days who became ill? Are you currently experiencing any of the following symptoms (fever, fatigue, cough shortness of breath, muscle aches & pains, runny/stuffy no, loss of sense of smell, sore throat, headaches, loss of appetite)?
• If the employee responds “yes” to any of these questions, they are automatically informed they are not permitted to complete the training nor attend campus at this time and are directed to contact their WPL.
• The symptoms screening form does not ask the employee to disclose any specific information regarding symptoms or other health related information.

• At the end of the COVID-19 Employee Safety training, employees are required to complete a Declaration which acknowledges that they have read and understood the training; that while on campus they will abide by the health and safety recommendations of WorkSafeBC, the BCCDC and the Provincial Health Officer; that they commit to completing a daily screening assessment while on campus; and that they certify that all of the information provided is true. Upon submitting this acknowledgement, the employee’s name, C-number, department and confirmation of declaration is automatically sent via email to Human Resources (hlrd@camosun.bc.ca).
• This automatic email does not contain any personal health information. Once this email is received, the training completion is associated with the employee’s Colleague record similar to how other mandatory training is retained for employees.
• No personal health information is tracked or associated with the employee’s Colleague record.

• The automatic email is stored in Outlook email hlrd@camosun.bc.ca. This email is accessible by the Organization and People Development team. The completion of training is also stored in the employee’s Colleague record, which is accessible to anyone who has authorized access to the employee’s Colleague record.
• The data will be used solely for the purposes of ensuring our employees and the College are in compliance with WorkSafeBC requirements.

• The Employee FAQ in the main Camosun COVID-19 information provides information about missing work due to COVID19 symptoms. In addition, Camosun has published a Directive for all students and employees related to Absences from Campus Due to COVID-19.

• A small number of employees are returning to campus at this time.
• Safe Start Camosun has a process for approval for employees and programs to return to campus. If you are uncertain about whether you are approved to return to campus, please talk to your Workplace Leader.

Please note:

• Camosun’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) assessments are currently focused on ensuring learning spaces are ready for students over the summer and fall and therefore, most common workspaces have not yet undergone an OHS safety assessment and are not ready to receive employees.
• Facilities may require that alternate spaces be used to avoid unnecessarily spreading activity across multiple spaces and as some internal areas of buildings are closed off following high-intensity cleaning. Faculty offices remain accessible.
• Employees are required to follow the advice of the BC Centre for Disease Control and the Provincial Health Officer, including physical distancing and hand hygiene.
• Any employee with symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat or sneezing needs to stay home

• Don a mask and immediately leave campus
• Go directly home with no stops along the way
• Complete the BC Self Assessment tool/ call 811 and follow the instructions
• Inform their instructor and follow the instructions in the directive:  Absence from Campus due to Covid-19

• Under the guidance of the Provincial Health Officer and the BCCDC, it is important to err on the side of caution when experiencing any symptom related to COVID-19.
• Testing is recommended for anyone with cold, influenza or COVID-19-like symptoms, even mild ones. For more information on testing and where to go for testing, visit the Testing page.

• The B.C. COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool is also available for anyone that develops symptoms and can be used to help determine if you need further assessment or testing for COVID-19. Testing is especially important for groups that are more vulnerable to complications from COVID-19, or people who care for these individuals.

• Please refer to the new college-wide directive Absence from Campus due to Covid-19.

• Not complying with daily screenings should be treated the same way as non-compliance with any other college directive.
• If a student declines to comply with daily screenings, faculty have the option of asking the student to leave the campus and if necessary calling security to remove the student from campus.

• If you have concerns about another person’s health it is appropriate to politely and respectfully point out any visible signs such as coughing, sneezing or if they generally look unwell.
• If symptoms are causing concern you can ask the person to go home and phone 8-1-1 for direction.

