These really are unprecedented times. COVID-19 has changed how we live, work and interact with each other.

I know there are ongoing challenges as we transition to working remotely and I want you to know that we are here to support you. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we all adapt to doing things differently. I hope that you and your family members are staying safe, connected and healthy during this time.

My last all-employee note on March 18, highlighted some of the resources available to help you work remotely. We have put together a list of additional resources of physical, mental health and ergonomics and will be sharing that in Communique. Live webinars on related topics will begin next week.

Humber campuses remain closed until further notice. Only employees providing essential on-campus services will be working on campus for the remainder of the Winter semester. Given what is being said by government leaders and public health agencies, we can expect requirements for physical distancing to continue for a number of weeks. As the situation continues to evolve, we are unable to determine at this point when employees will return to campus. Depending on the COVID-19 situation, we should all be prepared that the return to campus date may be well into the spring or summer. 

Effective as of the April 10, 2020 pay date, we will be stopping deductions for staff who have parking permits, until the College resumes regular on-campus business.

As we look ahead, we are assessing what impact the current situation will have on Humber’s Summer semester delivery and an update on that will come next week. Summer registration is being postponed while those decisions are being made.

All paid staff working remotely should be doing whatever they can to help their manager and their teams throughout this situation. Please continue to stay in contact with your team. If you have specific questions about workload or working remotely, please discuss them with your manager.

Due to these exceptional circumstances, all staff (full, partial load, part-time and student employees, including work study students) who would normally be scheduled to work during this period will receive pay consistent with their regular schedule. Humber is honouring all staffing commitments currently in place until further notice.

I also wanted to take a moment to say how proud I am of the work and commitment of everyone at Humber. Things are changing rapidly and we are working diligently to ensure student success, as well as support each other and the community.

Here are just a few examples of how we are stepping up:

• Humber is making technology available to students and staff who need it to complete their studies and work 
• IGNITE Student Union has provided Emergency Financial Relief Fund to provide Financial Need Bursaries which are open to domestic and international students with proven financial need. Humber College is combining this new funding with existing bursary funds to support students.
• We are providing medical supplies and equipment to our community partner the William Osler Health System, along with providing access to the Queen’s Plate parking lot to enable a COVID-19 drive-thru assessment site.

As we continue to adjust to working and learning at home, it’s important to stay connected to our colleagues and our community. To help you with this, yesterday we launched the #HumberAtHome series. We want to know how you are taking care of your well-being right now, how your teams are adding a bit of fun into your interactions, and which resources are helping you. Please check your Communiqué daily for more information on this series.

In the meantime, I encourage you to check www.humber.ca/updates regularly for the latest information on Humber’s response to COVID-19. The Frequently Asked Questions section of the page has answers to some of the more common questions from staff right now. Please also check the Human Resources page often for additional supports and resources.

Stay safe, healthy and practice physical distancing. We wish the best to you, your families and friends during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Lori Diduch
Vice-President Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness