Updates

Dear colleagues,

as I am sure you know, a new Corona regulation for Lower Saxony was announced last week. The measures are to be relaxed more and more in the coming weeks.

For you as employees at TU Clausthal, this means that our current Corona regulations at TU Clausthal will continue to apply from March 4 until further notice with the following changes:

Committee work/work meetings:

• Personal contacts are to be reviewed for necessity.

• It is recommended that video conferencing solutions be used as a priority whenever possible. Please continue to maintain distance and mask requirement (med. or FFP2/KN95 mask) until you reach your seat. If the minimum distances are maintained, the mask may be removed at the seat.

Events and gatherings:

• Events with up to 50 persons:
  • 3G obligation applies.
  • FFP2 masks should also be worn at the seating area
  • Exception: no mask obligation at the seat as far as distances can be kept (min. 1m and checkerboard occupancy)
  • QR codes for registration with the Corona warning app of the RKI should be made available and used.

• Events with more than 50 persons:
  • Additional presentation of a hygiene concept

Business travel:

• Please limit business trips to what is necessary. Business trips to high-risk and virus-variant areas are still prohibited.

Work in presence from 21.03.:

• • As of March 21, the obligation to be present at the workplace applies again.
  • Within the framework of our new service agreement on mobile working, you will continue to have the option of working from home on a mobile basis for a maximum of 50% of your individual weekly working time, upon request and after consultation with your supervisor. The service agreement with further information can be found here. If you have any questions, please contact your colleagues in the Human Resources Department.

Vaccination campaign with Novavax:

A Novavax protein vaccine vaccination drive will be held March 8 from 4-8 p.m. in the lobby of the Main Building.

Those who have not yet received vaccination against Sars-CoV-2 are eligible for vaccination. Individuals from facilities related to nursing, health services, hospitals, etc. are prioritized for vaccination with Novavax, but spontaneous vaccination of unvaccinated individuals 18 years of age and older is also available, subject to availability.

In addition, vaccinations with the already known and highly effective mRNA vaccines from Biontech and Moderna will be offered again. Both first, second as well as booster vaccinations will be available.

Vaccination requirements for booster vaccinations:

• Individuals whose second vaccination was given more than 3 months ago (whether AstraZeneca, BioNTech or Moderna) 12 years of age or older.
• Persons whose single vaccination with Janssen from Johnson & Johnson was given more than 4 weeks ago.

Vaccination requirements for 4th vaccinations:

• Persons 70 years of age and older, residents and persons cared for in nursing facilities, and persons with immune deficiency 5 years of age and older whose 1st booster vaccination was at least 3 months ago in each case
• Persons working in medical facilities and nursing homes (especially in direct contact with patients and residents) whose first booster vaccination was at least 6 months ago.
• The minimum vaccination intervals must be consistently adhered to.

Please bring with you:

• Vaccination card (if available) or replacement certificate
• Photo ID
• completed and signed consent and medical history form, for minors with signature of a parent or guardian

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Alexandra Springer.

Kind regards

Irene Strebl

Dear colleagues

Due to the still rising infection figures, I would like to remind you once again of the applicable home office duty:

As far as possible, please work from home on a mobile basis in consultation with your superiors.

In order to ensure the ability to work in the coming weeks, I would also like to ask supervisors once again to send as many employees as possible to the home office or to take other measures, e.g., to form overlap-free teams. We won't be able to completely prevent further infections, but it would be good if we didn't all fall out at the same time.

Self-tests for employees:

Since Corona infections are also increasingly known at TU Clausthal, we can provide further self-tests to institutions where colleagues have been proven to be infected with Corona. In these cases, please contact my officer Alexandra Springer by email.

Hygiene measures:

It is very important to wear masks (medical or FFP2) in all public areas of the TU Clausthal and indeed everywhere where you come into contact with other people, e.g. on the way to seminar rooms, every time you walk through the building, i.e. also to the kitchen, to the toilet, to collect mail, etc.

