Business and Financial Services

Risk Management

This Policy applies to all University, faculty, staff, and students to whom the University grants the privilege of operating a University vehicle (including utility carts). The purpose of this Driver and Vehicle Use Policy is to set forth the requirements applicable to all drivers of Clark University owned, leased, or rented vehicles or personal vehicles while on University business.

The intent of this policy is to ensure the safety of drivers, passengers, and the public as well as minimize losses, damages, and claims against the University.

Driving a Clark University owned, leased, or rented vehicle is a privilege and the University reserves the right to deny or revoke the driving privileges of any driver in the event that the driver does not meet the requirements of this policy.

For staff, faculty, and students using their personal vehicle on University business, the vehicle owner’s insurance policy provides the primary insurance coverage. Should the owner’s insurance limits be exceeded due to a catastrophic accident, the University’s non-owned automobile insurance (and umbrella coverage, if necessary) would apply. For example, if you carry $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident of bodily injury liability insurance, and cause a $150,000 loss to an individual, your policy would pay the first $100,000 of the claim, and the University’s insurance policy would pay the remaining $50,000. The University will not pay any claims for comprehensive, theft, or collision damage to personal vehicles (including deductibles). Mileage reimbursement is outlined in the University’s Travel Policy. This reimbursement is intended to cover the costs to operate the vehicle, including insurance costs.

The University’s insurance provides for both liability and physical damage for employees who rent vehicles while on authorized University business. The coverage extends for car rentals in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories. Therefore, please waive all of the rental agency’s insurance coverage.

Clark University students are prohibited from driving while they are abroad as part of a Clark-related program.

All staff, faculty, and students are protected by the University’s automobile liability insurance for injury claims brought against them arising out of their use of a University-owned automobile, provided the University has given permission for such use and the use is within the scope of such permission.

Understanding the features with Clark SAFETY app (also know as Rave Guardian)

 Inbox: Receives messages sent from ClarkALERTS. For example, when Clark sends out a ClarkALERT for a weather related closing, the message can go to this inbox in addition to the other communication points the University currently uses, such as text, phone, voice and social media.

Call Directory: Includes important phone numbers that can be dialed directly.

Content Directory: Includes important/ useful websites.

 Submit Tip: Allows the user to submit a non-emergency safety concern to UP. User can choose to be anonymous or not. Can also choose to share location or not. If user chooses not to be anonymous and shares his or her location, UP will be able to know immediately who the person is and where they are located.

University Police: The user essentially has a “blue light” call box in their pocket. User cannot be anonymous but can choose to share location or not. If user chooses to share his or her location, UP will be able to know immediately who the person is and where they are located.

Emergency Call: Goes directly to 911.

Your Profile

At the top of the screen where it reads “Hi, [your name]” is itself a link. You can voluntarily add information to your profile, such as sharing allergies or medical conditions. The benefit here is University Police can respond more effectively when receiving a tip (if selected non-anonymous) or a call through the app.

Any other edits to a profile must be completed in the ClarkALERT updater, which is found in the ClarkYOU portal.

The University encourages all international travelers obtain adequate health insurance to protect against financial loss due to an unanticipated illness or hospitalization. The University reserves the right to require proof of health insurance before approving international travel, particularly in the case of student travel.

Short-term health and medical emergency insurance can be purchased by faculty, staff, or students through the University’s insurance provider, GeoBlue.

Short-Term health and medical emergency insurance for Students, please click here:  GeoBlue for Students.

Short-Term health and medical emergency insurance for Faculty/Staff, please click here:  GeoBlue for Faculty/Staff.

Students traveling abroad in either Study Abroad programs or on other short-term trips are required to obtain international health insurance from GeoBlue for Students. This insurance provides health insurance as well as other benefits including travel assistance and evacuation in the event of political upheaval or natural disaster.

Clark also provides travel assistance through Chubb’s Travel and Medical Assistance provider and Identity Theft Protection. Use the links provided to download information about these programs along with contact cards.

