As part of our institutional efforts to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our campus community, UC San Diego has a weekly testing requirement for all academics and staff who work on-site at any physical UC San Diego location who are not fully vaccinated (two weeks after the final dose of vaccine). Required testing is offered through UC San Diego Health at no cost to employees.
- If you currently visit campus at least once per week and are not fully vaccinated, you will be required to get tested every seven days. You will use the self-administered testing process. Visit the Return to Learn Employee Testing page to learn more about how to complete the weekly testing requirement by taking a self-administered test.
- If you visit campus less frequently than once per week and are not fully vaccinated, make an appointment to get tested no more than seven days before your visit to campus. If you are unable to schedule a test in advance of your visit, please schedule within 7 days following your visit to campus. The testing appointment can happen on the same day as your visit, but testing availability varies and same-day appointments are not guaranteed, so please plan ahead.
Required testing for employees who are not fully vaccinated is an important component of our work to identify COVID-19 cases with mild or no symptoms in our community and prevent the transmission of the virus. Learn more about testing and screening as part of UC San Diego’s Return to Learn program »
More information about required COVID-19 testing for UC San Diego employees who are not fully vaccinated can be found in the FAQs below. If you have additional questions about required employee testing after reviewing the FAQs, please contact your department Human Resources representative or email employeerelations@ucsd.edu.
Please note: the information on this page related to testing pertains to UC San Diego campus employees. Health Sciences and Health System employees should contact Health Human Resources for guidance and information.
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Why is the University requiring COVID-19 testing for employees who are not fully vaccinated?
In order to continue to support the safety of our campus community and in light of the continued spread of COVID-19, UC San Diego requires weekly testing for all academics and staff on campus who are not fully vaccinated.
Who is required to get tested for COVID-19?
Any employee (including staff, faculty, student employees, affiliates and volunteers) who reports in person to any UC San Diego work location and is not fully vaccinated is required to get tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis.
How frequently are employees required to be tested for COVID-19?
Employees who are not fully vaccinated and report at least once per week in person to any UC San Diego work location must be tested at least once per week (once every 7 calendar days).
Employees who are not fully vaccinated and report less than once per week in person to any UC San Diego work location should be tested within 7 days prior to or after reporting to the in person location. It is strongly recommended that all employees test weekly, regardless of their frequency of in-person work. This also prevents the need to set up a test at the last minute when an unexpected trip to an in person location is required.
Where do I go to get my required COVID-19 test?
Do I have to wait to receive a negative result before reporting to my work location? How quickly will I receive my test results?
No, if you are asymptomatic and taking your test pursuant to this required process, you don’t have to wait to receive your results prior to reporting to/back to your work location. Results are typically available within 24 hours.
Please note: if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, regardless of your test results, do not report to your worksite. Instead, follow the instructions for symptomatic testing.
Will getting my required COVID-19 test be considered work time?
If you obtain your required COVID-19 test at a UC San Diego Health testing location, the test time will be considered work time. You must consult with your supervisor, team lead, or department chair regarding when you will be tested during your work shift to minimize disruptions to campus operations.
What if my supervisor, team lead or department chair does not allow me to take a COVID-19 test on work time?
Staff employees may contact their department HR representative and/or employeerelations@ucsd.edu for follow up and assistance.
General campus academic appointees may contact Kelly Lindlar, Director of Academic Employee & Labor Relations, at klindlar@ucsd.edu.
Health Sciences academic appointees may contact Daniel Zummo, Director of Academic Employee Relations for Health Sciences, at dzummo@ucsd.edu.
Do I have to certify somewhere and/or provide proof of testing?
No, at this time you do not need to certify that you have been tested or report proof of testing.
Can I refuse the required COVID-19 test?
Employees who are required to undergo COVID-19 testing and refuse to do so may be placed on a leave without pay and/or subject to other appropriate actions.
What if I am called into work in-person or required to go in-person without 7 calendar days’ notice?
Employees who are not fully vaccinated and report less than once per week in person to any UC San Diego work location should be tested within 7 days prior to or after reporting to the in person location. It is strongly recommended that all employees test weekly, regardless of their frequency of in-person work.
If you are called in to work in-person with fewer than 7 calendar days’ notice you should make an effort to get tested prior to going onsite. If testing in advance is not feasible, you should be tested within 7 days after you are onsite. It is strongly recommended that all employees test weekly, regardless of your frequency of in-person work. This also prevents the need to specially set up a test when an unexpected trip to an in person location is required.
What happens if I test positive?
If you test positive, follow the instructions you receive from UC San Diego Health upon receiving your results.
Additional leave protections are available for all UC San Diego non-academic employees, including Health Systems and Health Sciences, who have taken a COVID test as part of the required testing program and have tested positive. These employees will be eligible for paid leave in the work hour equivalent of up to 10 calendar days from the positive test. Learn more about paid leave options for staff »
Academic appointees may consult the FAQ on COVID-19 Leave Options, Remote Work Provisions, and Duties Modifications on the Academic Personnel Services website.
If I test positive and remote work is available to me, do I have to work?
I had COVID-19 a few weeks ago. I have no symptoms but I’m still testing positive. Can I report to work?
If you had COVID-19, either with symptoms or without symptoms, within the past 90 days, you can report to work without participating in weekly tests as part of the required testing program, if you have passed the symptom and exposure screening and are otherwise allowed to return to work by your healthcare provider. After 90 days following your last positive test, you must start getting the weekly required tests (if you are working on-site and you are not fully vaccinated).
Do I need insurance to get my required COVID-19 test?
Employees do not need insurance to get tested through UC San Diego Health. The test is at no-cost for employees.
Are non-employees who come to campus required to be tested?
Depending on a non-employee’s relationship with the University, there may be requirements for testing if they are not fully vaccinated.
Non-employees have access to the low or no cost testing UC San Diego Health offers. Cost is dependent upon affiliation with UC San Diego.
If I’m working remotely, am I required to get a weekly COVID-19 test?
No. Only employees who are reporting to work on campus or any other physical UC San Diego worksite are required to get a weekly COVID-19 test if they are not fully vaccinated.