We are very excited to welcome you back to campus for the Fall 2023 semester!
Northeastern Illinois University is dedicated to helping you succeed at helping our students succeed, and that includes prioritizing the health and safety of our campus community. Each day, take a moment to check in with yourself and be mindful of your physical and emotional health. Take proper precautions and seek care if you are ill. Don't forget to consider your emotional well-being.
HEALTH
- Employees are no longer required to report positive COVID-19 test results to Human Resources.
- If an employee tests positive, they should notify their supervisors about needing to isolate due to a COVID-19 positive result.
- Employees should have no in-person interaction on campus for five days beginning from the first day of symptoms or positive test result date, whichever comes first.
- Employees may utilize sick and/or vacation time for isolation days if they choose.
- If symptoms occur while on campus, go to Student Health Services to obtain a COVID-19 test. If positive, they should notify their supervisor and start their isolation period.
- Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, employees may return to campus after five days if they are feeling better. They should wear a mask around others for a full 10 days from the start of symptoms or positive test result date.
- If an employee tests positive, they should notify their supervisors about needing to isolate due to a COVID-19 positive result.
- In accordance with CDC guidelines, those who are exposed to COVID-19 do not need to quarantine. It is recommended that you wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested on day five.
sick leave
Illinois House Bill 1167, which provided sick leave protections for vaccinated school staff, expired on Aug. 12, 2022. However, employees who are sick should not come to work and should not be working. The University encourages all employees to take the necessary time off to recover and heal.
isolation period and return to work
The first day of symptoms or first positive test result date, whichever comes first, is counted as day zero of the five days.
Example: If the onset of symptoms begins on a Friday, the clock begins on Saturday and five days ends on Wednesday. Therefore, an employee would be able to return to work on Thursday.
Quarantine is no longer required for any exposures to COVID-19.
Current Northeastern practice requires a doctor’s note to return to work after three days of absence. For COVID-19, the CDC indicates five days of isolation are required.
- A doctor’s note is not required to return to work after the five-day isolation period following a positive test result.
- A doctor’s note is required to return to work if the absence from work due to COVID-19 exceeds 10 days.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)
Personal Protective Equipment is available upon request at the following places at all three locations:
- Main Campus—Welcome Desk
- CCICS—Administrative Office
- El Centro—Administrative Office
Surgical, KN95, and/or N95 masks are available for students and employees at the Welcome Desks at all locations.
Hand sanitizer stations will be located throughout all University locations.
Plexiglas or space assessment requests should be emailed to Facilities Management at facility-mgmt@neiu.edu.
