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FAQs on COVID-19

For Staff

Who should return to the office? Am I required to report duty as usual?
If I am a close contact of someone diagnosed with COVID-19 and need to be in quarantine, will the University deduct my annual leave?
If I am living with someone who is under mandatory quarantine at home, am I required to notify the University?
Can I cancel my annual leave during the days when I am assigned to ‘work from home’?
My place of residence is in the Greater Bay Area (e.g. Shenzhen) AND I commute to work in Hong Kong on a daily basis. What is the arrangement after the Government imposes the mandatory quarantine measures effective from February 8, 2020?
I am now in an area/city which is locked down by the local authorities for quarantine purpose and thus cannot come back to work. What should I do?
Do I need to apply for leave if I stay overseas or in the Mainland (which is not my usual place of residence for daily commuting to work) during the ‘work from home’ period?
I previously departed for places for which the Government, subsequent to my departure, imposed a 14-day mandatory quarantine such that I am unexpectedly required to be quarantined upon my return. What should I do?
With the approval of my leave applications (e.g. professional/sabbatical leave, etc.), I am planning for a business/research trip outside Hong Kong. How should I make the leave arrangement?
I am planning a personal trip outside Hong Kong (e.g. Mainland China and overseas). How should I make the leave arrangement?
If I am diagnosed with COVID-19, will the University cover the medical expenses?
What should I do if I encounter any difficulties in conducting classes online?

For Faculty / Department Heads

For Staff

1. Who should return to the office? Am I required to report duty as usual?

In light of the latest developments of the COVID-19 in Hong Kong, the University has made necessary adjustments to its operations. Apart from staffing for emergency and essential services, staff shall work from home to provide basic department services. Heads of Departments will communicate with their staff members about the detailed work arrangements to be made as per the department's situation. Please discuss with your direct supervisor if in doubt.

2. If I am a close contact of someone diagnosed with COVID-19 and need to be in quarantine, will the University deduct my annual leave?

You will be issued a quarantine order if you are required or ordered by a Health Officer to be put under quarantine. Please inform your Head of Department and direct supervisor immediately and send a copy of the quarantine order to ncovstaff@hku.hk. Such absence period will then be treated as “Authorised Absence”.

3. If I am living with someone who is under mandatory quarantine at home, am I required to notify the University?

Please inform your direct supervisor and discuss with him/her to determine the work arrangements including work from home during your living with someone under home quarantine. At the same time, please be reminded to stay vigilant at all times and practise the highest level of hygiene and infection control measures, such as maintaining a social distance, avoiding sharing personal items and having meals separately. If you have any symptoms, please seek medical consultation immediately and do not come back to campus.

4. Can I cancel my annual leave during the days when I am assigned to ‘work from home’?

Cancellation of approved leave can only be made in advance and is subject to the approval by the Head of Department or his/her delegate. In general, approval may be granted where colleagues have informed their supervisor/Head of Department of their intention to cancel their leave application prior to the leave date/period and their work duties could be re-arranged after the cancellation.

5. My place of residence is in the Greater Bay Area (e.g. Shenzhen) AND I commute to work in Hong Kong on a daily basis. What is the arrangement after the Government imposes the mandatory quarantine measures effective from February 8, 2020?

You are required to work from home until further notice. Please discuss with your Head of Department for the work arrangements during this period and provide document proof showing your residential address in the Mainland.

6. I am now in an area/city which is locked down by the local authorities for quarantine purpose and thus cannot come back to work. What should I do?

It is in the best interest of you and the general public to comply with such arrangement. Please inform your direct supervisor or Head of Department immediately and send them the supporting documents (local authority’s announcement, air/train tickets with dates, hotel bills, etc.). The Head will exercise discretion for you to work from where you are and to treat such absence period as “Authorised Absence”.

When the outbound traffic resumes, please refer to Q7 if you opt to stay on. Your safety is always the top priority. Please discuss with your Head of Department if you have any difficulties and be reminded to fill out an e-health screening form upon your return: https://intraweb.hku.hk/reserved_1/ncov/recommendations.html

7. Do I need to apply for leave if I stay overseas or in the Mainland (which is not my usual place of residence for daily commuting to work) during the ‘work from home’ period?

Colleagues who stay in a place other than Hong Kong for personal reasons are normally required to apply for annual leave (or unpaid leave if annual leave is exhausted) via the HCMS. Please check your latest leave balance with the same system before making leave applications. Please see Q5 and Q6 above for exceptions.

8. I previously departed for places for which the Government, subsequent to my departure, imposed a 14-day mandatory quarantine such that I am unexpectedly required to be quarantined upon my return. What should I do?

You will be issued a quarantine order if you are required or ordered by a Health Officer to be put under quarantine. Please inform your direct supervisor immediately and discuss with him/her to determine the work arrangements including work from home during the quarantine period. If this is not possible, such absence period supported with a quarantine order will be treated as “Authorised Absence”. Please also be reminded to fill out an e-health screening form via: https://intraweb.hku.hk/reserved_1/ncov/recommendations.html.

