COVID-19: Information for staff

Currently, professors must wear a mask when teaching.

Due to the difficulty of being audible in an audience of large capacity, for class groups of more than 50 students, the teacher is exempted from wearing a mask by keeping a physical distance of at least 3 meters from the students.

Professors are advised to wash their hands with soap and water before and after class and in the lavatories, which are fully cleaned twice a day.

If needed, hydroalcoholic gel is also available at auditorium/practical work room entrances. Foot-pedal dispensers are placed in front of large auditoriums.

Cleaning of auditoriums, practical work rooms, libraries and computer labs, including work surfaces and tables, is provided by the cleaning service every day.

Cleaning of the table used for teaching is the professor’s responsibility after the lesson. Cleaning products are available in the faculties.

In computer and practical work rooms, paper towel and anti-static cleaning product dispensers are installed for cleaning computer surfaces and keyboards.

Auditoriums benefit from a ventilation system designed to meet the requirements of a health situation such as the one at hand.

No, you should not take attendance. The health team of the Student Support Service is in charge of managing and tracing positive cases if necessary. It is only asked that teachers who have been informed by a student of his/her positivity at COVID inform the faculty's administrative director.

If the professor receives information from a student that he or she is COVID-positive, the professor shall inform the faculty's administrative director who will refer the matter to the health team of the Student Support Service.

Auditorium capacity per the health code as well as technical (including equipment) information is presented by campus : https://intranet.uclouvain.be/fr/myucl/administrations/adpi/auditoires.html).

Regarding audiovisual equipment for rebroadcasting an activity, all tiered (G) auditoriums will be equipped beginning 14 September with the ‘Poly Studio’ system, which allows the course to be filmed for rebroadcast via Teams: the camera focuses automatically on the professor but can also remain fixed on the lesson board by way of a simple command. This equipment will be managed by the Property Logistical Management Department (GPLO). »

To request a Poly Studio test in already equipped auditoriums, email  8787@uclouvain.be (Auditorium Management).

Alternatively, beginning 14 September, backpacks containing portable equipment are available at faculty receptions (to be reserved in advance) for courses given in auditoriums that use portable furniture, are flat (not tiered), or managed by faculty. The equipment also allows rebroadcast via Teams.

Since 27 August, the Louvain Learning Lab (LLL) has held both remote and in-person training (registration on introductory workshops page). It will hold a ‘special back-to-school’ teacher training day on Thursday 10 September during which various workshops will be offered that directly address preparing lessons (e.g. ‘Animer une séance magistrale interactive avec un grand groupe en formation comodale’ and ‘La place des TP en période COVID’).

Information and registration details are available on the  dedicated page of the LLL website.   

Also available is the LLL’s infographic on teaching formats.

As soon as they enrol at the university, and without having to await Enrol Office validation, new bachelor’s and master’s students will receive a provisional NOMA allowing them to connect to the platforms and thus receive information relating to course organisation.

Professors do not need to do anything. It is the student who must register for courses, Teams classes and Moodle courses, using links provided to them.

The Student Support Service can analyse student needs and possibly grant financial assistance for the purchase of a computer, or even provide a refurbished university computer.

Such students must make an appointment with a social assistant at www.uclouvain/aide. In the meantime, students can use university computer labs.

Please send a scan or quality photo of your certificate to certificats-medicaux@uclouvain.be 

The usual rules are in effect.

UCLouvain offers ‘Corona’ parental leave. This leave has the advantage of not being deducted from your paid leave and time credit balance, that is, it is in addition to your current balance. Moreover, the allowance granted is 25% greater than ordinary parental leave.

By law, ‘Corona’ parental leave is authorised from 1 May through 30 September 2020. It can be taken in a continuous period until the end of the measure, or in successive months or weeks. If you already have paid leave or a time credit in progress during this period, it is possible to convert it to ‘Corona’ parental leave retroactively.

Conditions

1. When the leave is taken, your child must be under 12 years of age or 21 years or under if they have a disability.
2. You must have a minimum of one month’s contractual seniority with UCLouvain.
3. Your contract must extend until the end of the requested leave.
4. If you are employed full-time, the requested service reduction can be 20% or 50%; if you are employed at least 75% full-time, the requested reduction can be 50%.

