COVID-19 RESOURCE PAGE

MTA COVID-19 RESOURCE CENTER

FOR MTA EMPLOYEES

From: LIRR Corporate Communications <corpcomm@lirr.org>
Sent: Friday, January 8, 2021 4:18 PM
To: LIRR Corporate Communications <corpcomm@lirr.org>
Subject: Acceptable COVID-19 Test Types/Submission of RTW Documentation/New York State Paid Leave Information

Please be aware that Rapid Antigen test results are not acceptable for the purpose of clearing employees designated as Essential Workers who are seeking to return to work early following close contact with a positive person or for employees who are seeking to return early through the Test Out option following travel. The only acceptable tests for early return are PCR tests or Rapid Molecular tests.

Employees who are out due to close contact or travel and are seeking an early return should email their test results to the following with an indication of Essential Worker or Test Out in the email subject line and their name and LIRR/BSC number in the email body:

1. Mike Nersesian – msnerse@lirr.org
2. Dan Driscoll – dsdrisc@lirr.org  

Employees who were out due to close contact or travel may not return to work before being cleared by LIRR Human Resources (or, in certain circumstances, MTA OHS or LIRR Medical).

Employees who are out due to COVID-19 related symptoms or due to a positive COVID-19 test result SHOULD NOT email their return-to work documentation to the above, but should follow the instructions below.

Effective immediately, employees who are out due to COVID-19 related symptoms or due to a positive COVID-19 test result should email their return-to-work documentation to:

1. LIRRCOVID19RTD@mtahq.org

Documentation may also be faxed to (516)248-3419.

Once received, documentation will be reviewed by MTA OHS staff, who will then contact the employee with a clearance status. Employees who were symptomatic or positive may not return to work before being cleared by MTA OHS (or, in certain circumstances, LIRR Medical).

As a reminder, the return-to-work documentation requirements for these employees are below:

1. Employees who tested POSITIVE FOR COVID -19 must submit:
1. Copy of positive test result;
2. Doctor's statement indicating diagnosis, treatment, and date cleared to RTW.
2. Employees who were SYMPTOMATIC must submit:
1. Doctor's statement indicating diagnosis, treatment, and date cleared to RTW;
2. Copy of negative test result if tested for COVID-19.

New York State Paid Leave may be available for employees who are directed to isolate or quarantine by a Department of Health; this includes employees who test positive for COVID-19.

In order to be considered for this leave, employees must submit an isolation or quarantine order issued by a Department of Health to FMLA@lirr.org. (A positive test result will not suffice for this purpose.)

To obtain an isolation notice/quarantine order, employees should contact their local Department of Health.

NYS Paid Leave cannot be processed without an isolation or quarantine order. Employees must include their name and LIRR/BSC numbers in the body of the email sent to FMLA@lirr.org. Failure to submit an isolation notice/quarantine order or to include name and numbers in the email may result in delay or denial of leave payments.

Please note that employees may still be eligible for MTA Administrative Leave under certain circumstances; leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) is no longer available.

Helpful Number/Links:

Employees who live or work in NYC (this includes all LIRR employees) may obtain an order by calling one of the following telephone numbers:

1.       212-268-4319

2.       855-491-2667

Suffolk County residents who are out for close contact may also obtain a notice through the following link: https://health.suffolkcountyny.gov/CovidReleaseLetters/Excusal.aspx.