Employees

Undefined

Health and safety

In keeping with current provincial and local public health recommendations and on the basis of current local public health conditions, our vaccination and face covering requirements remain suspended.

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Changing our public health restrictions

Update for the UWaterloo community

We are writing today to give you an update on public health restrictions on our campuses for the Spring term and beyond.

In light of the recent relaxation of public health restrictions as part of the Ontario government’s Roadmap to Reopen and on the basis of current local public health conditions, we will  suspend our mask and proof of vaccination requirements for entry to campus, effective May 1.

Thursday, March 10, 2022

Masks required at least until the end of term

Update for UWaterloo community

Yesterday the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario shared an update and statement on changes to the mandatory masking requirement. From March 21, the province will lift the mandatory masking requirement in most settings, including post-secondary institutions.

At Waterloo, to minimize the potential for disruption to the end of the term schedule and exams, we will maintain our current mask-wearing requirement until at least the end of the Winter term. It is our hope that this helps minimize uncertainty and disruption and continues to support our students, staff, faculty and University community.

Monday, February 28, 2022

What’s changing as Ontario removes public health restrictions?

Update for the UWaterloo community

Tomorrow the Government of Ontario will move to the Exit Step of its Roadmap to Reopen. This move will lift the majority of remaining public health restrictions, and this will mean some changes to our operations on our campuses. Here’s what you need to know. 

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Updates to research activities and travel

Update for employees and graduate students

As the Government of Ontario begins to ease public health measures, I am writing to clarify our next steps around the resumption of research activities and updates to travel.

These are possible due to our collective effort to reduce the spread of Omicron. My thanks to the conscientious work across the campus to keep us and our community safe. 

Monday, February 14, 2022

Plans for large classes after February 28

Update for the UWaterloo community

In the last week we have seen our campuses come alive once again as we made our return to in-person learning. We hope everyone who got to experience the campus last week felt some of the energy of having our spaces occupied by students learning and working together.

We were pleased to see our community remaining vigilant and respecting the need to wear masks and maintain distancing where it is required. Thank you for doing your part to keep the people around you protected. We remind you to complete the daily Campus Check-in and to stay away if you are sick. We also encourage all members of our community to get their booster vaccine as soon as you are eligible.

Friday, February 4, 2022

Announcing 2022 Thank You Days

Update for employees

Our recent survey of employees, together with feedback you have been giving to your supervisors, managers and department heads, has made it very clear that the pandemic has placed extra strain on us all.

We are enormously grateful to every employee who has done so much to keep the University working in support of our students over the course of the pandemic. Whether you are an instructor juggling changing modes of learning, a central plant worker monitoring ventilation systems, a recruiter meeting excited prospects online or a lab technician keeping essential systems running – all of us have experienced repeated challenges and changes over the last couple of years. 

Monday, January 31, 2022

Updating you on our plans to return to in-person experiences

Update for the UWaterloo Community

We recently communicated the University’s intention to gradually transition to full in-person experiences with most in-person instruction starting on Monday, February 7.

Ontario’s decision to open more of the province starting today is supported by the Chief Medical Officer of Health as well as Waterloo Region’s Medical Officer of Health. Changes to Ontario’s regulations mean across many sectors, people are returning to work and activities gradually through February to mid-March. The evidence from Ontario’s Science table shows now that we are past the peak of Omicron transmission based on daily case counts, test positivity, the reproduction number and wastewater data.  Hospital and ICU admissions for COVID-19 are plateauing and starting to trend down. 

Friday, January 21, 2022

In-person experiences resuming on February 7

Update for the UWaterloo Community

Yesterday, the Government of Ontario announced steps to cautiously and gradually ease public health measures. The evidence shows that our collective efforts to reduce the transmission of Omicron are having an effect and we can continue our cautious return to in-person experiences.

For the University, the announcement means that we will continue to deliver essential in-person teaching and learning as we have done since January 4, and we will gradually transition to full in-person experiences with most in-person instruction starting on February 7.  

Thursday, January 20, 2022

COVID-19 Community Response – Staff Redeployment and Volunteer Opportunities

Update for employees

As you are aware, the widespread transmission of the Omicron variant is straining our health and wellness system across the region and country. In response, the Region of Waterloo is reaching out to our University community with redeployment opportunities to support our frontline workers in local hospitals, long-term care, retirement homes and shelters.

We are writing to you today to consider two mechanisms for your support to our community.

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