WSU is requiring all employees to complete a COVID-19 Attestation Form before coming into work.

The form can be found on MyWSU and has to be filled out each time before an employee comes into work, even if they are working multiple days in a row, according to the Human Resource Services website.

Employees are not required to fill out the attestation form when teleworking from home. It only needs to be completed when they are going to a WSU work location in-person, according to the website.

The form lists seven symptoms, including cough, sore throat and fever. If the person filling it out is displaying any of the symptoms, they have to stay home, according to the website.

The form also lists an eighth criterion that would require an employee to stay home if they were exposed to someone who either has or is suspected to have COVID-19.

Theresa Elliot-Cheslek, WSU vice president and chief human resource officer, said supervisors have the ability to run reports and check that all employees on-site have filled out the form.

Elliot-Cheslek said if an employee simply forgets to complete the attestation before coming to work, they will likely just be asked to do so. However, if an employee refuses to attest to their lack of symptoms, it could lead to disciplinary action.

“If someone was just refusing to complete the form, we would go to our normal corrective action processes,” she said. “They may be asked to leave the worksite.”

If an employee fits any of the criteria on the attestation form, they should not report to work, Elliot-Cheslek said. They will be expected to call and inform their supervisor of the situation, and will likely be encouraged to contact their healthcare provider.

So far, the system has worked fairly well, she said. 

“We did a pilot for a couple weeks to work out some of the kinks with it, and so far it’s going OK,” she said. “We don’t have all employees back on worksites, a lot of employees are still working at home, but as of now it seems to be working.”

One challenge has been getting employees who don’t usually use MyWSU acclimated to the site, she said. There have also been a few glitches from time to time, but they have been working on making sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.

The university is currently working on developing a similar process for all students and visitors in the fall, Elliot-Cheslek said. 

Anna Schilter, principal assistant in the Office of the Dean of Students, said the process is currently being worked on by the Dean of Students, but they are not sure what it will look like yet.

“The plan is still under construction,” Schilter said, “but we will be updating everyone as soon as more information becomes available, hopefully in the next week.”

It is currently uncertain which form student-employees will fill out, Elliot-Cheslek said.

“The student-employees will either go through the student side or the employee side for the attestation form; that’s one of the things we need to work out,” she said. “We don’t want somebody to have to fill it out twice.”

Elliot-Cheslek said the most important part of the attestation is the teaching aspect.

“The main thing is to educate people,” she said. “Just don’t come to work if you’re sick.”

The systems will likely be in place until the governor gives direction otherwise, she said.