Please continue to remember to follow other hygiene measures.

Kind regards, many thanks and all the best

Irene Strebl

Dear colleagues,

We are all very happy that the lockdown measures have helped to decrease in the incidence figures of Covid-19. Many thanks to all of you!

Below are the regulations that will apply at TU Clausthal as of June 25, 2021, replacing the previous regulations. We will publish corresponding updates, especially regarding the General Hygiene Concept, on the homepage next week:

• Meetings can take place again in compliance with the AHA-L rules. Guideline for the maximum number of persons and room size should be: at least 10m2 per person.
• Wearing mouth-to-nose coverings in public areas (hallways/restrooms/stairwells) of our buildings is still mandatory, as well as when the minimum distance cannot be maintained or until the fixed seat in meetings has been taken.
• Business trips are again permitted, but have to be reviewed by supervisors for necessity/urgency, especially with regard to incidence in the destination area. Business trips to foreign risk areas in accordance with the applicable RKI information remain prohibited.
• The basic restriction on access to TUC buildings for external persons and students is lifted. External guests should be asked to self-test in advance.The hygiene rules must be observed. Persons who are ill with Covid-19, suffer from Covid-19-suspicious symptoms (esp. with fever, sore throat, cough and/or smell/taste disorder) or are in officially ordered quarantine are still not allowed to enter the university.
• We continue to offer two free Covid-19 self tests per week for you as employees.

The federal regulations, including those regarding home office and working in attendance, do not expire until June 30, 2021.

As of July 1, the following rules will apply to you as an employee at TU Clausthal until further notice:

• Working in presence is possible again. Please continue to observe the hygiene rules, especially when using double offices please pay attention to distance, ventilation and hygiene. Please wear a mouth-nose covering until you have taken your seat.
• Working in home office / mobile work is still possible in consultation with supervisors. We are working with the Personalrat to finalize a service agreement on this issue.

Vacation:

Vacation options are unfortunately limited again this year. I hope that you will be able to spend some nice days inspite of this. As a reminder, remaining vacation from 2020 must be taken no later than starting Sept. 30, 2021. At the beginning of July, all those who have not yet completely planned their remaining vacation will be reminded personally by their secretary's office or Mr. Schramm.

Flexitime accounts:

In order to avoid having to reduce any overtime hours that may have built up at the same time as the remaining vacation, we have decided, in consultation with the Staff Council, to extend the deviating working time regulations due to the Corona pandemic (https://www.tu-clausthal.de/fileadmin/TU_Clausthal/dokumente/Corona/20200313_Abweichende_Arbeitszeitregelungen_Corona.pdf ) until December 31, 2021. This applies to the possibility of suspending the „Ampel“ in consultation with the supervisor as well as to the reduction of any overtime hours. As of 01.01.2022, any time credit in excess of 60 hours will then be capped at 60 hours (pro rata accordingly for part-time employees). Since the Christmas period combined with the closing time between the years is a good time to reduce hours, we hope that there will be no need for capping.

If you have any questions about this, please feel free to contact the staff in our Human Resources Department /Dezernat 3.

-> Our further updated regulations for study and teaching will be communicated by the Vice President Prof. Bohn in the next few days.

! Please continue to adhere to our hygiene concept and use the self-tests. In this way we hope, if one of the new more contagious virus variants should appear in our region, to prevent a large-scale spread.

Have a great summer!
Enjoy your vacations and have a good rest.

Best regards and see you soon
Yours
Irene Strebl

Dear colleagues,

As you know, for some weeks now Presence staff have been able to carry out two free lay rapid tests each week. We are pleased that this offer is very well received. As we receive the tests in larger units, we have to do the repacking for individual distribution ourselves. Many thanks again to the colleagues who spend a lot of time packing the rapid tests!!! Please remember that the tests do not guarantee absolute safety and therefore do not replace the applicable hygiene regulations. Keeping distance, ventilation and hygiene are still very important.

