Travel

The information archived here was provided for EVMS Community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Find the latest guidance at this link.

Business Travel Restricted

Last Updated: 09-25-2020 8:55 a.m.

EVMS is restricting all travel to both domestic and international conferences. Travelers that have already scheduled travel should do the following to close out any cancelled travel plans:

• Please request a refund directly from the airline or other vendors immediately.
• If they refuse to provide a refund, attach the documentation of the provider’s refusal to the travel voucher and submit the travel voucher closeout to the Business Management office per normal EVMS travel procedures.
• EVMS will cover change fees if airline tickets can be reused for official EVMS business. Many airlines are currently waiving change fees.
• Please note any airline ticket credits/vouchers received for future travel when submitting your travel voucher closeout.
• Any unused airline tickets must be used for EVMS business.
• Travel vouchers must be closed out within 60 days in accordance with IRS regulations. All advanced funds and refunds must be remitted with the travel voucher closeout form.

Please contact Business Management should you have any further questions.

Vacation and Travel during the Pandemic 

Last Updated: 03-20-2020 1:35 p.m.

For the health and safety of the EVMS community, EVMS is strongly recommending all personal travel be postponed due to COVID-19. COVID-19 outbreak locations are rapidly changing, as are CDC, US State Department and state health department guidelines. This guidance applies to all employees, including faculty, staff and residents. 

• Vacation leave remains subject to approval by your department. Such approval may be withheld, or rescinded after approval, for legitimate business reasons such as an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission to the EVMS community, or concerns over labor shortages caused by subsequent quarantines.
• Any employee who travels (vacation or otherwise), to an area with COVID-19 outbreaks or who believes that they may have been exposed to an individual with COVID-19 while traveling, must contact EVMS Human Resources at 757.446.6043 and notify their supervisor before returning to the workplace. You may be required to self-quarantine (remain out of the office) for 14 days.
• Employees with flu-like or respiratory illness symptoms must contact Human Resources at 757.446.6043. All such employees must be cleared by Occupational Health before entering, or returning to, the workplace.
• Employees who report to work sick must be sent home immediately and must contact Human Resources at 757.446.6043.
• All employees will be required to use personal leave time (vacation or sick) during any quarantine period that results from personal travel unless the employee is approved to work remotely.
• You may report individuals in the workplace who have traveled to an outbreak location or who are exhibiting symptoms by emailing EVMSHR@evms.edu or calling 757.446.6043.

We are continuously monitoring developments and will update this guidance if and when the situation or guidelines change.

International travel

Updated 5-27-2021

The current EVMS International Travel Policy utilizes the U.S. Department of State’s 4-tiered travel alert system as the primary guide for travel approval. At this time, 80% of all foreign countries are listed as a Level-4 Do Not Travel warning based on CDC’s Travel Health notices.  See U.S. State Department updated Travel Advisory or the comprehensive travel advisory list.
 
Pre-COVID procedures do not allow EVMS business travel to countries with a Level-4 Do Not Travel warning. EVMS Risk Management is continuously monitoring how other institutions are responding to the need to resume international travel for educational requirements and professional advancement and the impact of the blanket Level 4 travel warnings.  We will work with Senior Management to determine a safe and pragmatic resumption of international travel but, at this time, we will continue following the pre-COVID procedures and not approve travel to Level-4 countries.
 
The majority of the remaining 20% of foreign countries are a Level 3 – Reconsider Travel.  This level requires additional internal review by the EVMS International Education Safety Committee Review for approval, which is facilitated through Risk Management.    
 
Per policy, unapproved international travel will not be deemed as “EVMS Travel” and, as such will not be eligible for educational credit (student or resident) or reimbursement by EVMS.  Therefore, Look Before You Book any airlines flights or other non-refundable deposits at the U.S. Department of State travel alerts and warnings and the CDC COVID Risk Assessment.