Exception from 1 July: single parents or parents of a child with a disability have the option of taking this leave by stopping work entirely. The allowance is increased by 50% compared to the allowance for ordinary parental leave. The amount of this increased allowance is capped to ensure that it does not exceed the gross salary lost.

How to make the request?

Please send a request letter in PDF format to Ms Aurélie Volont at aurelie.volont@uclouvain.be.

For new requests or to change your current reduction percentage, make the request at least three working days in advance of the start of leave. If your request concerns a conversion at the same percentage of paid leave or time credit into ‘Corona’ parental leave, this advance period does not apply.

The letter must contain the following information:

• Type of leave
• Reduction percentage (20% or 50%)
• Start and end dates

Attach or copy the email agreement in principle from your supervisor. Once your request has been analysed, we will send you a confirmation email and inform you of the next steps to be taken with ONEM.

Conditions and additional information at https://www.onem.be/fr/documentation/feuille-info/t9

For questions about ‘Corona’ parental leave, contact Ms Aurélie Volont at aurelie.volont@uclouvain.be or 010/47.27.41.

UCLouvain’s work regulations allow administrative and technical staff to carry over a balance of up to 60h48 (8 days) through February of the following year. In view of these circumstances, greater flexibility in taking 2020 leave for all contracted staff (administrative and technical and scientific) is granted. On an exceptional basis, a carryover of the balance of leave of 76 hours (10 days) maximum for a full-time employee will be authorised through the 2021 Easter holidays, i.e. through 16 April 2021. This balance will be prorated for people working part-time.

Deferring additional leave to 2021 for COVID-19-related reasons will not be authorised.

Supervisors are asked to ensure that, at a minimum, the remainder of leave is planned and taken by their team members. Indeed, in these special times of confinement, the balance between professional and private life is difficult to achieve. However, it is very important to take time for yourself to rest and disconnect.

As a reminder, by law, leave can be taken on one or more occasions but staff must, for proper service planning, take at least three full weeks, two of which are consecutive.

Please consult Human Resources 

Yes. Teleworkers are insured, in principle during their working hours, against industrial accidents, as if they were at their on-campus workplace.

In view of the exceptional circumstances related to COVID-19, insurers are well aware that working hours can be adapted according to the worker’s situation, for example owing to childcare; they should be flexible as to the burden of proof. However, in order to avoid misunderstandings, inform your manager, when possible, if you have to deviate heavily from the standard work schedule.

Although travel is limited during confinement, we remind you that occupational accident insurance covers teleworkers for accidents during specific journeys:

• round-trip between place of residence and children’s school/nursery (without excessive deviation from standard work hours);
• round-trip between place of residence and place where midday meal is taken (same rules as for those who work on campus).

If you are a victim of an accident, a work accident declaration must be submitted to the UCLouvain Insurance Department.

ASPU sports activities are organized but under special conditions. In addition to having the ASPU card (membership page), it is indeed essential to register for the activity in which you wish to participate. Page to register.

• I scrupulously apply the health rules: wearing a mask, washing my hands, hydro-alcoholic gel and physical distancing.
• I consult a doctor and get tested if he or she considers it necessary.
• I quarantine myself while waiting for the results, following Sciensano's hygienic advice.

The result of the test is positive

• My doctor makes the compulsory declaration to the health authorities ;
• I notify my supervisor, who then will notify the VRPP via vrpp@uclouvain.be ;
• I quarantine myself according to the doctor's opinion and return a certificate of incapacity for work.

The test result is negative

• I scrupulously apply the sanitary rules: wearing of the mask, hand washing, hydro-alcoholic gel and physical distancing ;
• I possibly make a second test according to the opinion of my doctor;
• I stay at home according to the doctor's opinion and return a certificate of incapacity to work. 

• I scrupulously apply the sanitary rules: wearing of the mask, hand washing, hydro-alcoholic gel and physical distancing ;
• I consult my doctor who will judge whether there is a suspicion of COVID or not, whether a test should be done or not, whether to prescribe quarantine or not, whether I should receive a certificate or not.
• While waiting to see the doctor for a medical opinion, I can stay at home and telework, with the prior agreement of my supervisor. 

It is the responsibility of the supervisor to inform his/her team in strict confidentiality of the person carrying the virus and to remind team members of the measures for low and high-risk contacts.

In addition, in order to assess the health situation at UCLouvain, the supervisor is requested to also inform the Vice-Rector for Personnel Policy (vrpp@uclouvain.be).