Confirmation of the presence of a positive or negative antigen self-test

What is new: since a few days a new regulation of the country is in force, according to which for different occasions (outdoor restaurants, hairdresser, some shops...) a written certified negative test result has to be presented. We, as an employer, are also allowed to certify that the self-tests have been carried out, provided that they have taken place under the supervision of a responsible person:

In order to make this additional offer to colleagues, we ask the management of each organisational unit (institute, research centre, department, staff unit...) to appoint one or more responsible person(s) who will supervise the performance of the self-tests and then confirm the result. For this purpose, please name persons who are already familiar with the application of the tests used and who are suitable from your point of view. These persons are then authorized to issue the corresponding certificate for your area. A form for the certification, in which the exact name of the tests currently issued by us to employees at the Info-Point is inserted, can be found in the appendix..

When conducting the tests under supervision, please pay particular attention to compliance with the applicable AHA regulations:

• as much distance as possible in a well-ventilated room
• hand disinfection before and after testing
• reduce the time spent together to a minimum
• Mask obligation (except of course with the concrete test execution for the testing person)

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact my instructor Alexandra Springer.

Increased vaccination priority

Last week I informed you that following an amendment to the Corona vaccination ordinance, persons working at universities are entitled to vaccination with increased priority; this also includes student and academic assistants as well as lecturers. Subsequently, the state of Lower Saxony has specified this regulation:

https://www.ms.niedersachsen.de/startseite/service_kontakt/presseinformationen/niedersachsen-legt-fahrplan-fur-terminvergabe-an-angehorige-der-prioritatsgruppe-3-vor-impfberechtigung-erfolgt-in-drei-stufen-beginnend-ab-10-mai-200167.html

That's all from me for today.
Best regards and all the best
Your Irene Strebl

Note on vaccination eligibility https://www.ms.niedersachsen.de/startseite/service_kontakt/presseinformationen/niedersachsen-legt-fahrplan-fur-terminvergabe-an-angehorige-der-prioritatsgruppe-3-vor-impfberechtigung-erfolgt-in-drei-stufen-beginnend-ab-10-mai-200167.html

Increased priority for Covid vaccination for employees of universities

According to information from the MWK, persons working at universities are entitled to Covid vaccination with increased priority(according to § 4 para. 1 no. 8 Coronavirus vaccination ordinance / CoronaImpfV in the version of article 1 First ordinance amending the Coronavirus vaccination ordinance V. v. 29 April 2021 BAnz AT 30.04.2021, concerning universities: Article 1 No. 3b).

On the vaccination date, you must be able to present informal proof that you are employed at Clausthal University of Technology. Please contact your direct superiors for this.

Here is the link to the vaccination portal of Lower Saxony, where appointments are allocated via a waiting list: https://www.impfportal-niedersachsen.de/portal/#/appointment/public.

Of course you can also try to get a vaccination appointment with your family doctor.

Kind regards Irene Strebl

Dear colleagues,

This week, for the first time, you as presence employees can pick up a self-test at the Info-Point. We are pleased that many of you are already making use of this offer!

Starting next week, there will be two changes to the self-tests:

1. We will be offering TWO voluntary antigen self-tests for coronavirus detection each week (week 17) starting next week to those who work in attendance for all or part of the week. You may pick up both of these tests at the same time, you agree in the statement to do both tests in person and within the calendar week.
2. We would like to simplify the collection process for you: Starting next Monday, the tests no longer have to be picked up by each*person personally, but you can collect the tests per team for the entire week, i.e. 2 per person. The prerequisite is that the updated consent forms/applications (download here) are personally signed by each individual beforehand and presented collectively at the time of collection.

These regulations apply "until further notice" and expressly continue to apply only to attendance staff.

The collection at the Info-Point in the main building is still possible from Monday to Thursday from 9-12 am and from 13 to 15 pm as well as on Fridays from 9-12 am.

