Stanford’s commitment to continue pay for employees

Both nationally and here at Stanford, employees have been wondering what coronavirus-related issues will mean for their jobs and pay. The range of challenges posed by the coronavirus include reduced university operations in a variety of areas, the need for self-isolation, and difficulty attending to caregiving responsibilities due to school and other closures throughout our region.

Stanford is not able to fully shut down due to our 24/7 operations dedicated to teaching, research, and health care. Given this, it is imperative that many employees to continue to work as required, including having some employees take on different responsibilities during these most urgent weeks of the pandemic we are collectively fighting. Many job responsibilities lend themselves to working from home, while other work must be performed physically at a Stanford facility. Wherever Stanford employees are working, our first priority is their health and well-being, and that of their families. 

Stanford wants to reassure employees that, at this time, the university intends to continue to pay all full-time and benefits-eligible part-time (“regular”) employees at their current base rate of pay without respect to the number of hours they work. Effective March 16, pay will continue for regular employees for whom there is a temporary lack of work, whose work is not conducive to being done remotely, or who are self-isolating in keeping with public health and university requirements as well as with Governor Newsom’s call for self-isolation for those with chronic health conditions and who are over age 65. Stanford will also continue to pay regular employees who cannot work due to caregiving obligations that have arisen as a result of widespread school closings that prevent them from coming to work or effectively working from home. Employees who are affected by these various circumstances should work with their managers to determine required work responsibilities.

Note for employees in health care: Employees involved in health care delivery need to consult with appropriate leadership about self-isolation. Governor Newsom’s guidance for individuals age 65 or older was clarified to express a commitment to keeping the health care system strong, stating that individuals age 65+ who work in health care can continue to work, and practice social distancing and home isolation after hours. We understand that there may be an executive order issued on Monday, and we will update this communication at that time, if needed.

More information is available on Cardinal at Work.

Other details from University Human Resources: Non-exempt employees should continue to fill out their timecards to record all time worked, as well as meal periods. Employees represented by a bargaining unit should record time according to the terms of their applicable collective bargaining agreement. Where hours worked are less than an employee’s regularly-scheduled hours per week, employees will be paid at the employee’s current base rate of pay as though they had worked the full number of regular hours. Employees who are sick should continue to fill out timecards consistent with our sick leave policy. Finally, employees taking pre-authorized vacation should record vacation time on their timecards.