Workplace Health & Safety

Workstation Ergonomics

Workstation Review

• Monitor Screen Top: should be slightly below eye level
• Body: should be centered in front of the monitor and keyboard
• Forearms: should be level or tilted up slightly
• Lower Back: should be supported by your chair
• Wrists: should not rest while typing
• Legs: should be horizontal with the floor
• Feet: should be resting flat on the floor or a footrest

Ergonomic Checklist:

This checklist is designed as a quick overview to assist you in assessing your workstation. If you answer “no” to any of these questions you should make adjustments to that area of your workstation. Please use this checklist to evaluate how to use any ergonomic equipment you may have received. If you need help making adjustments, please talk with your supervisor, or the Human Resources office for assistance.

1. Is the workstation adjusted so that your wrist is in a neutral position, i.e., not bent up or down?

2. If documents are referred to, is there an adequate document holder?

3. If telephone duties are performed, is a headset, phone rest, or speakerphone used? (Remember to never cradle the phone.)

4. Are your most frequently used items within easy reach?

5. Is the top of your monitor parallel to your eyes?

6. Is your monitor screen placed in such a way that light from windows and overhead lighting does not cause glare? If not, are glare screens used?

7. Are you able to operate the mouse without extended, long duration, or repetitive reaching?

8. Is your mouse on the same plane as the keyboard and in a comfortable position?

9. Is the seat height adjustable so that the entire sole of your foot rests on the floor or footrest, and the back of the knee is slightly higher than the seat of the chair?

10. Are the lighting levels in your workspace comfortable?

11. Is your workspace free from excessive heat, cold, vibration, and noise?

12. Do you take short breaks while key-stroking?

Policy Spotlight

The Administrative/Staff Handbook can be found here or on the "V" drive at: V:\PUBLIC\HR\HANDBOOK

Family Care Leave

Under the California Family Rights Act (FRA) and the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), any employee with 12 months of service and who has worked at least 1,250 hours in the immediate past twelve months, is eligible for a Family Care Leave under the terms of this policy. Employees are entitled to a leave of up to 12 weeks in any 12 month period for the following purposes:

1. for the birth of a son or daughter of the employee and in order to care for such son or daughter;

2. for the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care; (Eligibility for a leave for the birth or placement for adoption or foster care of a son or daughter expires at the end of the twelve month period beginning on the date of the birth or the placement of the child.)

3. for the care of a spouse, son, daughter or parent of the employee who has a serious health condition.

A. Foreseeable Leave

For a leave for the birth or placement of a son or daughter in which the necessity for the leave is foreseeable based on an expected birth or placement, the employee shall provide the University with not less than 30 days notice before the leave is to begin, unless there are unforeseen circumstances which preclude the 30 days notice and then the employee should give the University as much notice as is possible. For a leave for a serious health condition of the employee’s spouse, son, daughter or parent in which the necessity for a leave is foreseeable based upon a planned medical treatment, the  employee shall make a reasonable effort to schedule such treatments so as not to disrupt the University’s operations subject to the cooperation and approval of the health care provider for the person with the serious health condition, and the employee shall provide the University with 30 days notice prior to the commencement of a leave except in the event that circumstances prevent such notice and then employee is to provide as much notice as is practicable. Intermittent leave or reduced leave schedule may be taken in order for the employee to attend to the serious health condition of a spouse, son, daughter or parent when medically necessary.

B. Certification of a Serious Health Condition

A serious health condition is defined under the law as an illness, injury or impairment of physical or mental condition that involves inpatient care in a hospital, hospice or residential medical care facility or continuing treatment by a health care provider. It also may involve a period of incapacity whereby the individual is absent from work, school or other regular daily activity for more than three calendar days and also involves a continuing treatment by a health care provider.

The University may require that the leave for a serious health condition of an employee’s spouse, son, daughter or parent be supported by a certification issued by the health care provider of the person with the serious health condition.

C. Coordination of Leaves and Benefits

In relationship to other leave policies, employees taking family care leave will be required to use all available vacation entitlement during the family care leave. After all available vacation pay has been exhausted, absence from work due to illness in the immediate family may be charged to sick leave pay upon the request of the employee. Immediate family is normally defined as referring to members residing in the household. There may be unusual situations that could be acceptable as exceptions to this limitation.

The appropriate Vice President or Director of Human Resources shall make the final decision on exceptions. After all pay entitlements under the provisions of other University leave policies have been exhausted, the remainder of the leave will be unpaid.