In the case of a positive test result, you should immediately go into domestic isolation, inform your superior and Department 3 and initiate further medical clarification.

For your information: It looks as if in the future it will not always be the same tests that we receive from the country on a weekly basis, but rather package sizes, manufacturers and thus test applications will vary. We try to make the distribution possible nevertheless and in addition, always to enclose an understandable explanation.

If you have any questions about the self-tests, please continue to contact Alexandra Springer(alexandra.springer@tu-clausthal.de).

Another request concerning the test center:

As already communicated, we are again looking for supporters for the test center, in order to secure presence examinations, which cannot take place in the other format, by the self tests. The periods in which we want to run the test centre have now been fixed, so that I cordially invite and ask you to contact Ms Leismann again if you would like to support the "Team Test Centre" for the first time or again(silvia.leismann@tu-clausthal.de): 25 May to 29 May 2021 19 July to 31 July 2021 6 September to 18 September We would be happy to do so on a daily or half-day basis.

Thank you very much for your cooperation and all the best Yours Irene Strebl

Dear Colleagues,

due to the ongoing pandemic situation, the presidium has decided to extend our existing measures until further notice. You can find the details on the homepage.

Please use mobile and homeoffice work whereever possible and of course please stick to the rules about distance, mask, hygiene and ventilation. Please continue to meet virtually rather than in presence.

Self-tests for presence employees

Starting next week, we will be offering voluntary antigen self-testing for the detection of coronavirus once a week to those who have to work fully or partially in presence. Starting next week, you can pick up a personal self-test once a week at the Info Point in the main building, Monday through Friday 9-12h and 13-15h. By signing the receipt, you agree to take the test in person and immediately at your workplace. This is also the reason why the tests can only be picked up in person. In the event of a positive test result, you would need to immediately go into home isolation, inform your* supervisor as well as Department 3 and initiate further medical action.

Details can be found in the attachment, where we provide you with the receipt template for issuing the self-tests to employees. Please bring the signed receipt to the test pick-up.

The self-tests are relatively easy to perform, and a good description is on each package.
FYI, we only receive these tests from the state on a weekly basis, so we can only give them out on a weekly basis.
If you have any questions about the self-tests, please feel free to contact my assistant Alexandra Springer (alexandra.springer@tu-clausthal.de).

Test center

Currently, the third and last week of this period of exams is still running, in which we have secured face-to-face exams for the first time with the help of self-tests in the test center. More than 1000 tests will have been carried out. All of this was and is only possible thanks to the support of many helpers - I would like to thank you all very much on behalf of the entire Presidium. We will probably use the test center again in the additional and thus last exam week of the winter semester (25-29 May) for exams that cannot be held in the other format. If you are able and willing to assist with this for the first time or again during this time, please contact Ms. Leismann, who will get back to you with details on scheduling (silvia.leismann@tu-clausthal.de).

So much from me. For further planning in the summer semester (especially regarding practical trainings and further exams) our Vice President for Studies and Teaching will inform you again.

Best regards and all the best

Irene Strebl

Dear colleagues,

As you will have read in the press, the lockdown was extended until 18 April 2021 in the Chancellor's conference with the Minister Presidents.

Our current regulations for employees therefore also continue to apply, in particular the regulations on mobile working and "AHA-L" regulations. You can find these on our website.

Initially, there was also talk of Maundy Thursday as an additional "day off". This was withdrawn by the Chancellor at noon today. So it remains with our previous regulations (and unfortunately there is no additional holiday on April 1st ;-) ).

One more piece of information about the so-called "layman quick tests": Unfortunately, we have not yet received such tests from the country. In order to secure the necessary presence examinations in the now upcoming examination phase, we have therefore procured tests ourselves and will test the participants from next week on, before they go to the presence examinations. In this way, we want to make our contribution to keeping the number of cases in our district low.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our "Team Test Centre" and the supporters who will be helping us with the tests from next week onwards!

