Code No. 403.3

Staff Personnel

Communicable Diseases - Employees

Employees with a communicable disease will be allowed to perform their customary employ-ment duties provided they are able to perform the essential functions of their position and their presence does not create a substantial risk of illness or transmission to students or other employees.  The term “communicable disease” will mean an infectious or contagious disease spread from person to person, or animal to person, or as defined by law.

Prevention and control of communicable diseases is included in the school district’s bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan as written by the school nurse.  The procedures will include scope and application, definitions, exposure control, methods of compliance, universal precautions, vaccination, post-exposure evaluation, follow-up, communication of hazards to employees and record keeping.  This plan is reviewed annually by the superintendent and school nurse.

The health risk to immunodepressed employees is determined by their personal physician.  The health risk to others in the school district environment from the presence of an employee with a communicable disease is determined on a case-by-case basis by the employee’s personal physician, a physician chosen by the school district or public health officials.

An employee who is at work and who has a communicable disease which creates a substantial risk of harm to a student, coworkers, or others at the workplace which report the condition to the superintendent any time the employee is aware that the disease actively creates such risk.

Health data of an employee is confidential and it will not be disclosed to third parties.  Employee medical records are kept in a file separate from their personal file.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the school nurse, to develop administrative regulations stating the procedures for dealing with employees with a communicable disease.

Legal Reference:  School Board of Nassau County v. Arline, 480 U.S.273 (1987).

                              29 U.S.C. Chapters 794, 1910 (1994).

                              42 U.S.C. Chapters 12101 et seq. (1994).

                              45 C.F.R. Pt. 84.3 (2003).

                              Iowa Code Chapter 139; 141 (2003).

                              641 I.A.C. 1.2-.7.

Cross Rerence:    400 Series     Employee Records

                              400 Series     Employee Physical Examinations

                              500 Series     Communicable Diseases - Students

Approved:        August 16, 2004             

Reviewed:       April 18, 2006                 

Revised: