The Board of Trustees desires to promote the health of district students and staff in order to reduce absenteeism and enhance employee and student performance. The Superintendent or designee shall develop strategies to prevent the outbreak or spread of infectious diseases at district schools.
(cf. 4161.1/4361.1 - Personal Illness/Injury Leave)
(cf. 4261.1 - Personal Illness/Injury Leave)
(cf. 5113 - Absences and Excuses)
(cf. 5113.1 - Chronic Absence and Truancy)
An infectious disease is one that is caused by a microorganism and is potentially transmittable to another individual, whether through airborne transmission, bloodborne transmission, skin-to-skin contact, foodborne transmission, or other casual or noncasual means. A communicable infectious disease, such as influenza or chicken pox, is contagious and can be readily transmitted by infectious bacteria or viral organisms.
The Board of Trustees encourages each employee to inform the district as soon as possible if he/she contracts an infectious disease which creates a physical or mental disability.
In accordance with law, job applicants shall be required to provide evidence that they are free of tuberculosis or any other communicable infectious disease prior to beginning employment.
(cf. 4112.4/4212.4/4312.4 - Health Examinations)
The Board may reassign or grant disability leave to an employee who is unable to perform his/her job responsibilities because of illness or because the employee's illness significantly endangers his/her health or safety or the health or safety of others.
(cf. 4161.1/4361.1 - Personal Illness/Injury Leave)
(cf. 4261.1 - Personal Illness/Injury Leave)
The district shall not discriminate against any employee or job applicant who has an infectious disease that meets the federal or state definition of a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, California Fair Employment and Housing Act, or Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act. (Government Code 12900-12996; 29 USC 794; 42 USC 12101-12213)
(cf. 4030 - Nondiscrimination in Employment)
(cf. 4031 - Complaints Concerning Discrimination in Employment)
Upon request, any qualified person with a disability shall be provided reasonable accommodation to perform the essential duties of his/her position in accordance with the criteria and processes described in AR 4032 - Reasonable Accommodation.
(cf. 4032 - Reasonable Accommodation)
To prevent the outbreak or spread of infectious diseases, the Superintendent or designee may provide infection prevention supplies and information to employees, including information about recommended vaccinations. Employees also shall observe universal precautions to avoid contact with potentially infectious blood or other bodily fluids.
(cf. 4119.42/4219.42/4319.42 - Exposure Control Plan for Bloodborne Pathogens)
(cf. 4119.43/4219.43/4319.43 - Universal Precautions)
(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4231 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4331 - Staff Development)
When informed that an employee has a disabling infectious disease, the Superintendent or designee may request that the employee sign a release form to provide confidential medical information and records.
In determining a reasonable accommodation of the employee's condition, the Superintendent or designee may consult with public health officials or physicians with expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious disease. The Superintendent or designee may also communicate with the employee's physician regarding the employee's ability to perform the essential requirements of the job with reasonable accommodation and without posing significant health or safety risks to the employee or others.
The Superintendent or designee shall prepare a confidential report which includes his/her recommendation and the medical information upon which it is based. These recommendations shall take into consideration:
1. The nature of the disease and the probability of its being transmitted, including the duration and severity of the risk
2. The physical condition of the employee, including diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of the condition
3. The actual requirements of the employee's job and the expected type of interaction with others in the school setting
This report shall be forwarded to the Board for confidential review and action.
The job assignment of an employee with a disabling infectious disease shall be reevaluated whenever there is a change in medical knowledge or in the employee's medical regimen or health which might affect his/her assignment.
Confidentiality
The Board and the Superintendent or designee shall ensure that employee rights to confidentiality are strictly observed. The district shall disclose medical record information only to the extent required or permitted by law. The medical records of any employee with a disabling infectious disease shall be held in strict confidence.
The Superintendent or designee shall immediately report to the local health officer the presence or suspected presence of any communicable infectious disease. In addition, a school nurse or other health care provider who knows of or is in attendance on a case or suspected case of any of the diseases or conditions listed in 17 CCR 2500 shall make a report to the local health officer. If no health care provider is in attendance, any individual having knowledge of a person who is suspected to be suffering from one of the specified diseases or conditions may make a report to the local health officer. (17 CCR 2500, 2508)
(cf. 5141.6 - School Health Services)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
44839 Medical certificate; periodic medical examination
44839.5 Requirements for employment of retirant
49406 Examination for tuberculosis (employees)
CIVIL CODE
56-56.37 Confidentiality of medical information
GOVERNMENT CODE
12900-12996 Fair Employment and Housing Act
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
120975-121020 Mandated blood testing and confidentiality to protect public health
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 2
7293.5-7294.2 Discrimination based on disability
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
5502-5504 Medical certification
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 17
2500 Reportable diseases and conditions
2508 Reporting of communicable diseases; duty of schools
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 29
794 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42
12101-12213 Americans with Disabilities Act
COURT DECISIONS
Chevron USA v. Echazabal, (2002) 536 U.S. 73, 122 S.Ct. 2045
School Board of Nassau County, Florida v. Arline, (1987) 408 U.S. 273
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu), Fact Sheet, April 2009
Pandemic Influenza, Fact Sheet, September 2007
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH PUBLICATIONS
California HIV/AIDS Laws, 2009, January 2010
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION PUBLICATIONS
Enforcement Guidance: Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship under the Americans with Disabilities Act, October 2002
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
California Department of Public Health: http://www.cdph.ca.gov
California School Nurses Organization: http://www.csno.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: http://www.eeoc.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.hhs.gov
Policy MODOC JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: September 19, 2006 Alturas, California
revised: October 16, 2012