As soon as we have more tests available, we would like to offer regular tests to all employees who have to work in presence. We would also like to include such tests for necessary presence in the summer semester as an addition to our existing measures. Unfortunately, as I said, this is not yet possible, so we ask for your patience. We will of course keep you informed of any news.

All the best, best wishes and happy Easter

Irene Strebl

Dear colleagues,

due tot he decision by the federal and state governments, the lockdown has been extended until March 28, 2021.

Our current regulations for employees therefore also continue to apply, in particular the regulations regarding home office and AHA-L. You can find them on our homepage.

A new issue is the possible use of self-tests, which are to be available soon. We are currently investigating for what and how exactly this type of test could be used at TU Clausthal. We will of course inform you as soon as we have details. Until then, we ask for your patience and for your continued compliance with the rules regarding distance, covering of the mouth and nose, washing of hands and ventilation. Many thanks to all of you!

All the best and best regards

Irene Strebl

P.S. By the way, the digital lunch takes place every Wednesday at noon! If you would like to meet and have lunch together with your colleagues, feel free to join. Further information: https://www.tu-clausthal.de/corona/mitarbeiterinnen-und-mitarbeiter/digitaler-lunch.

Dear Colleagues,

On Wednesday, the federal and provincial governments decided to extend the lockdown until March 7, 2021.

Our current regulations for employees therefore continue to apply, in particular:

• As much home office as possible, as little presence as possible: work mobile from home after consultation with your* supervisor. If the activity is not suitable for mobile working in whole or in part under any circumstances, superiors must justify this to their employees in writing.
• Personal contacts must be kept to an absolute minimum.
• Observe the "AHA-L principles": Keep your distance, observe hygiene, wear everyday masks, ventilate.
• In the buildings of the TU Clausthal it is still obligatory to wear a mouth-nose-covering. Whenever several people are in one room, medical masks (i.e. so-called OP masks or FFP2 masks) should be worn. If required, these can be requested from Mr. Schramm (-4878).
• Events in presence are forbidden until further notice.

The state of Lower Saxony is currently working on a step-by-step plan for the next few months. If there are any changes and information for us, we will of course inform you, e.g. on our homepage, which bundles all information about Corona for the different groups.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or the relevant colleagues in the personnel department.

Best regards

Irene Strebl

Dear colleagues,

As you will have heard, the federal and state governments have extended or tightened the Corona regulations initially until February 14, 2021 - it remains very important to minimize contacts!

Working in a home office even more than before, wherever possible, is therefore of utmost importance:

As much home office as possible, as little presence as possible.

In its cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the German government passed the SARS-CoV-2-Arbeitsschutzverordnung. All employees are to work from home on a mobile basis wherever possible, in consultation with their supervisor. The only exceptions to this is work that absolutely must take place on site. We therefore urge all supervisors once again to review the possibility of working from home for their employees and to apply it. If, in your view, the job is not suitable for mobile working in whole or in part under any circumstances, you must justify this in writing to your employees upon request.

I assume that everyone is proceeding with common sense and an awareness that this pandemic requires appropriate action.

In case of doubt, affected employees who are denied mobile working, even though it seems possible, should please contact me or our human resources manager, Ms. Kleinewig.

Masks are compulsory!

• The wearing of a simple mouth-nose covering continues to apply, especially in the corridors, also for mandatory presence meetings and all meetings in presence for the entire duration of the event.
• Even if more than one person is present in the room, the mask obligation applies in principle.
• Exemptions apply in cases when offices that have to be used by more than one person due to a lack of alternatives, provided that the other safety measures are observed (distance regulation, regular ventilation, suitable partitions such as plexiglass panes, etc.).

Further information can also be found at:

https://www.bmas.de/DE/Schwerpunkte/Informationen-Corona/Fragen-und-Antworten/Fragen-und-Antworten-ASVO/faq-corona-asvo.html

Medical masks

For your protection, we are now providing FFP2 masks for employees who continue to work on site. You can pick them up from Mr. Schramm (-4878) or have them sent to you by internal mail. Please understand that we limit this to 2 pieces per person. Multiple use is possible, we will publish further information on our homepage. 

