COVID-19

BMCC & CUNY remain dedicated to providing a safe and healthy environment for our students, faculty and staff. We continue to adhere to the latest CDC guidance on COVID and any requirements from New York State and New York City.

CUNY continues to follow the latest CDC guidance on isolation and quarantine.

New York State passed legislation authorizing sick leave for employees subject to a mandatory or precautionary order or quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19.  The law provides paid sick leave and job protection upon return from leave.

Employees are only eligible for Covid 19 Sick Leave while they are subject to a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine or isolation. As per current CDC Guidance and CUNY Covid Guidelines employees who test positive for COVID-19 are required to isolate for 5 days and may end their isolation provided they are not experiencing moderate or severe symptoms. If an employee’s isolation ends after 5 days they are no longer eligible for COVID-19 Sick Leave.  Any students, staff or faculty who test positive with COVID-19 or are exposed to someone with COVID-19 must follow these guidelines, prior to returning to campus. If you are required to isolate or quarantine, you must receive a negative test or doctor’s certification prior to returning to campus.

Maximum Amount of Leave:

Leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act has expired effective September 30, 2021.

Employees who are subject to a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine or isolation due to COVID 19 are provided with up to fourteen days (10 working days) of paid sick leave at their regular rate of pay with no charge to their accruals.  Employees who are able to work remotely are not eligible for this benefit.

Use the link below for more information on New York State’s COVID Leave benefits and eligibility.

COVID-19 New York State Leave Application

COVID-19 New York Sick Leave Reference Guide

Quarantine Guidance and Masks After an Exposure

The University’s quarantine guidance will remain unchanged.  A reminder that if you are fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot, or if you tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days, and you come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 you do not need to quarantine and can return to work or class. But you need to wear a mask for 10 days from the date of your last close contact and get tested at least 5 days after the close contact.

Reporting COVID-19

People with COVID-19 and who have symptoms should notify their supervisors and provide a positive COVID test ASAP.   Their supervisors should then reach out to the employee’s timekeeper to find out if the employee has COVID leave available.

The employee can end isolation after five (5) full days if they are fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication and their other symptoms improve. They should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public for five (5) additional days after the end of the 5-day isolation period. At the end of the 5-day isolation period, if you are fever-free for 24 hours and your other symptoms have improved, you should test. A rapid or antigen test is recommended. If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. If your test result is negative, you can end isolation. Share your test result with the Office of Human Resources at officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu to return to campus, but continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public until day 10.

People who have had COVID-19 and never developed symptoms can end isolation after five (5) days. You should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public for five (5) more days. At the end of the 5-day isolation period, you should test. A rapid or antigen test is recommended. If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. If the test result is negative, you can end isolation. Share your test result with the Office of Human Resources at officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu to return to campus, but continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public until day 10.

Employees who can work remotely during quarantine and isolation should do so.

*Please notify the Office of Human Resources at officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu and submit a copy of your test results.


Mask Mandate

In response to revised guidance issued by the CDC CUNY has lifted the temporary mask mandate that has been in place since August 2021 and required all CUNY students, faculty, staff and visitors to wear masks inside University campuses, office buildings, classrooms and other non-enclosed spaces. Anyone who would like to continue wearing masks in any setting is welcome to do so at any time.

 

 

The NYS Department of Health COVID Testing Protocol

The New York State Department of Health has revised the COVID-19 testing protocol.   If testing is needed, you can go to New York State COVID-19 Hotline or call 1-888-364-306 to find a testing site.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act

For information about Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical Leave under the Families First Coronairus Response Act’ (FFCRA or ACT), click on the following link.  If applying for the FFCRA leave, return the Emergency Paid Sick Form, and Emergency Family Medical Leave and Expansion Act Attestation Request  with supporting documents to Gulen Zubizarreta (gzubizarreta@bmcc.cuny.edu)

English:  English (pdf) | Spanish (pdf)