Domestic Travel

Employees injured while working during a Clark-related business trip are covered by worker’s compensation insurance for medical expenses and lost wages. Please promptly report any work-related injury to the Human Resources department.

Clark also provides travel assistance through Chubb’s Travel and Medical Assistance provider and Identity Theft Protection. Use the links provided to download information about these programs along with contact cards. This is also applicable to international travel.

International Travel

Clark has international workers compensation insurance in the event an employee is injured in an accident which occurs while engaged in Clark-related business. Please note that it does not provide insurance coverage for illness or other medical condition that is not the result of either an accident or a disease that is endemic to the region the employee is visiting. It would also not cover non-work related accidents — for example, if an employee was hurt hiking or bike riding.

For this reason, it is important that all faculty and staff traveling abroad purchase Clark’s GeoBlue for Faculty/Staff international health insurance. This will be your primary medical insurance while abroad. It also includes political and natural disaster evacuation services.

Safety Fund expenditures are earmarked for the purchase of products or services that are directly related to improving employee safety. Examples include:

• New safety products that could be beneficial to Clark employees. If there are no budgeted funds available, the Safety Fund could be used to fund an initial purchase, either for immediate implementation or testing purposes. Ongoing purchases would need to be funded from departmental operating budgets.
• Equipment with special safety features in some cases can cost significantly more than similar products without the safety features. The Safety Fund could be utilized to pay for new equipment or the difference in price.
• Safety-related services. Additional risk management engineering, environmental testing, etc. to address a particular safety related issue.

It is expected that departments will appropriately budget for safety materials and equipment. The Safety Fund will not be used to fund recurring safety purchases that should be included in operating budgets.

To request an expenditure from the Safety Fund, complete a Safety Fund Purchase Request Form and submit it to the Business Manager. The request will be reviewed by a subcommittee of the Safety Committee, which will will approve or deny the request based on their evaluation of the request and the availability of funds. The size of the request should reflect the intended goal of funding multiple requests each year.

The safety and health of Clark University employees (staff, faculty, student workers) is a primary concern of the University. Safety is a shared responsibility between the University and its employees. The University has the responsibility to provide a safe, healthy workplace.

Faculty and staff are responsible for:

• Watching and caring for their own safety as well as the safety of others.
• Following safety rules, OSHA safety standards and training they may receive.
• Always using personal protective equipment where it is required.
• Reporting hazardous conditions or safety concerns.

Please report any hazardous conditions, unsafe practices, or improperly functioning equipment to your supervisor, the Human Resources Office, or Physical Plant. You may also send an email to Safety and Risk Management Office.

Any on-the-job injury, no matter how minor, must be reported immediately to the Human Resources Office 1-508-793-7294. The Human Resources Office will ask you to complete an Employee Injury Form and subsequently file the appropriate forms with the insurance company and the Department of Industrial Accidents. Human Resources may also request the injured person complete a Medical Information Authorization.

Please note: If approved, Workers Compensation leave runs concurrently with the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and any time out due to on the job injuries. Approved Workers Compensation leave is not in addition to the 12 weeks granted under FMLA. This serves as notice that you will be put on FMLA leave if you qualify for Workers Compensation for this reported injury. Please contact HR if you need clarification.

Medical expenses for work-related injuries or illness are paid by the worker’s compensation insurance company (ISCC). These expenses may include doctor and hospital fees, costs for prescription drugs, crutches, etc.

Employees are eligible for worker’s compensation wages from the insurance company if an injury requires an absence of five calendar days or longer. Employees who are unable to work due to their work related injury or illness will receive 60% of their average weekly gross wages up to a maximum amount as allowed by Massachusetts law. Employees who are capable of working, but only on a limited basis, may be assigned light duty work for a temporary period of time.

The above is only a brief summary of worker’s compensation benefits. For more details, please consult the appropriate employee handbook or contact the Human Resources Office at 1-508-793-7294.