Illness Emergency Contingency Planning

The following are steps to be prepared for any type of illness emergency at the University when experiencing extended absence by a moderate to large number of staff.

Set Up Your Voicemail

Enable your web account for Gopher Messaging. This allows you to check your voicemail through any web browser, send voicemail to your email account, forward your work number to another number, and set up a "0" out option to the front desk (known as a personal assistant) for callers who need immediate assistance. Refer to this article about Gopher Messaging. If you manage the mainline for your office, please be sure that the message there is also updated to match the standard OIP policy.

Prepare a Personal Contingency Plan

While planning is being done at the unit and Dean's Office level, it is important for each staff member to resolve and document how they will work from home. Each unit should record the personal contingency plans for each staff member.

Prepare for Working Remotely

Review this checklist for working remotely.

• Change my voicemail to say I'm out and not checking messages/the office is closed
• Update my email to say I am out/the office is closed
• Check my email/voicemail from home at least twice a day OR I will provide details to my back up to cover my work while I'm out
• Know how to access my Gopher Messaging account via phone and web
• Install UofM Virtual Private Network on my home computer and will use it whenever I do University business
• Know how to access my unit's phone tree.