Non-essential travel discouraged, 14-day quarantine in place

To support the health of our community, UM employees are strongly encouraged to avoid any travel wherever possible, following provincial recommendations.

Federal and provincial health authorities continue to strongly discourage all international and all non-essential travel during this public health emergency. Provincial travel restrictions stipulate that anyone who leaves Manitoba at all must complete a 14-day quarantine on their return. 

If you must travel, please contact your dean or supervisor as well as Human Resources prior to travelling in order to better understand coding of mandatory quarantine upon your return. 

HR CODING OF MANDATORY QUARANTINING POST-TRAVEL 

• If able to fully continue to work remotely: Employees can have their quarantine hours coded as regular time. 
• For essential travel and unable to fully work remotely upon return: Employees MAY be permitted to code the time to a paid COVID leave. Speak with your dean or supervisor 
• For non-essential travel, if employee is unable to fully work remotely or in-person if their role requires same: Employees will be required to use vacation or unpaid leave to cover the mandatory quarantine time.

What about travel insurance? Travel coverage offered through our full-time benefits program does not have a pandemic exclusion, which means that employees who are covered by the plan are able to access all benefits. 

However, employees planning to travel should reach out to Canada Life directly prior to their trip to ensure nothing has changed. 

TRAVEL AND TRAVEL PLANNING CHECKLIST

If you are a faculty or staff member, before travelling or making travel plans, be sure you:

• Understand travel restrictions and mandatory quarantine for 14 days post-travel: See government guidelines. 
• Speak with your dean or supervisor and Human Resources prior to travel or planning travel. 
• Be clear on implications for your post-travel quarantine and Human Resources coding of that time, depending on circumstances:  
• Essential v. non-essential travel 
• Fully v. not fully working from home. 
• Be clear on UM travel insurance implications. Check in with Canada Life before you go.

Generally, those travelling for either essential or non-essential reasons will be able to have quarantine hours coded as regular time if able to fully continue to work remotely. If an employee is unable to fully work remotely and the travel is deemed essential, then time may be permitted to be coded as a paid COVID leave. If the travel is deemed non-essential, and the employee is unable to fully work remotely or in person if their role requires same, then they will required to use vacation or unpaid leave to cover the mandatory quarantine time.

Please contact your Human Resources consultant or the HR Help Desk with any questions.
Phone: 204-474-9400
Email: hris@umanitoba.ca