Arizona Law "New Safe Return" Plan: 5.0 ARIZONA LAW COMMUNITY

This protocol remains in effect for the Spring 2021 semester.  

There are over 100 staff members of the College of Law who keep Arizona Law running on the front lines and behind the scenes. These include staff in admissions, academic affairs, alumni and development, BA/MLS programs, building services, career development, clinic support, dean’s office, event planning, faculty support, finance, global programs, law library, marketing, Phoenix program, registrar, student affairs, student success, and more.

Some staff members can perform core duties working remotely; others must be in the building to perform their functions; still others can complete their work in a mix of in-person and off-campus.

This Plan is based on input from the Arizona Law workforce through a mix of online, voluntary, anonymous submissions and one-on-one conversations.

Worker voice is essential as workers have expert knowledge about how to make their jobs safe and when safety-related rules are not being followed. Arizona Law community members have had, and will continue to have, a vital role in designing, implementing, and monitoring compliance of Arizona Law’s safe-return plan.

This Plan adopts the UArizona Returning to Workspaces directives and guidelines, including those found in Employee Resources and Supervisor Resources, both of which link to additional information and support. Further, UArizona Human Resources has tools to assist supervisors and employees in making a plan for remote and flexible work as well as helpful guidelines for return to the campus. Directives and guidelines pertaining to office space and other building-specific considerations can be found in Section 8.0 Physical Plant. 

The following information is taken directly from the Returning to Workspaces guidance: 

Guidelines for Work at Home (7/31/2020)

The most effective means of preventing the transmission of COVID-19 is to minimize in-person interactions by working from home. When employees must be present in the workplace, the supervisor and employee must strive to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between individuals at all times. While no distance has been proven to be perfect, maintaining at least 6 feet of separation will reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 significantly.

Supervisors and employees must work together to ensure that as many employees as possible are able to work from home, for as long as sensible. This is especially true for those employees who may be at risk of severe illness from a COVID-19 infection, based on CDC Guidance.  

When work from home is not feasible:

• Enact staggered or rotating schedules and break times
• Stay at least 6 feet apart from others when onsite and eliminate contact (e.g. handshaking, hugging)
• Avoid large gatherings of employees (greater than 10 people) when feasible
• Use virtual meetings as much as possible and in all cases where more than 10 people
• Encourage employees to take the stairs and reserve elevators only for those who are unable to use the stairs
• Take separate vehicles or distance as much as possible when sharing

Also see the Return to Work FAQ for information on preventing the spread of illness.

The protection offered by physical distancing alone reduces over time, in as little as 15 minutes. When multiple people occupy a space, the risk of coronavirus transmission increases with time, even when individuals are at least 6 feet apart. Face coverings and physical distancing work together to reduce risk.

Supervisors must evaluate the workplace and implement strategies to minimize risk of coronavirus transmission in the workplace, such as increasing distance where feasible, moving individuals into private offices, reducing time together in shared spaces, and requiring face coverings at all times when people occupy the same space for greater than 15 minutes, including cubicle or open work areas, meeting rooms, etc.

Supervisors and employees should work collaboratively to ensure that the unique circumstances and needs of their workplace are considered and all possible means of increasing physical distance are utilized.

Preparing to Return to Work

The University encourages you to have individual discussions with your supervisor about the need and ability to return to workspaces. You should be fully informed about, and engaged in, that process.

Self Assessment

In preparation for return to workspaces, you are encouraged to:

Evaluate Personal Risk

Begin to think about you and your family's risk tolerance and the impact in the event you were to contract coronavirus.

Review CDC Guidelines

Carefully review the guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control. In addition, review specific information about the disproportionate burden of illness and death among racial and ethnic minority groups.

Consult PCP as Needed

If you have questions about your own risk factors after reviewing the information provided by the CDC, we strongly encourage you to consult with your Primary Care Physician or a medical specialist (as appropriate).

Temporary Workplace Modifications

We strongly encourage employees to discuss with your manager/supervisor about possible temporary modified work conditions and/or expectations as soon as possible.

Disability & Medical Concerns

If, after discussing temporary modifications with your supervisor, you still have concerns based on your own disability or medical condition, please connect with the Disability Resource Center for options. The DRC may ask for medical documentation to assess reasonable accommodation. Medical information will be kept confidential.

Contact the DRC at workplaceaccess@email.arizona.edu or 520-621-3268.

Age-Related and Caregiver Concerns

If, after discussing temporary modifications with your supervisor, you still have concerns based on other risk-factors or related issues (e.g., age-related or caregiver concerns), please connect with Human Resources for support in working with your manager/supervisor.

Contact Human Resources at HR-COVID19-Questions@email.arizona.edu or 520-621-3660.

