Peralta follows CDC guidelines regarding the definition of fully vaccinated; however, we will allow students/employees who have received one dose of a two-shot regimen to access Peralta property while in the process of being fully vaccinated if they are tested weekly and do not have a positive test.
Faculty & Staff FAQ
Peralta Employee COVID-19 Vaccine Policy
As a condition of employment, all existing and new Peralta Community College District (PCCD) faculty, classified employees, administrators, hourly employees (short-term temporary employees), contract employees, independent contractors, and student employees (henceforth referred to as “covered individuals”) must provide proof of “full” COVID-19 vaccination (as defined by the U.S. Center for Disease Control) or submit a request for an exception on medical, disability, religious grounds, or a deferral based on pregnancy.
COVID-19 Vaccination/Masking Requirement Administrative Protocol
*Faculty, and staff are required to have shown proof of vaccination (or have submitted requests for exceptions) by October 7, 2021.
Vaccination/COVID-19 FAQ
Do I need to wear a mask (indoors/outdoors)?
Masks are required to be worn indoors while on Peralta Community College District (PCCD) property.
Do I need to be vaccinated?
Yes, there is a mandatory vaccination policy for district employees and contractors.
*Faculty, and staff are required to have shown proof of vaccination (or have submitted requests for exceptions) by October 7, 2021.
*All students are required to have shown proof of vaccination (or have submitted requests for exceptions) by October 13, 2021 for Fall in-person instruction.
*Students accessing in-person courses (including hybrid) and face-to-face services (for example, the library, counseling, tutoring, etc.) are required to upload proof of full vaccination, unless they have a pre-approved medical or religious exemption on file with the District. Proof of vaccination or exemption must be uploaded at least five (5) working days in advance of coming onto campus. Students taking 100% online classes are not required to upload vaccination proof unless they come to campus for any reason.
What is the deadline to submit proof of vaccination and how do I submit it?
Per the District COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, October 7, 2021 is the deadline for PCCD employees to submit their proof of vaccination. Employees need to submit to PeopleSoft Employee Health Tracker in order to enter campus, and Human Resources is storing vaccination information. Instructions for using the Employee Health Tracker are available here.
How do I request an exemption from the vaccination requirement?
For faculty and staff wishing to be exempt from the vaccine policy, fill out the appropriate forms below and submit them via the PeopleSoft Employee Health Tracker. For questions re: uploading, contact helpdesk@peralta.edu. For any other questions, contact hr@peralta.edu
For a medical exception, fill out both of these forms and send them to the HR team at hr@peralta.edu to review and post to your PeopleSoft record
Medical Exemption Form and Certification From Medical Professional
For a religious exception, fill out this form and upload send it to the HR team at hr@peralta.edu to review and post to your PeopleSoft record
Religious Exemption Form
If your exemption is accepted, you will then need to take weekly COVID-19 tests and upload the results in Campus Solutions. As of August 17, 2022, PCCD is no longer providing testing on campus. Please visit https://safe.peralta.edu/covid-19-vaccine for a list of available testing locations.
How do I access the campus daily?
The PeopleSoft Employee Health Tracker is also the tool used for daily screening to enter campus.
If I am only teaching online, do I need to be vaccinated?
Yes, you do. If you are an employee of the district, you need to be vaccinated as a condition of employment.
Do students need be vaccinated?
The mandatory vaccination policy includes students, who come onto campus for any reason, including instruction and services. Please encourage students to enter their vaccination status. Student vaccination status is managed in Campus Solutions (where enrollment, fees and financial aid, grades etc.) -
Instructions for entering your vaccination status HERE
Instructions for exempt, unvaccinated students to enter their weekly COVID-19 test HERE
Faculty: to view student vaccination status follows the instructions HERE
Do any of the vaccines contain either pork products or fetal cells?
Many are citing the use of pork products or fetal cells in vaccines as the reason for their religious objections to getting vaccinated. There are neither pork products nor fetal cells used in the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson and Johnson vaccines.
Are there instructions for Health Services staff to help students upload vaccination documents?
Yes, here is the document intended for Health Services staff with Campus Solutions Admin access to guide them in helping students upload the information.
If my requested exemption is accepted, will I need to be tested weekly? How will I submit my negative test results?
Yes, you will need to be tested weekly and you will need to update your testing results to Employee Health Tracker.
Alameda County offers free COVID-19 testing services. Please visit their Community Testing Calendar for locations and information.
For information on Berkeley COVID-19 testing opportunities, go here
Roots Clinic offers COVID-19 testing Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5 pm at 7272 MacArthur Blvd
In partnership with Carbon Health, the City of Berkeley is standing up a testing site behind City Hall located at 2180 Milvia (corner of Center & Milvia). Testing services will be available Monday through Friday from 9:00-4:00. Walk-ups are welcome. To save time, creating an account and scheduling an appointment using this link is highly encouraged.