9. With the approval of my leave applications (e.g. professional/sabbatical leave, etc.), I am planning for a business/research trip outside Hong Kong. How should I make the leave arrangement?

Until further notice, the University will, in general, not entertain applications for leave or grants for business/research trips. Previously approved trips should also be cancelled if you have not yet departed.

10. I am planning a personal trip outside Hong Kong (e.g. Mainland China and overseas). How should I make the leave arrangement?

We strongly advise you to consider postponing or cancelling the trip. If you must make the trip, you are required to notify your Head of Department prior to the trip, and apply for annual/unpaid leave covering the period of mandatory quarantine.

11. If I am diagnosed with COVID-19, will the University cover the medical expenses?

The University will continue to provide medical benefits to eligible staff pursuant to the University Staff Medical Benefits Scheme. Your eligibility for medical benefits is available in your 'Personnel File' in the HKU Portal. (For Demo, please click here.) Please contact the University Health Service (http://www.uhs.hku.hk/) for further enquiries.

12. What should I do if I encounter any difficulties in conducting classes online?

Please visit this website with all online resources available to teachers: https://tl.hku.hk/teachonline/online-resources-for-teachers/
Teachers may also contact TELI or CETL anytime on e-learning questions. Contact details can be found on the website.

For Faculty / Department Heads

1. A colleague is now in an area/city which is locked down by the local authorities for quarantine purpose and thus cannot come back to work. How should I handle his/her absence?

Please alert the colleague to send in supporting documents (local authority’s announcement, air/train tickets with dates, hotel bills, etc.) in this situation. You may then liaise with the colleague’s direct supervisor for the possibility of work from where they are and to treat such absence period as “Authorised Absence” (a copy of supporting documents will have to be sent to ncovstaff@hku.hk for HRS’ updating of the HCMS). If this is not possible, such absence period will have to be covered by an appropriate type of leave. When the outbound traffic resumes, colleagues should refer to Q7 for Staff if they opt to stay on. Please also remind the colleague to fill out an e-health screening form upon the return: https://intraweb.hku.hk/reserved_1/ncov/recommendations.html.

2. A colleague is now in Mainland China (other than the usual place of residence in the Greater Bay Area)/overseas and does not want to return to Hong Kong for the time being. How should I handle his/her absence?

Other than the situations listed in Q5 and Q6 for Staff above, colleagues who choose to stay in the Mainland/overseas for personal reasons are required to apply for annual/unpaid leave as appropriate.

3. Some of my staff are currently outside Hong Kong and mandatory quarantine is required upon return to Hong Kong. What advice should I give them?

Colleagues should adhere to the self-quarantine measures after returning to Hong Kong and are required to apply for appropriate type of leave to cover the absence period (please refer to the For Staff section for advice on special circumstances). Please be reminded to fill out an e-health screening form via: https://intraweb.hku.hk/reserved_1/ncov/recommendations.html.

4. The University has announced that the face-to-face classes might not be resumed at the beginning of the coming semester. Can the academic staff members stay overseas?

While the coming semester will start with a dual mode of teaching, face-to-face classes shall be resumed once the public health situation in Hong Kong improves. We call on and appreciate colleagues’ efforts in arranging for exceptional measures to ensure continued teaching and learning for students during this period. Colleagues who stay overseas for personal reasons are required to apply for annual/unpaid leave.

5. What should I do if one of my staff/students was asked to stay at the quarantine camp due to a close contact with a suspected/confirmed patient?

Please immediately report the case to the Task Force on Infectious Diseases (TFID) by email to ncovstaff@hku.hk (for staff) or ncov@hku.hk (for students). Relevant offices including UHS and Estates Office will follow up accordingly. Please also remind the staff/student to submit the quarantine order as supporting document.

6. A colleague is planning on travelling while noting that the Government has imposed a 14-day mandatory quarantine upon return. What advice should I give him/her?

Please strongly advise the colleague to postpone the travel. If he/she must make the trip, he/she will be required to apply for leave of absence for the days that he/she is out of office, including the 14-day mandatory quarantine upon their return to Hong Kong.

7. A colleague has previously arranged a business trip (e.g. for research, conference attendance, etc.) outside Hong Kong in the near future and has applied for professional/sabbatical leave. What advice should I give him/her?

Please advise the colleague that any approved business trips (e.g. professional/ sabbatical leaves for research, conference attendance, etc.) should be cancelled and no similar leave applications should be approved until the Government’s Outbound Travel Alert is lifted.

8. A colleague informed me that he/she is living with someone who is under mandatory quarantine. How should I handle it?

Please discuss with the colleague’s direct supervisor to determine the work arrangements including work from home during his/her living with someone under home quarantine period. Please remind the colleague to be vigilant at all times and practise the highest level of hygiene and infection control measures, such as maintaining a social distance, avoiding sharing personal items and having meals separately. In case he/she develops any symptoms, please ask him/her to seek medical consultation immediately and not to come back to the campus.

9. Are there any other guidelines or protocol that I should be aware of?

Please ensure a high level of hygiene and cleanliness in the office with reference to the “Cleaning Guideline at Emergency Response Level” issued by UHS (Updated on March 5, 2020).

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