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Employee and Staff Volunteer Questions
Are vaccine boosters required?
Compliance with the UC COVID-19 vaccine policy includes completing initial vaccination doses as well as receiving a booster by January 31, 2022 or within 30 days of becoming booster eligible. If you tested positive with COVID-19 while eligible for a booster, the deadline for boosting is extended by up to 90 days to remain compliant with the UC mandate.
Learn about booster eligibility and make an appointment to get a vaccine booster.
How do I submit my proof of vaccination?
How do I provide proof of vaccination if I do not want to create a MyChart account?
Submitting your vaccination documentation via MyChart is the simplest and most secure way to provide this information. However, if you do not wish to submit your documentation through MyChart, you can email your proof of vaccination to
SDVaxRO@health.ucsd.edu along with your name, date of birth and UCPath employee ID. Please note, you will need to consent to share your COVID Vaccine information with UCSD as your employer. Additionally, to show as Compliant in the COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Compliance Dashboard and to properly protect this information, it must be stored in the Epic Health Record.
What is the definition of personnel, as it relates to the UC vaccine policy?
University faculty, other academic appointees, and staff, including but not limited to visiting, volunteer, without salary, and emeritus/a professors, visiting or volunteer academic appointees, contract, recall, and emeritus/a employees.
Personnel also includes, for purposes of this policy, official volunteers
Who will have access to information regarding my vaccination status?
Using the COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Compliance Dashboard, your supervisor/manager will know whether you are Compliant, whether you are Compliant with additional requirements, or if you are Not Compliant.
Your supervisor will not have access to medical records.
Can my manager ask me whether I’ve been vaccinated or not?
Generally, your manager should not ask you nor share your vaccine status. Your manager/supervisor will know your policy compliance status and if there are additional requirements.
However, in some areas, based on regulatory requirements, supervisors may be required to inquire about vaccine status, for example, research vessel operations at Scripps.
Relatedly, you should not question other employees or campus community members about their vaccination status and if someone volunteers their status, you should not share that information with others.
What types of exceptions are available?
Medical exemption: An excuse from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine due to a medical contraindication or precaution.
Disability: A physical or mental disorder or condition that limits a major life activity and any other condition recognized as a disability under applicable law. “Disability” includes pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition where reasonable accommodation is medically advisable.
Religious objection: An objection to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine based on that person’s sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance
What is the deadline for requesting an exception or deferral?
Requests for exceptions or deferrals should be submitted as soon as possible to avoid being Not Compliant with the Policy.
Can I defer receiving the vaccine due to pregnancy?
Yes. Pregnancy deferral will extend throughout the term of the pregnancy and until the covered individual returns to work or instruction, as applicable.
How do I request an exception or deferral?
- Complete the COVID-19 Vaccine Exemption/Deferral Request Form:
- Name
- UCPath ID number
- Contact phone number
- Contact email address
- Identify as Campus or Health employee
- Type of exemption or deferral being sought
- NEW as of 7/1/22: After receipt of this information, you will be provided the necessary forms to complete or have completed. You must be responsive in the process or your reequest will be denied.
- Approvals: If the request is approved, the requesting employee and supervisor will receive information about documentation and next steps and this will be reflected in the Vaccine Mandate Dashboards.
- Denials: If the request is denied, the requesting employee and supervisor will receive information about required next steps to become Compliant as the pending exemption will no longer be reflected in the Vaccine Mandate Dashboards.
What is the timeline for review of requests for exceptions/deferrals? Is there an appeals process for those whose requests are denied?
Unfortunately, some requests take longer to process than others. This can be due to a variety of factors, not least of which that the employee requested the exemption or deferral and listed their old PPS ID number instead of their UCPath ID number.
If you have received no communication on your pending request within one month of submission - do not resubmit - send an email to SDVaxRO@health.ucsd.edu to determine the issue with your file.
There is not an appeals process for exceptions or deferrals that are denied by UC San Diego.
What type of documentation is required to request an exception or deferral?
This depends on the type of exception or deferral being requested. After submitting your exception or deferral request, you will receive information about required documentation.
Can I work remotely full time if I am choosing not to get vaccinated?
No. Your work arrangement (including work location) is based on operational needs, not your vaccination status.
All employees must engage with the University of California COVID-19 vaccine requirement process in order to access any UC facility at any point, for any duration. This includes coming to campus to get your computer serviced, get a campus ID badge, pick up supplies, attend an outdoor event, etc.
Please note: Staff, faculty and students will not be barred from campus while Not Compliant. Supervisors and other leaders will work individually with campus members who may need additional time to comply with the policy. Individuals who have refused to engage with the policy will receive direct communication.
What will happen if my role requires me to work on-site but I am choosing not to get vaccinated?
UC San Diego is making significant efforts to inform campus community members about the UC COVID-19 vaccination requirement and provide convenient options to get vaccinated prior to the implementation date.
If UC San Diego campus employees fail to comply with the policy by either getting vaccinated or requesting an exception or deferral, they may experience consequences including dismissal from employment.
Who do I contact if I have questions about this process?
