WKU News

Dear Faculty and Staff:

I appreciate the true WKU Spirit that everyone is exhibiting by working together to educate our students in a safe and responsible manner.  Today, I’d like to provide an update on several topics that are likely of interest to employees.

When you run out of COVID-19 disinfectant supplies, be sure to request a restock from Facilities Management by using one of the following options:  

• Contact the ESA in your building. Ask your ESA to replenish paper towels, bulk hand sanitizer jugs, 16 oz. bottles of hand sanitizer and spray disinfectant. ESAs frequently check supplies for restocking, but it is possible for an area to get overlooked. 
• Fill out a Work Order on Maintenance Connection for PPE and Resupply. Visit the Maintenance Connection website. Select your building and location. Select 'Other' as the problem. In detail, please explain which items need to be restocked and what quantity is needed. Items that are stocked and available include disposable masks, disposable gloves, paper towels, 16 oz. hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray.  Your request will be completed within 1-2 days.
• Visit the Facilities Management front office for PPE and Resupply. Bring your empty disinfectant bottle to the Facilities Management front desk. Office staff will exchange your empty bottle for a full bottle of disinfectant. Other items that are stocked and available include disposable masks, disposable gloves, paper towels, 16 oz. hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray. Facilities Management is located on the first floor of Parking Structure 1. 
• As a reminder, do not throw away your spray bottle. Bottles are being refilled by Facilities Management to maximize resources. 
• If you need more information, please do not hesitate to call DFM’s front desk at 270-745-3253.

“Payroll Tax Holiday”

• In early August, President Trump signed an executive order which allowed employers to defer Social Security tax withholdings for employees for the months of September – December 2020.
• It is important to note that this order related to a tax deferral and not a tax cut. 
• Under this deferral, the missed tax-withholdings from September – December would be collected from paychecks dated January – April, 2021.  This means social security withholding for the first four months of 2021 would be doubled until the missed 2020 withholdings are collected. 
• WKU has concluded that this option is not favorable to our employees. 
• After guidance from the Internal Revenue Service, WKU has elected not to participate in the “payroll tax holiday,” such that all payroll tax withholdings will continue as normal.

Human Resources: The Flu Vaccine

• Getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever during 2020-2021 to best protect yourself and the people around you from the flu and to help reduce the strain on healthcare systems responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Flu vaccinations are now available at GGC@WKU (on-campus) and other Graves Gilbert Clinic locations.  
• Employees who get a vaccination will be eligible to receive wellness point credits by uploading their vaccination documentation on or after October 1, in conjunction with Open Enrollment 2021. 
• Please look for more details from Human Resources in the near future.

Postal Services

We continue to practice social distancing in the interest of the safety of our employees and the campus community. Beginning Monday, the following modified delivery schedule will be made to WKU Postal Services delivery routes: 

• We will institute a Monday, Wednesday, Friday and a Tuesday, Thursday delivery schedule. 
• Please visit https://www.wku.edu/postal/delivery.php to view the days your department will receive delivery.
• Departments will continue to have the option to pick up and drop off their mail at the Mail Center in the Service Supply Building on the days that they are not scheduled for a delivery. 
• Contact Marshall Gray at marshall.gray@wku.edu or 270-745-6185 for any additional information.

The WKU community is doing a great job with safety protocols. Please remember to continue to wear your mask, stay six feet apart, wash your hands and avoid large gatherings. You can review our COVID-19 Disinfectant Procedures at our Facilities Management website, and while you are visiting, notice that WKU has been awarded a Silver Rated Campus by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education!

Please continue to stay Healthy on the Hill and remember to support our Hilltopper football team this weekend in their opening game against that school up the road. Go Tops!

Best,

Susan

Susan I. Howarth | Executive Vice President   

Division of Strategy, Operations and Finance