Inside Higher Ed Quotes Labor Relations Partner on Managing University Faculty Post-Pandemic

Letitia Silas, a partner in Fisher Phillips’ Labor Relations practice, recently spoke with reporters at Inside Higher Ed on how university management should work with faculty members who might be concerned about their health and safety if they are expected to teach in person next fall. She explains that institutions must make their decisions about the fall on a case-by-case basis, taking faculty concerns -- including those about accommodations for disabilities and equal employment law -- into account.

On the faculty, Letitia says that issues such as safety, workload and evaluation that are in flux due to the coronavirus might also be negotiated with faculty unions where applicable. Many faculty members worry that social distancing means they'll be expected to teach more course sections in the fall without additional compensation, for example. Her advice: “Be as transparent as you can be, given that there are a lot of unknowns and the future for a lot of us right now is opaque.”

To read the full article, visit Inside Higher Ed.