Guides

 This document may not respond to all of your concerns. The best sources for additional information are:

• Questions regarding City of Syracuse policy and procedures should be directed to your immediate supervisor or Department Head. 

• Questions regarding benefits and leave requests can be answered by the staff of Human Resources / Personnel.

• Your primary healthcare provider is your best source for answers to questions about your and your family’s health. If you do not have a healthcare provider, Upstate University Hospital has established a free public Coronavirus Hotline at 315-464-3979.

• If you need to know more about Coronavirus, links to the New York State Health Department, the Onondaga County Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control can be found at http://www.syrgov.net/coronavirus.html. The World Health Organization has produced a short YouTube Video which can be viewed at https://youtu.be/mOV1aBVYKGA. . The New York State Health Department has also established a 24-7 telephone hotline at 888-364-3065.

The Response Team will make every effort to keep Department Heads up to date with the latest information. Please recognize, however, that the situation is evolving rapidly and there may be questions that do not yet have answers. 

It is also important that information from departments reach the Response Team. Information about employees who are out ill, potentially exposed to the virus, or who are being tested should be provided as quickly as possible to Frank Caliva in the Mayor’s Office at 315-448-8018 or fcaliva@syrgov.net.  This information is considered private and confidential.  Sharing of information must be managed in coordination with public health authorities and cannot be provided to anyone other than your immediate supervisor and Frank Caliva.

• Email will continue to be the best source for new information. Please check your email regularly and share printed copies with colleagues who do not have email.

• A new page has been added to the City’s official website. www.syrgov.net/employees will be updated on a regular basis to provide information employees need to maintain essential city services and help manage the City’s response to Coronavirus (COVID-19).

• A group text messaging service will be established shortly. All City owned cell phones will automatically receive text updates. Employees without City issued phones will have the option of subscribing their personal phones to the service.

• A recorded hotline is also being developed. Employees will be able to call and listen to a message containing the most up to date information available.

While the City has instituted additional cleaning and disinfecting procedures, your healthiest defense remains practicing good hygiene and “social distancing.” 

• If you or a member of your household is showing symptoms of respiratory illness – stay at home. You must be free of all symptoms, including fever, for 24 hours before returning to work.

• Clean your hands often. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Avoid close contact in general but particularly with people who are sick. Put distance between yourself and other people. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick. Department Heads should take steps to ensure reasonable space between people in offices.

• Meetings should be rescheduled as telephone or online conferences whenever possible. The City is providing expanded remote meeting capabilities to all departments. Additional iInformation about remote meetings will be distributed to Department Heads. When in-person meetings are required, they should be small and provide for reasonable space between participants. 

• If you have reason to believe that you have been exposed to Coronavirus (COVID 19) contact a healthcare provider immediately. As soon as possible also contact Frank Caliva in the Mayor’s Office at 315-448-8018 or fcaliva@syrgov.net.  Personal health information will be kept strictly confidential.

Citizens and customers should be encouraged to transact business by mail, by phone, or online whenever possible. The Response Team is developing communications through multiple channels to encourage citizens and customers to do so.  Employees in public contact areas should take additional precautions. 

• Keep as much distance between you and the public as possible. Avoid personal contact (shaking hands.) If you need to pass items (equipment, documents, payments) use hand sanitizer and ask others to do the same. If you are regularly passing items to and from the public, wear disposable gloves. The City will be distributing supplies to Departments as required.

• A health and safety supply requisition procedure is being developed and will be distributed shortly. Generally, requests should flow through your immediate supervisor to your Department Head. Authorized purchases related to virus preparation and mitigation should use the new PeopleSoft code “COVID.”

• Department Heads should ensure that they have:

• Employees who visit citizens’ homes or businesses should follow all of the same precautionary practices as on City property. Whenever possible interactions should take place outside.  If an inside interview or inspection cannot be performed because of health concerns, advise the customer that the City will return to complete the required work as soon as it is safe to do so.  Further guidelines regarding which visits/interactions should be suspended at this time will be forthcoming from your Department leadership. 