• Anyone who exhibits COVID-19 should call 8-1-1.
• If a public health official asks for them to be tested for COVID-19, we can determine the next course of action based on the test results and public health direction.
• If a test comes back negative but symptoms persist, the person is asked to stay home until the symptoms abate.
• If students or employees ask questions, reassure them to remain calm, continue to wash their hands frequently, maintain physical distancing and monitor their own health.
• As we enter the flu season these situations are going to become more common.
• As Dr. Bonnie Henry says: “Be kind. Be calm. Be safe.”
• Island Health will contact the college in the event there is a need for contact tracing.

• People are understandably feeling a lot more anxious and stressed at this time.
• The best thing to do is to provide employees with thorough information on the safety measures and controls in place.
• Reassure employees that frequent hand washing, maintaining physical distance, avoiding touching their face and wearing a mask in common spaces or when physical distancing cannot be consistently maintained is, to date, the most effective control measure known.
• If an employee still feels unsafe, it is important to do everything in our power to allow them to make informed decisions and follow WorkSafeBC’s regulations and requirements at all times.

• Instructors can access this information and are asked to verify students’ training completion prior to their arrival to campus.
• Students are asked to save a copy of training results and share with their instructors.

• Spaces on campus that have gone through an OHS assessment can only be used for approved activities or programs.
• Please avoid dropping in and using unoccupied spaces.

• Employees should only be on campus if necessary to their work. Meetings should continue to be held online.
• Employees need complete the on-campus attendance tracker any time they intend to visit campus.

• The Provincial Health Officer recommends fewer faces in bigger spaces, so an outdoor, physically distanced meeting should be okay, however, we do ask that meetings continue to be held online.

• Private social gatherings are the responsibility of the event organizer. If an employee wishes to hold a private social gathering after work hours, then it is up to them to follow the guidance and requirements set out by the Provincial Health Officer, the BC Government and the BC Centre for Disease Control.
• Camosun College is currently restricting in-person team events and in-person meetings in an effort to reduce transmission of the coronavirus and ensure the health and safety of the community.

For Camosun College employees who have been asked to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are questions about the cost to maintain a home workspace and equipment, and the supplies needed to carry out their work remotely.  Employees have asked if they will be eligible to claim employment expenses on their 2020 income tax form.

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) form T2200 Declaration of Conditions of Employment is completed by the employer to certify that an employee is required to work from home and that any employment expenses not reimbursed by the employer may be claimed on their annual tax return.

In normal times, most Camosun College employees do not qualify to claim employment expenses because the College provides the workspace and necessary equipment and supplies.  However, expenses incurred by employees during the 2020 “stay home” directive may be eligible when filing a tax return for the 2020 calendar year required by April 30, 2021.  

While the CRA has not announced any special tax provisions due to the pandemic, we expect that this will be addressed by the Canadian government.  The CRA is currently focused on the emergency subsidy programs and the safety of their own employees.

In the meantime, Camosun College employees should retain receipts of all purchases necessary to perform their duties remotely. Employees should also familiarize themselves with the tax rules per CRA guidelines for what are considered eligible home office expenses and calculation requirements.

The College will continue to monitor announcements from the CRA on this matter and provide updates to the College community when received.

Employees – Please contact your supervisor, manager, chair, director or dean immediately if you are absent for reasons of illness and follow your normal sick leave protocol as per your contract.

The college has waived the requirement for a doctor’s note for students and employees who are requied to self-isolate. In such cases, you are required to let your supervisor or school know.

Self-isolation is required for individuals who have returned from travel outside of Canada or have had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

A COVID-19 self-assessment tool is available at https://bc.thrive.health/covid19.

• If the medical absence is related to COVID-19 and the employee continues to be ill after their initial sick leave period (* this period is dependent on your employee group) then, the employee would be required to apply for short-term disability benefits. Manulife and the College have a revised process to address COVID-19 absences that does not require the full application process.
• Please note, the standard application process for short-term disability benefits remains in effect for other medical absences unrelated to COVID-19.
• An employee who was not ill (asymptomatic) but was instructed by a qualified medical practitioner to self-isolate due to concern that they may have been exposed to the virus would be on a general paid leave, except in circumstances where it is feasible for an asymptomatic employee to work remotely during self-isolation.

