California school employees are considered essential workers. As school employees and as essential workers, we are required per, Executive Order N-33-20 to adhere to all State and Local Health Officers guidelines. The testing mandates may be read in the California Department of Public Health ‘Framework for K-12 Schools in California’, Riverside County Guidance for Schools and Board of Education Board Policy 4119.41(a). As explained in state and county documents, school staff should be tested, including teachers, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, janitors, bus drivers, or any other school employee that may have contact with students or other staff. School districts and schools should ensure that staff are tested periodically by their primary care provider or by referring teachers to a community testing site, as testing capacity permits and as practicable.

Like other mandated testing such as TB testing, a COVID-19 test is a requirement for all school employees. The testing mandates may be read in the California Department of Public Health ‘Framework for K-12 Schools in California’, Riverside County Guidance for Schools and Board of Education Board Policy 4119.41(a).

Surveillance testing is primarily used to gain information about infection at a community or population level, rather than an individual level. Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 includes ongoing systematic activities, including collection, analysis, and interpretation of health-related data that are essential to planning, implementing, and evaluating public health practice. According to the Riverside County Guidance for Schools , school districts must explain how employees will have access to COVID-19 testing at regular and ongoing intervals, per State Guidance. Specifically, this section states: “Schools are required to have a surveillance testing plan to test all staff on a regular basis. This may be through a third-party provider or through their own medical insurance. As school workers are considered essential workers and this is a state requirement, their health care coverage should cover COVID-19 testing by state regulation. Staff members may also be able to visit a county facility if they desire testing outside of the school setting; visit http://gettested.ruhealth.org/ for options and locations.” The following websites also have information about surveillance testing: CDC or FDA.

Riverside University Health Systems, Public Health (RUHS-PH) is required to ask for personal health provider information. However, this information is only collected, there are no requirements to provide an Insurance ID number or policy number.  The tests are free of charge and there is no co-pay. The County has assured us that employees will not be billed.

The CA Department of Managed Healthcare handles regulations for private health plans in California. In July/August they issued emergency regulations requiring health insurers to cover surveillance testing of Californians who were ordered, received CDPH guidance, or both to be tested routinely for COVID-19. If an employee’s health care provider sends a bill for COVID-19 testing, he/she should contest the charges and submit the emergency regulation to their health plan directly.

RUHS-PH is utilizing existing CARES funding to cover the tests. Wherever available the County may bill private insurance companies to cover any funding gaps not provided by CARES funding. Regardless, there is no co-insurance, or co-pay collected by the county at the testing facilities.

SS# is not a requirement and as a district we have shared the belief that we do not feel our employees should have to submit their SS#. RUHS-Ph understands and has relayed the information is optional, and employees do not have to provide the information.

Yes, all employees must be tested. This is an employment requirement, regardless of where you reside. Employees may visit their own health care provider and should send a hard copy of the PCR test results to HR in care of Keri Baldridge.

No, mileage will only be paid to attend district sponsored testing from work site to testing site and back.

California school employees are considered essential workers. As school employees and as essential workers, we are required per, Executive Order N-33-20 to adhere to all State and Local Health Officers guidelines. The testing mandates may be read in the California Department of Public Health ‘Framework for K-12 Schools in California’, Riverside County Guidance for Schools and Board of Education Board Policy 4119.41(a).

Yes! As explained in the California Department of Public Health ‘Framework for K-12 Schools in California’, school staff should be tested, including teachers, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, janitors, bus drivers, or any other school employee that may have contact with students or other staff.

If you have been tested during the month of November you do not have to participate in the county’s COVID-19 testing. Simply, send a hard copy of your PCR results to HR in care of Keri Baldridge kbaldridge@murrieta.k12.ca.us.

Currently, school staff is required to be tested at a minimum every other month.

Substitute’s will NOT be provided. The county is in process of adding appointment times and dates to accommodate both MVUSD and TVUSD teaching staff schedules. If employees are unable to get tested during the available appointments, they can go to their own healthcare provider or visit any of the County’s free testing sites www.gettested.ruhealth.org. Mileage will only be paid to attend district sponsored testing.

The County is currently working with MVUSD and local school districts to accommodate additional dates. As soon as we have more information, an email will be sent.

No, employees must exit their vehicle and check-in to the multi-purpose room at David Long facility. This testing site is set-up to adhere to social distancing mandates, please make sure to follow the directional signage and respect the requests of the testing site.

The type of test depends on the testing sites supplies. It can either be the oral swab or the nasal swab. It varies, depending upon the testing sites supplies on the day of testing.  Please share any concerns with nasal or oral issues with the testing site when you check-in.