Contact the UC San Diego COVID Vaccine Mandate Responsible Office at SDVaxRO@health.ucsd.edu. This office can provide guidance and assistance relating to:
- How to engage with the policy and process
- Clarity about the policy and process
- Technical support (e.g. submitting forms and documentation)
What is my role as a supervisor in ensuring compliance with the UC vaccine policy?
As a supervisor, you play an important role in:
- Keeping employees who report to you in the know by sharing information that is found on this page, the Return to Learn website and UCnet.
- Ensuring policy compliance for impacted personnel by checking the COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Compliance Dashboard each work day and following the instructions outline on this page for employees who display as Not Compliant.
- Communicating and reiterating expectations for personnel who have vaccination exemptions or deferrals.
An employee is refusing to provide information relating to their vaccine status. What are my next steps as a supervisor?
First, you should not engage with an employee specifically about their vaccine status. Instead, you should make sure your employees have the relevant information about how to engage with the COVID-19 Vaccination Program, including providing documentation and requesting exceptions and deferrals.
If your employee has received all the relevant information and is not in compliance with the UC COVID-19 vaccination policy, please connect with your departmental HR contact for assistance in navigating the Employee Non-Compliance process as outlined in the policy.
An employee with a hybrid work agreement is choosing not to get vaccinated and does not have an approved exemption or deferral. What are my next steps as a supervisor, since this employee is unvaccinated and will not be able to report to campus per their hybrid work agreement?
If an employee you supervise is not compliant with the UC COVID-19 vaccination policy, please connect with your departmental HR contact for assistance in navigating the Employee Non-Compliance process as outlined in the policy.
Who do I contact, as a supervisor, if I have questions about this process?
Connect with your department's Human Resources contact.
A member of my team has requested to be excused from getting vaccinated (or engaging with the mandate compliance process) because they will be working primarily remotely. Can I exempt them?
No, you cannot exempt employees who work primarily remotely. Individuals whose schedule includes any component of on-site work (even if irregular or infrequent) are subject to the policy.
A member of my unit has volunteered to show me their vaccination card to confirm compliance, but does not want to use MyChart. What should I do?
Individuals must document their vaccine status through MyChart as the safest mechanism to maintain their medical information. Supervisors should not be engaged in validating medical information for compliance.
If an individual needs assistance with the Vaccine Documentation Process, they should email SDVaxRO@health.ucsd.edu.
Is information about submitting vaccine documentation and requesting exceptions or deferrals available in Spanish?
A staff member I supervise is listed as Not Compliant. What should I do immediately? And what should I do in the coming weeks if they are still Not Compliant?
Supervisors should immediately reach out to their local HR contact to determine if the individual is actually Not Compliant. For example, the individual may be engaged in the process of requesting an exception or deferral.
Supervisors should not reach out to individuals who show as Not Compliant before consulting with their local HR contact and receiving guidance about any appropriate next steps, both immediately and in the coming weeks.
As the supervisor of a temporary employee, how do I know if this employee is in compliance? Do temporary employees display on the dashboard?
Temporary employees are not displayed on the supervisor dashboard. Temporary Employment Services (TES) will inform you and your local HR contact of any communications or actions necessary for Not Compliant individuals. Temporary employees are required to engage in the process or are at risk of being released from their assignment.
Are student employees I supervise included on my supervisor dashboard? If not, how do I ensure that they are compliant?
Yes, student employees will appear in the dashboard. However, vaccine mandate compliance for student employees is managed through their student status (rather than through their status as employees).
Supervisors of student employees will be informed individually regarding their role in communicating with student employees who are Not Compliant.
Human Resources informed me that an individual I supervise is Compliant, but the dashboard shows this individual as Not Compliant. How do I reconcile this?
Human Resources and Academic Personnel have information centrally regarding employees who are Compliant because they are currently awaiting pending processes that cannot yet be reflected in the Dashboard.
This is why supervisors should not reach out to everyone they see on their dashboard as Not Compliant until consulting with their local HR contact.
As a supervisor, am I responsible for ensuring that my direct reports are Compliant?
Supervisors are responsible for:
- Ensuring their direct reports are aware of the requirements of the UC vaccine policy and know how to engage with the requirements.
- Directing their direct reports to all resources to address pending questions about the mandate and this process.
Am I responsible for issuing corrective action to individuals if they are Not Compliant?
After contacting their
local Human Resources representative regarding individuals who display as Not Compliant, supervisors will be informed individually regarding their role in communicating to Not Compliant individuals.
What is the process of corrective action for employees who are Not Compliant?
Corrective action will be governed by the applicable policy or collective bargaining agreement.
I manage or coordinate several volunteers who regularly access campus. Will these volunteers be included on my supervisor dashboard if I enter them into UCPath?
Is there a way for individuals to confirm that their vaccine mandate compliance status is accurate?
Individuals can ask their supervisor to provide them with a screenshot of what is displayed to the supervisor on the dashboard. Supervisors should take care to only share the status of the inquiring individual and not other individuals who may display on their dashboard.
As a unit head, can I see the compliance status of team members who do not report directly to me? If not, how can I find out the status of my whole unit?
No, only the status of individuals who directly report to the supervisor are displayed in the dashboard.
If a unit or department head has a specific reason for needing unit-wide dashboard data, they should consult with their local HR contact to determine if custom report needs to be run centrally.