2106 - Influenza Season (Historical View)

** Effective: 2/6/2018 6:26:45 AM - 4/27/2018 9:44:55 AM **

Status: Active

Change Notes

Contact updated: Corrected back to Belinda Collins.

Category

Leave

Audience List

Synopsis

This policy

Introduction

This policy statement provides guidance and information regarding absences that occur during the influenza season.

Statement

For prevention and management of illness in the workplace, the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) recommends the following guidelines for departments to use for absences that may occur due to the influenza (flu) season.

If employees show signs of flu symptoms, (fever and cough, sore throat, or runny nose) departments should manage the employees the same way they would if they had other illnesses by encouraging the employees to stay home or go home.

Departments are reminded to review the provisions for leave usage, return to work, and medical verification in the appropriate collective bargaining agreements. The following types of leaves may be available for employees to use while off work due to illness:

CalHR’s Leave Benefits webpage provides guidance on the use of the above leaves. Departments should review their catastrophic leave policy for employees that have no leave balances or have exhausted their leave balances.

In addition, to minimize the impact on operations, departments may consider the following options to assist employees who are off work due to their own illness or a family member’s illness, but are still able to perform work duties:

Based on recommendations from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CalHR provides links in the Resources section below which provide information and actions to assist in preventing the spread of illnesses such as the flu.

In regard to other miscellaneous flu viruses or diseases, departments should follow the above guidelines for absences that may occur due to these illnesses. Additional information and actions to prevent the spread of these illnesses are provided in the links below.

Should a state agency have a concern that an individual employee poses a risk to other employees, they should contact the local health department in their jurisdiction for further guidance. A list of local health departments and their contact phone number are available in the Resources section below.

Application

Not Applicable.

Authorities

Resources

PML

Related Policies

Web Pages

Authorized By

Contact Person

Personnel Services Branch
Personnel Program Consultant, , Personnel Services Branch
Phone: 916-323-3343
Fax: 916-327-1886
Email: psb@calhr.ca.gov

Superseded Policies

Not Applicable.