What is the penalty for providing false documentation indicating that I have been vaccinated?
Student: Students may be disciplined for violations of Board Policy and Administrative Procedure. See BP 5500 and AP 5500 Article 4 Section 8: Dishonesty such as cheating, plagiarism (including plagiarism in a student publication), forgery, alteration or misuse of college documents, records, or identification documents, or furnishing false information to the college.
Employee: Employees may be disciplined for the violations listed in the Education Code Section 87732, which include:
(a) Immoral or unprofessional conduct.
(b) Dishonesty.
(c) Unsatisfactory performance.
(d) Evident unfitness for service.
(e) Physical or mental condition that makes him or her unfit to instruct or associate with students.
(f) Persistent violation of, or refusal to obey, the school laws of the state or reasonable regulations prescribed for the government of the community colleges by the board of governors or by the governing board of the community college district employing him or her.
(g) Conviction of a felony or of any crime involving moral turpitude.
(h) Conduct specified in Section 1028 of the Government Code.
Any Adult: Falsification/forgery of the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card is a Federal Felony punishable upon conviction of up to 5yrs incarceration and up to a $10K fine.
Oct 7, 2021 is the deadline for getting vaccinated or submitting an exemption request. What if I am partially vaccinated?
The policy requires employees to be “fully vaccinated” or tested weekly for COVID-19. Employees receiving one shot in a two-shot series are not considered “fully vaccinated.”
Individuals are considered “fully vaccinated” when two weeks have passed since they completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.
How do I certify my vaccination status?
Employees need to certify their vaccination record by using the Company Nurse link HERE
See instructions for the Company Nurse site here Company Nurse FAQ
(Please note that this is a webpage, not an app. Employees are encouraged to bookmark the link for quick reference as needed, especially to check in to come to campus.)
How safe is my vaccination data in the District records system?
All employee data records per policy lie with the District Office of Human Resources, which is subject to privacy laws. For more information, email hr@peralta.edu.
Do you have students with questions about testing or vaccinations?
Refer them to the vaccine info on Safe.Peralta HERE. They may also contact the Oakland Roots Community Health Center, located at 9925 International Boulevard, Oakland, 94603 (Phone: 510-777-1177)
Will I be given advance notice that I am required to return to work on campus or at the District Office?
Yes, you will receive 2-weeks written notice of when you will be required to return to work in person. Your supervisor may ask you to voluntarily return to work, but you will only be required to return to work in person upon 2-weeks notice.
Facilities
How often will workspaces and classrooms be sanitized and filters changed?
Regular cleaning and disinfecting of spaces will continue throughout the semester. The primary route of COVID-19 infection isn't by touching contaminated surfaces but through the respiratory system. Tests have found traces of COVID-19 on surfaces, but no research has established that the virus is viable in those places.
Are our offices / classes safe to work in?
Peralta is working hard to ensure our facilities are safe. Classes being currently used are deemed safe, and by Spring 2022 all rooms will have had their HVAC filters not only changed, but upgraded to the highest grade the individual system can use. The standard is for the air to have been circulated through a filter three times per hour; additional filters are being implemented to augment rooms to reach this standard where necessary.
Reporting Symptoms and Positive Tests Policies and Procedures
What are COVID symptoms?
(1) Fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher or chills; (2) cough; (3) shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; (4) fatigue; (5) muscle or body aches; (6) headache; (7) new loss of taste or smell; (8) sore throat; (9) congestion or runny nose; (10) nausea or vomiting; or (11) diarrhea, unless a licensed health care professional determines the person’s symptoms were caused by a known condition other than COVID-19.
What should I do if I have COVID symptoms?
Employees should immediately report to their manager or supervisor or to the Office of Human Resources any of the following: (1) the employee’s presentation of COVID-19 symptoms; (2) the employee’s possible COVID-19 close contact exposures; (3) possible COVID-19 hazards at PCCD (Peralta Community College District) worksites or facilities.
How do I report a positive COVID test?
Inform your supervisor.
What do I do if a student informs me they had a positive COVID test?
Follow the instructions HERE
Where can I refer students who have been exposed and need testing or vaccinations?
Students can access health services at the Roots Clinic, 7272 McArthur Blvd, in Oakland (510) 533-1248.
Will the college be informed when there are positive tests?
The College is required by law to publicly report positive tests. All specifics about what is reported to the College will be withheld as much as possible in the public reporting of positive tests.
Within one working day, the College President informs the campus community through the “FAS” email system.
Will there be contact tracing?
Once positive tests are reported, the District and County collaborate to conduct contract tracing processes for employee positive tests. Students are traced by the Alameda County Health Department.