In addition, the Federal Cabinet has now decided to extend the entitlement to children's sick pay (Kinderkrankengeld) in accordance with § 45 SGB V. As mentioned, you would have to contact your health insurance for this.

The regulations described in my E-Mail of 14.12.2020 on Flexible Working Hours for Childcare due to the extended lockdown also continue to apply unchanged.

All other published regulations on distance, hygiene, ventilation, etc. also continue to apply, of course.

Please contact us if you have any questions or need support.

All the best and best regards
Irene Strebl

What support is there for balancing work and family life?

• Take advantage of our flexible working time arrangements (Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.) to possibly alternate with your partner.
• In consultation with your superiors, take advantage of the option of mobile working/home office, see the information sheet on mobile working.
• Make use of your flexitime accounts, it is also possible to build up minus hours! Our special Corona working time regulations will initially continue to apply until 30.06.2021 www.tu-clausthal.de/fileadmin/TU_Clausthal/dokumente/Corona/20200313_Abweichende_Arbeitszeitregelungen_Corona.pdf This also means that the lower limit of normally 20 minus hours and 60 plus hours is suspended. The time credit must be rebuilt or reduced no later than 09/30/21 so that the hours are back within the upper/lower limits.
• Also, use your (remaining) vacation.

In cases of hardship, please contact our Human Resources Department so we can work together to find a solution.

What other assistance is available to employees who are temporarily unable to work due to childcare and who suffer a loss of earnings as a result?

If it is not possible to find alternative childcare, the following options are available:

Claim for compensation according to § 56 Infection Protection Act (IfSG).

Section 56 IfSG provides that parents receive compensation in cash if they are unable to work due to the care of their child (under 12 years of age) as a result of a school or day-care centre closure or due to the care of their child with disabilities and therefore suffer a loss of earnings, i.e. have to take unpaid leave or be granted unpaid leave of absence. The regulation is currently valid until 31.03.2021.

On application, you are entitled to compensation of 67% of the loss of earnings incurred for a maximum of 10 weeks per parent (single parents up to 20 weeks), limited to a maximum monthly amount of EUR 2,016.

The compensation will be paid if you do not have any reasonable care options and you are not paid a salary. If you can reasonably be expected to work on a mobile basis, you are not entitled to compensation. In addition, you should first deduct credit hours and vacation leave from the previous year. There is no entitlement if a closure would take place anyway because of school or nursery holidays.

If you would like to apply for compensation under Section 56 IfSG, please contact Ms Mauer in Department 3.

Further information can also be found at:

https://ifsg-online.de/index.html

https://www.bmas.de/DE/Schwerpunkte/Informationen-Corona/Sozialschutz-Paket/sozialschutz-paket.html

Extended child sickness benefit according to § 45 SGB V

As a new regulation, the legal possibilities for the so-called "children's sick pay" are also to apply to child care during the lockdown. Therefore, the entitlement period is to be extended in 2021 by 10 additional days per parent to then annually up to 20 days per parent (40 days for single parents). If you would like to make use of this children's sick pay, you would not receive a salary from the TU Clausthal for these times, but the children's sick pay from the statutory health insurance. You should therefore clarify in advance with your health insurance fund the amount of children's sick pay that will be paid and what evidence is required for the application. Our personnel department will be happy to assist you. According to our information, the health insurance funds are currently still waiting for the new legal regulations to be formulated. As soon as we know details about the exact procedure, we will publish this information on our homepage.

Special regulations apply to civil servants, please contact Ms Wentzel in Department 3.

Dear colleagues,

As you certainly know already, the German Chancellor and the Prime Ministers have extended the lockdown until January 31, 2021. Schools and daycare centers are to remain closed or offer only limited operations until at least the end of January.

