If you reason to believe you may have COVID-19 and/or have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, please stay home and reach out to staysafestaff@mcad.edu and also complete the MCAD COVID-19 Exposure Report Form.
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected families, communities, schools, and businesses worldwide. The outbreak has also impacted our economy. While we all hope that this is a temporary situation, we also acknowledge that many individuals and families live paycheck to paycheck. If working fewer hours, not able to work, and/or if a family member or partner has experienced job loss and/or a reduction in hours, this is a compoundingly stressful situation for many of us. This page contains some resources that may provide some help and/or relief during this time. Please also check out the WELL+ WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED PAGE for additional resoures.
MCAD COVID-19 FAQ: To help you and students sift through all of the important information being generated and disseminated about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, we posted MCAD/COVID-19 FAQ's on our website and intranet. As new information and questions arise, we will update these FAQ’s as often as necessary.
MCAD EMERGENCY SICK TIME: All MCAD employees can use existing Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) for any scheduled hours you are now unable to work due to the Stay at Home Order, partial closure of MCAD facilities, closure of schools, child care, or elder care for a dependent, and/or your own illness or that of a family member. If you are out of your accrued Sick and Safe Time and are unable to work, you may be eligible for an additional 12 days of paid sick time under MCAD’s new Emergency Sick Time policy. For more information, please contact your supervisor or Human Resources (human_resources@mcad.edu).
MCAD EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS (EAP): All MCAD employees have access to the Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) which provide resources such as counseling and other support, including: debt management, financial counseling, budgeting, and even some limited legal assistance if needed.
FFCRA INFORMATION: 2020 Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Notice (more information about FFCRA is available on dol.gov)
REMOTE WORK BEST PRACTICES:
- VIrtual Meetings: Many team meetings will be held via Google Meet or other video conferencing. Set expectations for the meeting in advance by laying out details, logistics, and agenda. Consider enabling video during meetings to create a feeling of togetherness, as well as using mute when not speaking to minimize background noise for others. At the end of each meeting, do a recap including action items for the team. Had enough screen time? Had enough screen time? Have a coffee meeting outside or a walking meeting via phone.
- Schedule regular and pop-up check ins: Regularly check in with one another to ensure that everyone has what they need to be productive. Communicate often in interactive ways via phone, Google Hangout Meetings, and Google Hangout Chat. Had enough screen time? Have a coffee meeting outside or a walking meeting via phone.
- Be flexible: With K-12 school closures employees may have children at home while they work. The environment at home is different than on campus so remain flexible with your work schedule whenever you can to stay productive.
- Additional Supplies: Any equipment or supplies needed to work from home must be approved in advance by your supervisor.
- Support routine, breaks, and well-being: Encourage your employees to set a start and end time for the work day since daily change of dress and place will not create those clear transitions. Ask team members to communicate via email or Google Hangouts when they are starting and ending their work day. Utilize ‘schedule send’ for emails sent outside of those work hours. These practices can help allow employees working remotely to unplug from work after their work day so that they can focus on their own well-being and that of their family. MCAD will continue with WELL+ programming to support employee well-being, focusing on online resources and virtual sessions.
- Other recommendations and resoures:
- Work at Home During the Pandemic: Mindset, Boundaries, Strategies, and Working with Children in the Housee (McBeath Communications)
- 4 ways to manage remote workers when you don’t know how long they’ll be working from home (Fast Company)
- 15 Questions About Remote Work, Answered (HBR)
- How to Transition betweeen Work and Time and Personal Time (HBR)
- How to Work from Home Successfully (Medium.com)
- 8 Best Practices for Working Remotely (Medium.com)
MANAGING STRESS: Inspired by this article from Work Human, here are some tips on managing stress during COVID-19. CDC also has a great page of resources on managing stress during this time.
- Play some music or make some music
- Detach from media (even the CDC recommends this)
- Remind yourself of our shared purpose here at MCAD
- Express gratitude (try using Impressions in Paylocity)
- Share kindness (try using Impressions in Paylocity)
- Give back (resources for giving and volunteering)
- Get outside for a walk (DNR resources on what is open and available)
- Meditate (Headspace is offering free guided meditations)
- Schedule a virtual coffee using MCAD Google Hangout
HEALTH CARE RESOURCES: For employees enrolled in MCAD’s health plans or a family member’s plan, look into the cost difference between using telehealth/telemedicine or virtual care. These options can often keep costs down over an office visit. Prescriptions for many diagnoses given via telemedicine and/or virtual care can also be filled the same day. A list of options available via MCAD’s benefits can be found here. If you owe a current balance to a health care provider, call to set up a payment plan and/or temporarily suspend payments if possible.
- Virtuwell, which is part of MCAD’s HealthPartners benefits, have launched a FREE online assessment for COVID-19 to help folks determine if they should seek care or not. Anyone can actually do the assessment, even if you are not currently covered by HealthPartners benefits:https://blog.virtuwell.com/coronavirus-assessment/
- HealthPartners members who are concerned that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 can take screening assessments available online atDoctor on Demandor should call their primary care clinic. CareLine is also available 24/7 at no cost to members. The most updated information for HealthPartners members is available here.
