The provincial government recently announced the delay of in-person learning for elementary and secondary school students to January 5, 2022. Parents and guardians in the U of T community will again be making rapid changes to care for children at home during this delay, while also trying to fulfill their job responsibilities.

As a reminder, all employees should work remotely until Monday, January 31, 2022, with the exception of those who must work on campus, such as employees who support operations, construction and ancillary services, who provide in-person student support, or who are needed for specific in-person research activities.

Leaders should continue to prioritize the well-being of their teams and colleagues. Managers, Chairs, and Division Heads are asked to be as accommodating as possible by permitting requests for flexible hours, vacation time, and/or lieu time (if applicable), and ultimately unpaid leave if necessary during the delay in returning to in-person learning for school age children.

Academic administrators may consider alternative approaches to the distribution of workload including alternative scheduling/timing of teaching and service assignments for faculty members. The COVID-19 Accommodation for Faculty & Librarians (PDAD&C #44) and the COVID-19 Letter of Understanding Between the University and UTFA dated August 9, 2021 outline the processes by which faculty members and librarians may submit requests for flexibility or accommodation related to childcare. Assessments of accommodation needs will be conducted on a case-by-case basis.

The Family Care Office is available to employees as a resource to consult, advise, and support on these matters.