See also the Remote & Flexible Work Guidelines from Human Resources.

Arizona Law will also adhere to the COVID-19 Workplace Positive Case Protocol for Supervisors. This guidance provides step-by-step instructions for employees, supervisors, and department heads in the event of a COVID-positive colleague in the building. It includes notification protocol to public health, close contacts, facilities management, and everyone in the building. It also includes important privacy guidelines when an employee tests positive.

In accordance with UArizona Returning to Workspaces guidance and directives and communications from the Office of the Provost and Provost Liesl Folks (6/5/2020; see Sec. 5.0 above), supervisors will meet with every employee to determine remote work opportunities. Supervisors should complete the UArizona COVID-19 Workplace Prevention Checklist in planning their unit’s safe return. Supervisors will make a plan for their units in consultation with the College of Law Chief of Staff.

1. Following UArizona guidance for supervisor-supervisee communications, identify workers who can or need to continue to fully work from home (WFH).
   • Determine who can perform all or most core functions remotely. 
   • Those who can work remotely (as determined in consultation with supervisors) should continue WFH arrangements.
   • Support alternative work for workers who are unable to come to campus.
   • Advise workers on how to seek accommodations for those who are unable to come to campus and unable to WFH. 
   • MILESTONE: July 1, 2020

2. Following UArizona guidance for supervisor-supervisee communications, identify workers and teams whose core work must be performed partially onsite. 
   • Adopt flexible on-site work schedules to avoid congestion and minimize contact.
   • In each department or work zone, adopt alternating daily or weekly shifts for workers or teams to be on campus and to work remotely. This will help to reduce congestion at the Arizona Law, aid in social distancing, and help comply with the 144 sq. ft. per person office recommendation. Weeks will begin on Sunday and run through Saturday for purposes of defining “alternating weeks.”
   • Stagger and extend traditional work day hours to avoid congestion at “rush hour.”
   • Ensure team members are able to socially distance while onsite.
   • MILESTONE: July 1, 2020

3. Following UArizona guidance for supervisor-supervisee communications, identify workers and teams whose core work must be performed fully on-site.
   • Adopt flexible on-site work schedules to avoid congestion, minimize contact, and comply with the 144 sq. ft. per person office recommendation.
   • Stagger and extend traditional work day hours to avoid congestion at “rush hour.”
   • Ensure team members are able to socially distance while onsite.
   • MILESTONE: July 1, 2020

4. In accordance with UArizona Safe Return to Work Guidance:
   • Work to achieve 25%-50% staffing occupancy at any given time at the College of Law.
   • Arizona Law Chief of Staff will provide the Dean with an overall, anonymous staffing plan based on input from all supervisors in an effort to meet this criteria.
   • MILESTONE: July 15, 2020
   • Review and regulate flows of foot traffic on Arizona Law property to reduce the density of people moving through tight spaces. 
   • Observe social distancing at all times.
   • Require all individuals to wear cloth face coverings or masks while on site and not wholly within their own domains (e.g. a face covering is not required in an office, while only one employee is in that office). See 14.0 for additional guidance.
   • Provide disposable masks to individuals who do not have one or need a new one during the work day. 
   • Make available gloves, disinfectant, hand sanitizer, and other sanitation items to every unit, department, and work zone.
   • Enhance disinfection of fomites (objects or materials which are likely to carry infection) with EPA-registered disinfectants on a regular basis by professional custodial services. 
   • Provide extra protection (e.g. Plexiglas shields, face shields) for Arizona Law community members whose jobs require more regular and repeated face-to-face interaction or direct contact (e.g. clinic welcome desk).
   • Refer individuals with COVID-19 infections to UA healthcare support, affordable housing and wrap-around wellness services.
   • Regularly communicate best practices, updates, levels of protection, and possible infectiousness following a positive result to the workforce.

5. Student Workers
   • Students working at the College of Law should work from home whenever possible.
   • Students who must work on the College of Law campus must comply with the provisions of this Plan including daily wellness checks, temperature readings, and the Pledge for a Safe Return. 
   • UArizona guidance for staff applies equally to student employees.
   • Additional College of Law guidance for staff applies equally to student employees.  
   • Supervisors should employ the same strategies for student employees that they do for staff, including staggering shifts of student workers to promote social distancing and reduce density.
   • Office space and conditions of student workers shall be equally safe as for all employees.
   • Student workers should not access facilities at the College of Law campus when they are not at work or otherwise eligible to be on the College of Law campus.

5.2 Faculty 

Arizona Law has 40 full-time faculty members, more than 90 Professors of Practice, and 6 emeritus faculty members who continue to teach at Arizona Law.