FINANCIAL RESOURCES:
- COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and Unemployment Benefits: The Unemployment Insurance program is ready to assist workers who can’t work, workers who have had their hours reduced, and workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Twin Cities area: 651-296-3644
- Greater Minnesota: 1-877-898-9090;
- TTY users: 1-866-814-1252
- Rent/Mortgage concerns: Minnesota MultiFamily Housing Authority also asked landlords to waive late fees, offer flexible payment plans, and cease new rent increases. Governor Walz has also ordered all property owners to halt evictions. To understand what this order may mean for your own housing situation, please contact your property owner. There are also resources for both renters and homeowners available on theFederal Housing Finance Agency website and via theTenant Resource Center (612-302-3180). Resources available on eviction and homelessness prevention, emergency assistance, mediation, workforce, and legal assistance.
- MCAD Retirement Plans
- 403(b) Plan: Participants can take an early withdrawal with no penalty and taxes may be paid over 3 year. However they must be impacted by the virus. TIAA will be sending out information about this to participants directly and you can also find information online and by phone:
- https://www.tiaa.org/public/learn/prepare-unexpected/guiding-you-through-turbulent-times/cares-act
- TIAA National Contact Center at 1.800.842.2252
- SRA Loans: If you are a participant in MCAD’s SRA Retirement Plan, you are able to take a loan out against 50% of your current balance. For more information, please contact TIAA National Contact Center at 800-842-2252. (Note: 403(b) Retirement Plan balances are not eligible for loans).
- Learn more: CARES Act provisions affecting your TIAA retirement plan
- Student Loan Payments: The Department of Education’s guidance is to contact your student loan servicers and request forbearance or suspension of payments.More information can be found on the Federal Student Aid website.
- Credit Card Payments: Many credit card companies are waiving fees and/or allowing for payment deferrals or forbearance. For more information, contact your credit card company directly.The Balance has also put together an overview of the various credit card company revised policies in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Utilities: As families and communities face the challenges of COVID-19,Xcel Energy Minnesota has committed to not disconnect service from any customers until further notice. If you have difficulty paying your bill, we are here to help. Just contact Xcel.
- Understanding Forebarance: When a lender allows for suspension of paymnets there are many things to consider. Check out this article from The Balance for more information.
- Additional guidance: This guide from CNBC provides some additional guidance on ways to navigate the financial stresses related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including how to send hardship letters to creditors and to create an emergency budget.
- Emergency Funds and Grants:
- Otto Bremer Trust Emergency Funds for Community Organizations
- MN Council on Foundations - Minnesota Disaster Recovery Fund (MDRF) for Coronavirus
- Headwaters Foundation for Justice - Donate to the Communities First Fund
- Arts and Culture Leaders of Color Emergency Fund
- Springboard for the Arts - Emergency Funding Resources for Artists
- Modest Needs Self-Sufficiency Emergency Grant
- Community Sharing Fund Grant
- Coronavirus Response Fund at the South Dakota Community Foundation
- Governor Tim Walz has signed Executive Order 20-15 (E.O. 20-15), establishing animmediate relief loan program to small businesses and independent contractors whose businesses have been affected by closures related the ongoing peacetime emergency.
- St. Paul Mayor Announces Cash Grants for Poor Families, Small Businesses
- Grantmaking in Response to Coronavirus - video recording will be available.
- Women for Political Change Mutual Aid: This fund will center young women and trans & non-binary folks, specifically those who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), queer, and/or part of the disability community.
- COVID-19 Emergency Mental Health Fund: The City of Minneapolis The Division of Race and Equity is temporarily making funds available to strengthen the capacity of mental and behavioral health providers and community cultural healers to provide services to community residents who may be experiencing increased stress and trauma related to the outbreak of the Coronavirus. Our goal is to provide short term relief to those who are experiencing crisis and whose ability to receive in person help is either limited or not existent at this time. Providers may apply for between $2500 - $7500 to meet these needs.
- Midway Art Grants: Midway Art is temporarily shifting its $60,000 Visual Arts Fund re-granting program to offer emergency grants in 2020. The VAF will provide $1,000 grants to 60 visual artists living within the 7-county Twin Cities metro region with a high level of financial need. Apply online beginning Saturday, May 9th at 11am. Funds may be used to cover basic and other imminent needs. Priority will be given to the following: those with great need; BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other underserved communities; and individuals caring for dependents. Visit www.midwayart.org/vaf-info for more details on eligibility, an outline of the application, and answers to FAQs. @visualartsfund @warholfoundation @midwayart
OTHER RESOURCES:
- Minnesota COVID-19 Response
- Minnesota Department of Health
- Additional Resources and Materials (in 20 languages)
- COVID-19 Hotline: 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903 (7 am - 7 pm)
- Minnesota Department of Health Prevent the Spread posters (multiple languages)
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- How to Prepare
- Coping with Stress
- COVID-19 Caretakers: Metal Health and Coping with Stress
- Helping Children Cope with Emergencies
- COVID-19 Info in Hmong, Thai, Lao, and Khmer
- World Health Organization
- Other Organizations:
- COVID-19 Resources fromTPT Twin Cities PBS (multiple languages)
- Pollen “ARE YOU OKAY?” Series: Stores, art, and connection nurturing a community of care during the COVID-19 crisis.