• In recognition of the increasing pressure on medical clinics and hospitals due to the COVID-19 global health emergency, Manulife has revised the short-term disability application process for COVID-19 related illness and will not, at the outset, require an Attending Physician’s Statement as part of a Short Term Disability claim submission. If an employee’s absence is due to COVID-19 symptoms, a clinical diagnosis of the virus, or a quarantine order, there is a specific application form to be used (see link below.)
• This is a time-limited exception as we move through the current situation. Payment for the short-term disability benefit remains unchanged at 70% of an employee’s annualized gross earnings and medical clearance is still required in order for an employee to return to work following a short-term disability claim.
• This is the link to the form that does still need to be completed.

• Employees need to report any absence or anticipated absence related to COVID-19 directly to their supervisor, or exempt manager if the supervisor is not reachable. Additional information may be requested depending on the situation.
• Depending on the nature of the absence, the employee may be referred to the Employee Health Advisor.

Camosun’s employee and family assistance program provider, Homewood Health, is shifting to telephone-based counselling – see their latest update.

• The health and safety of our students and employees is the main concern.
• Due to COVID-19 health considerations and guidance from the Provincial Health Officer, we are planning for a mix in the delivery of courses.
• Courses that can be delivered remotely will continue.
• Courses that require students to come on campus will be delivered in a way that is safe for students and employees.
• Priority will be given to courses that allow students to finish off winter courses, courses starting this summer and then looking at courses planned to take place in the fall.

• Safe Start Camosun is the process that has been established to streamline the approval of courses and programs that need to be delivered on campus. The approval process consists of four main stages:
  • Stage 1: On Campus Course Approval;
  • Stage 2: On Campus Assessment and Plan Development;
  • Stage 3: Plan Execution and Readiness; and,
  • Stage 4: Education and Service Delivery, and Ongoing Health and Safety Adherence.
• All on campus course delivery requires express approval and planning. There is no exception.

• Typically, for applied programs, theory is delivered remotely and students will be permitted to come on campus in small groups once approved.
• We will follow the guidelines from the Provincial Health Officer, WorkSafe BC and the B.C. Government to ensure the safety and well being of students and employees.
• Actions could include, for example, physical distancing, PPE, modified learning and workplaces with signage, linage and plexiglass barriers in addition to smaller class sizes and enhanced cleaning.

• There’s been about a 10 percent decline in overall summer enrollments.
• It is too soon to predict fall enrollment numbers.

• Camosun is working through an extensive process to determine how to carefully and thoughtfully bring small groups of students and faculty on campus for applied educational programming.
• In some circumstances, personal protection equipment (PPE) may be identified as necessary for specific courses or programs as part of the readiness requirements.
• We believe most health and safety obligations and standards will be met through appropriate physical distancing.

• Effective May, parking as a taxable benefit will be removed for all staff until August 31.
• A decision will be made about fall at a future date.

Pay parking resumes at regular rates in lots at both campuses starting July 1.

Daily, weekly, and monthly parking permits can be purchased at the Robbins parking meters on campus with each lot. The meters also accept cash (coins) and all major credit cards. Monthly passes can also be purchased directly from Robbins Parking. For questions about payment and meters please contact Robbins Parking at 250-382-4411.

For a touch free experience, Camosun has partnered with Honk Mobile for a convenient pay by app option. With the app, users can: access directions to the lot, pay for their parking spot, receive alerts when time is almost up and easily purchase additional time. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices.

Please note that parking rates and services are in effect Monday to Saturday, 7am - 10pm. Staff and short-term lots are available for general use after 5 pm with the purchase of a parking permit. Overnight parking is not allowed.

Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking spaces cannot be guaranteed or reserved. Staff parking reminder--as always please display proper staff parking permit while on campus.

For more details and to download the Honk Mobile app, please visit: camosun.ca/parking