Due to this situation, the Flexible Work options described in my mail of Dec. 14, 2020 will continue to apply. You can also find them on our homepage.

Working in presence should only take place where it is indispensable. In particular, parents with children up to the age of 12 should be generously granted mobile working so that they can care for their children at home. If mobile working is not possible and you have children under 12 to care for, please use your vacation and flextime accounts; it is also still possible to build up minus hours.

New "children's sick pay" („Kinderkrankengeld“) regulation:

As a new regulation, the legal options for the so-called "Kinderkrankengeld" shall also apply to childcare during the lockdown. In addition, the duration is to be extended in 2021 by 10 additional days per parent to then up to 20 days per parent annually (40 days for single parents). If you would like to make use of this, you would not receive a salary from TU Clausthal for these period, but the children's sick pay from your health insurance. You should therefore clarify in advance with your health insurance the amount of „Kinderkrankengeld“ that you will be paid and what evidence must be provided for the application. Our Human Resources department /Dezernat 3) will be happy to assist you. At this point, however, the health insurances are currently still waiting for the new legal regulations. As soon as we know the details of the exact procedure, we will publish this information on our homepage.

Separate regulations apply to civil servants (Beamte); please contact Ms. Wentzel in Department 3.

Finally, please note the following: Due to the extended lockdown, events in presence are in principle still prohibited at the TU Clausthal until further notice.

Our Vice President for Studies and Teaching, Prof. Brenner, will contact you again in the coming week regarding the upcoming exams.

Please contact us if you have any questions or need assistance.

Kind regards and best wishes to all of you for a good 2021!
Irene Strebl

Important note: The regulations from 29.10. still apply. Events in presence are generally prohibited until further notice.

Information for employees on the lockdown from 16.12.2020 - flexible work hours for child care in lockdown:

Dear colleagues,

As you will have heard from the news, the federal and state governments have decided on further measures to contain the spread of the Corona virus. From Wednesday, 16.12.2020, a further lockdown will come into force.

In Lower Saxony, compulsory attendance at schools has already been suspended as of today (14.12.). From Wednesday on at the latest, pupils and daycare children throughout Germany are to stay at home whenever possible for an initial period of three and a half weeks, i.e. until the end of the school vacation on 10 January 2021. Exceptions and emergency care are to be possible.

We would like to inform you once again about the possibilities with which TU Clausthal supports you in organizing care for your children during this time:

• Take advantage of our flexible flexitime framework (Mondays to Fridays from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.) to possibly alternate with your* partner.
• Use the option of mobile working/home office in consultation with your superiors, see the information sheet on mobile working.
• Use your flexitime accounts - it is also possible to build up minus hours! Our special Corona working time regulations will continue to apply until 28.2.2021 https://www.tu-clausthal.de/fileadmin/TU_Clausthal/dokumente/Corona/20200313_Abweichende_Arbeitszeitregelungen_Corona.pdf .
  This also means that the limit of normally 20 minus hours is suspended.
• Use your vacation days, from the beginning of January also the new annual leave for 2021.
• I expressly ask all supervisors to support the flexible solutions outlined above.
• In special problem cases, please contact our HR department so that we can find a solution together.

Dear colleagues, this is a really difficult time for many of us.

At the same time, however, there is obviously no alternative to the measures, so we must all try our best. Please let us know if you need any help.

I wish you and your families all the best for the next few weeks and a Merry Christmas. And when we wish each other "a happy new year" soon at the turn of the year, I guess it has a very special meaning this time.

Best wishes
Yours
Irene Strebl

Hand disinfectants were centrally procured for the employees* and can be requested by telephone from Mr. Schramm (-4878).

Dear colleagues,

You have surely noticed: Unfortunately, the number of infections with the Sars-Cov2 virus is constantly rising. Since yesterday, the 7-day incidence also for Landkreis Goslar is of over 40, which is why the district of Goslar has enacted various measures, such as the compulsory wearing of masks at certain outdoor locations, including Adolph Roemer Strasse and Marktkirchenplatz in Clausthal-Zellerfeld. You can find more detailed information here.