Professors of Practice include a variety of attorneys, judges, and other legal professionals who teach part-time at Arizona Law. Approximately 30 Professors of Practice are scheduled to teach courses or portions of courses in Fall 2020.  

Faculty, like staff and students, are required to participate in all campus safety protocols outlined in this plan when they come to campus to teach, work, attend meetings and events, use the law library, or engage in any other on-site activity.

Following a communication from the Office of the Provost and Provost Liesl Folks on June 5, 2020, faculty members who self-assess to be at “higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 or have related concerns” should initiate a discussion with the College of Law Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or Chief of Staff about possible temporary modified work conditions.

MILESTONE:  Faculty who wish to discuss modified work conditions should initiate a discussion with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or the Chief of Staff by July 1, 2020.

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Dean, and Chief of Staff will work with faculty members to develop flexible work arrangements to the extent curricular needs allow.

MILESTONE: Arrangements to be made by July 15, 2020.

5.3 Students 

For the 2020-2021 academic year Arizona Law has approximately 400 students enrolled in the JD program, including 130 first-year students, 150 second-year, and 120 third-year. We also have approximately 46 Advanced JD students (included in the numbers above), 8 LLM students, 5 SJDs on campus, and 5 SJDs off campus working on their dissertations. We have approximately 20 MLS students on campus, and 200 online. The fall curriculum for Arizona Law is addressed in section 6.2.

Arizona Law, together with the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, enrolls approximately 900 BA in Law students in combined on-campus (700 students) and remote programs (200 students). The BA in Law program is addressed more fully in section 6.7.  

The following rules shall apply to all JD, LLM, SJD, and MLS students:

1. In accordance with the COVID-19 Adjusted Teaching Models (aka Teaching & Learning Guidelines (6/15/2020) (Appendix  C), and UArizona Fall Four Class Formats, the College of Law will offer classes in four modalities: in-person, flex in-person, live online, and fully asynchronous online. 
2. Students, like faculty and staff, are required to participate in all campus safety protocols if they opt to come to campus for in-person classes, clinics, events, to access spaces such as the law library or journal offices, or to use services such as Career Development Office and Student Affairs. 
3. Students who do not wish to submit to the Arizona Law’s safety protocols will learn and study from home or elsewhere on campus.
4. Students attending courses not held at the College of Law must do so remotely. 
5. Exceptions may be granted by the Dean’s Office or Arizona Law COVID Task Force. 
6. Students are expected to comply with these guidelines for their own and others’ health and safety. Repeat violators will be subject to discipline.
7. Like all members of the University and Arizona Law, students will be provided with training materials related to returning to campus in a time of COVID-19, best practices, and unique aspects of the Arizona Law plan. Students will be given a Pledge for a Safe Return before coming to campus. 

Members of the UArizona community, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty from other departments, and staff from across campus, frequently attend meetings and events at Arizona Law. Until further notice,  Arizona Law is open only to faculty, students, and staff of Arizona Law.

Except in limited circumstances with pre-approval from the Dean’s Office or the Arizona Law COVID Task Force, members of the wider UArizona community will be prohibited from entering the courtyard and any of the buildings of Arizona Law, including the law library.

Anyone requesting entrance to the Arizona Law campus must complete the daily screening questionnaire and temperature check at the kiosk or online, and participate in the university’s mandatory testing protocol, i.e. negative COVID test within 7 days of coming to campus.

The Arizona Law community includes hundreds of alumni in Tucson and surrounding areas who frequently come to the Arizona Law for events, meetings, and other activities. Members of the public also visit Arizona Law to attend events and to use our law library. Until further notice, Arizona Law is open only to faculty, students, and staff of Arizona Law.

1. Except in limited circumstances and with pre-approval from the Dean’s Office or the Arizona Law COVID Task Force, alumni, guests, and members of the public will be prohibited from entering any of the buildings of Arizona Law, including the law library. See Sec. 9.0 for law library information.
    
2. This prohibition does not apply to clients of our clinical programs. Clients of the clinical programs who must come to campus will make prior arrangements with the clinic as outlined in section 6.5.
    
3. Anyone requesting entrance to the Arizona Law campus, including clinic clients, must be escorted into the building by a staff or faculty member to ensure compliance with temperature testing and questionnaire requirements.
    
4. The Arizona Law Admissions department will conduct prospective student events and meetings virtually and, in limited instances, on campus, in accordance with this Plan and in consultation with the Dean's Office and/or COVID Task Force.
5. All approved visitors to the College of Law must comply with university policies, including completion of the Wildcat WellCheck for Visitors (no NetID required) before coming to campus; self-quarantine when traveling to Tucson from outside Pima County; and mandatory COVID testing.