• Employees should check with a direct supervisor or Department Head for public contact precautions specific to their job.

Sick leave policies have been temporarily updated to encourage employees to remain home when they are ill or required to care for an ill family member.  The Personnel/Human Resources Department can answer any specific questions about sick time and leave requests. The City is currently reviewing leave policies in light of upcoming school closings. 

• An employee with symptoms of acute respiratory illness must stay home and not come to work until they have been free of fever (100.4F with an oral thermometer) and all other symptoms for at least 24 hours. 

• Absence for illness or to care for a sick family member will be accounted for under current policies and union contract provisions. If a City employee does not have sufficient available sick days, they must still stay home and request a Compassion Leave which requires medical certification and approval by the Mayor.

• If an employee is required, by a medical provider or legal authority, to be quarantined because they contract or are exposed to Coronavirus, the City may grant a special paid administrative leave.

• Department Heads with questions about managing possible exposures should contact Frank Caliva in the Mayor’s Office at 315-448-8018 or fcaliva@syrgov.net

• Personnel/Human Resources will be reaching out to departments and Union leaders to encourage all employees to sign up for direct deposit.  Direct Deposit forms will be handed to all employees receiving a paper check with the upcoming payroll. Employees who are reluctant to sign up are still encouraged to sign up now and will be able to go back to a paper check later on upon request.  

• Personnel/Human Resources is working to identify employees who are part-time and/or temporary and therefore do not receive time off benefits and would go without a paycheck in the event of a quarantine or shut-down.  We will coordinate a plan with departments to minimize negative financial impact.

Updated 4.3.2020

In April, the City of Syracuse launched TeleHealth for those enrolled in the health benefits through Excellus.  On Monday April 6th, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. there will be a Virtual Training presented by Excellus on their MDLIVE program including both medical and behavioral health visits. This training is open for you or your dependents on your plan.  

What employees should know: 

1.    There is a $0 cost to the member for using this program

2.    You need to register in order to use this program

3.   Virtual Training is scheduled for 4/6/2020 at 2:00 p.m. listed tot he right is the link to join.  You must download Skype Web App in order to join or you may join by phone.

Updated July 2020 | COVID-19 Travel Policy (PDF, 676KB)

Only essential travel is being permitted at this time.  Senior Staff, in consultation with Department Heads, will determine whether travel is deemed essential.  This restriction will remain in place until further notice. The specific restrictions and procedures are listed below. Note, this only applies to travel for City-related business; however, please refer to federal, state and county travel advisories related to personal travel, such as vacations. 

• Travel within Onondaga County – continue to follow the current travel policy and procedure until further notice.

• Travel outside of Onondaga County – limited to essential travel only until further notice.

• For Future Travel: all travel must be approved as essential before any bookings (transportation, hotels, registration, etc).

• For Previously Approved Travel: all travel must be re-approved as essential before anyone actually travels.

The Mayor’s Office will review all travel requested as essential through this form. The form will be reviewed each day and decisions will be updated in the “approval” section. 

• For future travel that is approved as essential, the travel can be booked and you must also submit the travel request form and complete the other requirements for the existing travel policy. 

• For previously approved travel that is re-approved as essential, employees can actually travel.

• Any travel that is not approved as essential cannot be taken and no bookings can be made until further notice.

Questions or concerns about travel can be directed to Evan Helgesen at 448-8492 or ehelgesen@syrgov.net

The City will be limiting access to buildings and services during the coming week (the week of March 16), requiring certain employees to work remotely. The IT Department is working to expand data and communication infrastructure and to document remote access procedures. Information pertaining to your division or department’s work situation, along with instructions of how to work remotely, if applicable, will be distributed via Department Heads.

The City will be limiting access to buildings and services during the coming week (the week of March 16), requiring certain employees to work remotely. The IT Department is working to expand data and communication infrastructure and to document remote access procedures. Information pertaining to your division or department’s work situation, along with instructions of how to work remotely, if applicable, will be distributed via Department Heads.

Updated NEW Teleworking Policy (as of 6/2020)

Download Teleworking Policy (PDF)(PDF, 448KB)