If you have any further questions, please contact personnel-sante@uclouvain.be. 

• I scrupulously apply the sanitary rules: wearing of the mask, hand washing, hydro-alcoholic gel and physical distancing ;
• I advise the acquaintance to consult their doctor.

If you would like fabric masks, contact the Internal Department for Work Safety and Protection (French acronym: SIPP) by email.

Paper masks are available through the Purchasing Department ACHA. These masks (type II R) can be obtained at the Lavoisier building in Louvain-la-Neuve (open from 9 am to 12 pm). They are part of a group purchase organised by the Union Wallonne des Entreprises and meet COVID-19 health requirements.

They are sold in boxes of 50 for €31.80 including VAT. For the moment and in order to satisfy as many people as possible, orders are limited to five boxes of 50.

Wearing a mask is mandatory for teachers except for large class groups of more than 50 students, in auditoriums that allow a distance of 3m from the students.

However, face shields are available for teachers who :

• Have a certificate that prohibits wearing a mask;
• Would like to wear a face shield in an auditorium where wearing a mask is not mandatory (which allows a distance of 3m from the students);
• Wish to wear a face shield in addition to a mask.

Visors are available and can be removed:

• At the Lavoisier store in LLN ;
• At the central store in Woluwe;
• At Marc Francq's in Mons;
• At Vincent Filleul's in Tournai;
• At the secretariat in St-Gilles.

ACHA can provide you with cleaning or disinfecting solution.

To obtain hydro-alcoholic solution, please contact the cleaning manager of the site (LLN, Brussels, Hainaut).

300 5L dispensers have been installed in high density spaces, in places where washing with soap and water is not possible (libraries, computer rooms, auditoriums, learning centers, etc.). 5L represents 4000 sprays. Entities are asked to avoid purchasing additional dispensers in a decentralized manner for reasons of supply monitoring, installation costs and fire prevention. You wish to obtain an additional 5L distributor? You can motivate your request at sipp-lln@uclouvain.be. This will be analyzed according to the local situation (traffic flow, people density, desired location, possible alternative). 

Hand washing or hydro-alcoholic solution?

In general, hand washing with soap and water is to be preferred over the use of hydro-alcoholic gel. After 2 to 3 daily uses, the gel dries the hands and can cause some eczema in people who already have dry skin problems.

Fire prevention

The hydra-alcoholic solution is a flammable product. Preventive measures :

• Do not store several containers or bottles together in your premises;
• Avoid any hot spot or naked flame;
• Move the bottles in hermetically sealed containers to retention bins.

In case of spillage :

• Try to contain the puddle;
• Warn permanence.

In case of fire :

• Call the emergency number ;
• Make sure fire doors are closed;
• Do not use water;
• Use fire extinguishers if trained.

The use of such gloves gives a false sense of security. They don’t exempt you from hand-washing, given that gloved hands can also touch your mouth, nose or eyes, door handles, faucets, and other contact surfaces, and thus contribute to the spread of the virus.

For these reasons wearing gloves is strongly discouraged in UCLouvain corridors, technical spaces, and public places.

If they must be worn, they are single-use, intended for only one specific activity or task, and must be discarded directly and systematically thereafter.

It should also be noted that, on the basis of current knowledge, at an ambient temperature of approximately 20° C and ambient humidity of 50-60%, the virus survives from a few hours to 24 hours on dry paper or cardboard. The longer durations found in some studies have been measured under heat and humidity conditions which are ideal for viruses (35-37° C, 70-100% relative humidity) but not normally present in UCLouvain premises.

As of the start of the academic year, all UCLouvain lavatories will be cleaned twice a day. The frequency of cleaning has therefore doubled compared to the pre-COVID-19 situation.

A cleaning solution is available in every lavatory for general use.

At personal workstations, where the distance of 1.5 m can be respected, the mask can be removed. ‘Personal workstation’ means the desk, work surface, hood, bench or equipment on which one usually works as well as one’s seat in a meeting room.

Special cases may require specific provisions in terms of wearing masks at work. If necessary, supervisors will inform you of specific measures to be taken.

Coffee, tea and refreshments as well as small individually wrapped snacks may be served at work meetings. In the case of catering, it must be organized by a service provider who complies with the rules of the hotel and catering industry.