Staff

Frequently Asked Questions

ATTENDING CAMPUS

We welcome vaccinated and unvaccinated staff on campus.

All staff and students are expected to follow public health advice and ensure their COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date, to help protect themselves and those around them from COVID-19.

To help protect the health and safety of our University community, please ensure you are familiar with the measures that are in place:

  • If you are unwell, please stay home and do not attend campus. If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please ensure you get tested.
  • It is no longer mandatory to self-isolate at home if you test positive to COVID-19 (with some restrictions still in place for high-risk settings such as healthcare and aged care facilities). However, please continue to use your judgement, and to stay home and not attend campus if you are feeling unwell or if you have any cold or flu-like symptoms.
  • To reduce the likelihood of spreading or contracting COVID-19 while on campus, the University strongly recommends that you carry a face mask and wear this while indoors.  To protect vulnerable members of our community, masks must be worn in all areas providing healthcare services. This also includes any health services provided on or off campus, and any clinic placements which take place on behalf of the University.
  • If you have tested positive to COVID-19 and  you are hospitalised, you must let the University know by completing the COVID Positive Report Form. A copy of the form will be sent to your manager and to the Work Health, Safety and Wellbeing (WHS&W) team. The form will ask you to advise if you’ve been on campus in the days prior to testing positive, so that the WHS&W team can evaluate and respond to any health and safety risks.
  • Please continue to follow simple hygiene measures to help protect your health. Wash your hands regularly, observe physical distancing measures, clean your desks or workspaces with the provided cleaning supplies, do not share food, drinks or cutlery, and cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing. 

To reduce the likelihood of spreading or contracting COVID-19 while on campus, the University strongly recommends that you carry a face mask and wear this while indoors.  

To protect vulnerable members of our community, masks must be worn in all areas providing healthcare services. This also includes any health services provided on or off campus, and any clinic placements which take place on behalf of the University.   

All staff wishing to travel on University business must complete a risk assessment and ensure vaccinations are up to date. 

Travel within NSW and interstate
must have approval from the relevant Director/ Dean/ Institute Director. Any current travel restrictions that are in place must be followed.     

International travel for University purposes will no longer require Vice-Chancellor approval for destinations with a DFAT Level 1 (Exercise normal safety precautions) and DFAT Level 2 (Exercise a high degree of caution). Destinations with a DFAT Level 3 (Reconsider your need to travel) will continue to require approval from the Vice-Chancellor.

It is important to note that travel is different to how it used to be and will require additional planning and attention. Please ensure you consider this when planning international travel and allow sufficient time for relevant assessment and approval.

If you are seeking to pursue international travel for University purposes, please discuss with your supervisor first, and then submit a general enquiry case in Western Now for Procurement and Corporate Services. Travel bookings may be made through the Travel and Expense Management System (TEMS)

UNWELL STAFF AND STUDENT PROTOCOLS

If you test positive, please notify the University via the COVID Positive Report Form. A copy of the form will be sent to your manager and to the Work Health, Safety and Wellbeing team. The form will ask you to advise if you’ve been on campus in the days prior to testing positive, so that the WHS&W team can evaluate and respond to any health and safety risks.

Anyone who is identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive to COVID-19 no longer needs to isolate if they are not experiencing any symptoms. To check the guidelines that apply if you are a close contact, please visit the NSW Government's close contact guidelines webpage.  

If you are identified as a close contact, you will need to inform your supervisor and discuss your working arrangements. You will also need to notify the Work Health Safety and Wellbeing Unit (no longer the hotline) via email to whs@westernsydney.edu.au to ensure they are aware, in case you subsequently test positive.   

If you are isolating and unwell, or cannot work due to caring responsibilities, please take sick or carers leave.

If you are well, you can of course work from home for this period.

If you are well, but cannot do your normal work from home, please discuss with your supervisor what alternative work may be suitable for you during isolation.

In an exceptional case, where a staff member is required to isolate and there is no suitable work to do, the University will consider providing up to five days' special COVID leave (for ongoing and fixed-term staff). This leave will only be granted following discussion with your supervisor and in consultation with your Senior HR Partner and the Work Health, Safety and Wellbeing team.

The Subject Coordinator should be advised of the positive notification and then arrange for students timetabled to attend the same class to be notified. It is preferable that a vUWS message is posted to provide this advice to students and a message template is available for this. If a vUWS message is not possible, an email message template is also available. It is essential that the anonymity of the person who tested positive is maintained when communicating about the confirmed case.

Working Flexibly at Western

The University recognises that staff have asked for flexibility in their working arrangements, where possible. To balance the benefits of working from home with ensuring we have vibrant and active campuses, University staff will be able to continue the flexible work arrangements currently in place. 

Staff members can work from home up to two days per week if the nature of their work permits.

  • Professional staff can do this by talking to their supervisor prior to returning to campus and, if suitable, complete a formal Working From Home arrangement for up to 40% of their normal work duties.
  • Academic staff are asked to limit their time working at home to two days per week (or equivalent for part-time staff) under normal circumstances.  

For more information, staff can also refer to the Flexibility Matters – Working Flexibly at Western toolkit and the Working from Home Procedures.

If you wish to work from home, you are responsible for ensuring that you have access to the necessary equipment to do so. Working from home agreements include assessment and management of work health and safety risks. Please refer to the Working from Home Procedures for more information.

It is everyone’s responsibility to make sure we are staying safe online. Please take some time to review the guides and resources available on the IT Coronavirus webpage, including:

  • Cyber Security information for staff (login required)
  • Zoom best practices 
  • Teaching via Zoom (Preventing and dealing with unwanted behaviour)       
  • Backing up your files using OneDrive

Additional expense incurred by staff as part of working from home may be able to be claimed in the next tax return. Please check the Australian Tax Office website for more information on what you are able to claim.

STAFF AND STUDENT WELLBEING

The Department of Health has advised that some individuals may be at a greater risk of serious infection from COVID-19.

Our HR and Work Health Safety and Wellbeing (WHS&W) teams will work with any staff member (along with their supervisor) who for medical reasons cannot attend the workplace.

As an extension of the University’s duty of care, our staff and immediate family members are entitled to free, confidential counselling services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), contactable on 1800 818 728. 

There is also a wealth of resources available to support you on the Work Health Safety and Wellbeing webpage. Please visit the below pages for helpful tips and information:

Please direct students to the Student Support page where they can find up-to-date information and contact details for services accessible by phone and online, including counselling, welfare, wellbeing and chaplaincy. 

The University has several initiatives in place to support all students, including international students. International students are able to access the many support services available, including:

  • wellbeing services which can assist with counselling, crisis support and chaplaincy
  • welfare services for support through personal or financial hardship
  • disability services, which can provide access to assistive technology, and advocacy on disability-related issues for students who have a temporary injury, a disability or a chronic health problem.

Please direct students to the Student Wellbeing webpage for more information on these services. 

All international students also have access to support through the Western Success initiative, can be connected to their Western Success Advisor via email to westernsuccess@westernsydney.edu.au or by calling or sending a WhatsApp message to +61 2 9852 5155, Monday to Friday, 10.00am to 4.30pm (AEST).  

UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATION

University emails to staff and students about COVID-19, University operations and return to campus updates are available to download (staff login required).

Webinar recordings (from July 2021 – present), transcripts and other supporting documents for webinars are available via the All staff Webinars SharePoint site. This site is updated regularly with the latest communication.Recordings of earlier staff webinars (from March 2020 – July 2021) are also available online.