Furtheron, the federal and state governments yesterday decided yesterday in Berlin that all personal contacts must be kept to a minimum in November to break this wave of infection.

Today, the TU Clausthal Krisenstab discussed which measures and decisions are necessary for TU Clausthal. Of course we would like to support the efforts and do our utmost to ensure that the measures are successful. Now solidarity is needed! At the same time, of course, we want to do our best to ensure teaching, research and administrative operations.

From Monday, November 3 to Monday, November 30, 2020, the following applies:

• Personal contacts must be kept to an absolute minimum. Please use the telephone or video conferencing solutions for discussions among colleagues, service meetings, committee meetings, etc.  
• In consultation with your supervisor, please make use of mobile work from home where possible and sensible! Our leaflet on mobile working  still applies:
• Work in presence should not take place in double offices if possible, possibly in alternating shifts using the full flexitime framework. In any case, the rules of distance must always be observed!
• Events in presence are generally prohibited until 30.11.2020.
• Sports activities and rehearsals of choir and orchestra are unfortunately not possible. The outdoor facilities remain accessible for individual sports.

Furthermore, more than ever before:

• Distance, mask, ventilation and hand washing remain the most effective measures! If a Corona case is confirmed and the hygiene measures have not been strictly adhered to, the contact persons will have to be quarantined.
• Information on hygiene measures can be found in our General Hygiene Concept.
• Furthermore, our access restrictions to the buildings continue to apply.
• Please refrain from business trips that are not urgently necessary. The decision as to whether a business trip must be carried out will continue to be made by the respective supervisor.

- Please take any symptoms associated with the coronavirus seriously and contact your doctor if in doubt.  Please stay at home if you notice any symptoms of illness in yourself or a person in your household that indicate corona infection and contact your doctor by telephone. You will find more information on our website.

- If you have tested positive for Covid-19, please inform your supervisor and the personnel department (Dezernat 3) immediately!

- You can find answers to frequently asked questions here. They are continuously updated.

- Important: An e-mail on studies and teaching will be sent to students and teaching staff by the Vice President Prof. Brenner shortly.

If you have any questions, please contact me or my assistant Alexandra Springer, alexandra.springer@tu-clausthal.de .

Kind regards and all the best!
Irene Strebl

Ladies and gentlemen,

now autumn is coming and the pandemic continues. Again and again, we in the crisis team adapt our regulations to developments or deal with newly emerging issues.

We have updated our General Hygiene Concept and the access restrictions, both of which are now available on our homepage:

https://www.tu-clausthal.de/fileadmin/TU_Clausthal/dokumente/Corona/Allgemeines_Hygienekonzept.pdf

https://www.tu-clausthal.de/fileadmin/TU_Clausthal/dokumente/Corona/20201006_Zutrittsbeschraenkung_TUC.pdf

In addition to the well-known "AHA principles" 1. distance - 2. hygiene - 3. everyday masks, it is now well known that regular airing is of utmost importance - especially, of course, when there are several people in the room. We should remember this and act accordingly, even in the colder season to come!

In addition, the following adjustments to the labour law regulations apply with immediate effect:

• In the event of illness, a certificate of incapacity to work (AU) must be submitted again from the 4th day in future.
• Exceeding the 60 hour limit is still possible until 31.12.2020 upon request and in consultation with the supervisor. Please plan in such a way that by the end of March 2021 at the latest, you have reduced your plus hours to such an extent that you are again below the upper limit. If the time credit is exceeded by more than 60 hours, no further crediting to the time credit will be made from 1.4.2021 onwards.

Our top priority continues to be to do our utmost to minimize the risk of further spread of the corona virus through our measures - and at the same time to perform our duties in the best possible way.

Thank you all for continuing to take our regulations seriously, even though the pandemic has been going on for so long. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Best regards

Your

Irene Strebl