COVID-19 Vaccination Policy Compliance Details

As noted in yesterday’s message from Chancellor Khosla, last month the UC Office of the President released the final SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program (“final UC Policy”).

This final UC policy was established to support the health and wellbeing of the entire UC community, and requires employees, among others, to provide proof of vaccination or to request an exception or deferral based on a medical condition, religious belief, disability, or pregnancy prior to the start of the fall term on September 20, 2021. Below you will find guidance on how you can ensure your compliance with this UC policy.

For vaccinated employees with a UC San Diego Health MyChart Account:
You will receive a message in the coming days to the email address you have on file in MyChart that will give you the opportunity to consent to sharing your COVID-19 vaccination status from UC San Diego Health as a healthcare provider, with UC San Diego Health as protector of your Employee Health Record, which will demonstrate your compliance with the mandate; no further action is needed. If you would prefer to provide consent for sharing of your information prior to receiving the email, an overview of the process, for employees and students, is included in the Employee Documentation Section of the Return to Learn Compliance page.

For vaccinated employees without a UC San Diego MyChart Account:
If you received one or more doses of SARS-CoV2 vaccine outside of UC San Diego Health you will need to create a MyChart account. To create a MyChart account, navigate to the MyChart login page and sign in using your UC San Diego Employee AD Login, then follow the steps outlined. After establishing your account, you will be able to upload the dates of your vaccination(s) and a photo of your vaccine card or other proof of vaccination, under the “Immunizations and Screening,” section of your record. If you do not enter this information when establishing your MyChart account, you will be prompted to do so via an email from the MyChart system in the days following establishment of your account. Details on the steps to follow are included on the Employee Documentation Section of the Return to Learn Compliance page.

If you want to request an exception to the policy:
Exceptions to the vaccination policy can be requested for medical, disability or religious reasons. Medical exemptions must be consistent with CDC guidance and manufacturer labeling on contraindications and precautions. Deferrals are available for those who are pregnant. This is consistent with other policies and, in the case of employees, required by federal and California law.

UC San Diego has hired Sedgwick as the third-party administrator to support the employee exception and deferral process. 

To submit an exception request, employees can initiate the process by filling out this Qualtrics form. The form is now active and currently accepting requests. Information that is required for the form includes:

Name
UCPath ID number
Phone number
Email address
Identification as a Campus or Health employee
The type of exception or deferral being sought

Those with approved exceptions or deferrals must adhere to campus safety guidelines, which include masking and twice-a-week testing, to remain compliant with the UC policy.
If an individual’s request for exception is denied, they have 14 calendar days to submit proof they have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose and eight weeks from the denial date to provide proof they are fully vaccinated.
Individuals who choose not to be vaccinated, and have no approved exception or deferral, are potentially putting others’ health at risk and may therefore be subject to corrective action or the disciplinary process outlined in the policy.

If you are a student employee:
If you are a UC San Diego student who is also employed by the campus in any capacity, please follow the student vaccination compliance process that is outlined in an email from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and in the Graduate and Undergraduate Student section of the Return to Learn Compliance page.  

If you are not a UC San Diego employee (or student employee):
For those who are not UC San Diego employees or students, including individuals such as Visiting Scholars, Non-UC Visiting Graduate Students, and staff volunteers, we will be sending out information in the coming weeks with a process for compliance with the vaccine mandate.

Upcoming Town Hall:
For questions about UC San Diego’s implementation of the vaccination policy and/or exception process, there will be an employee town hall on the vaccination mandate on Wednesday, August 11 at 1 p.m. Additional information is also included on the Return to Learn vaccination mandate page. More information on the UC COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement can be found on Blink.

If you have questions, campus staff employees should contact your department’s Human Resources representative and academic appointees should contact your department AP/HR representative or Academic Personnel Services at academicpersonnel@ucsd.edu.

Please continue to stay safe and take care of yourself and loved ones. Thank you for your partnership in helping keep our community healthy.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Palmer
Assistant Vice Chancellor – Academic Personnel

Terri Winbush
Senior Director of Labor Relations & Employee Relations