Pandemic influenza planning FAQ's for campus management staff

During the fall and winter of 2009-10 it is almost certain that MCG will be dealing with higher than normal employee absences due to the impact of pandemic influenza.

This page is intended to provide specific information for Medical College of Georgia employees in a managerial or supervisory role.

Questions and answers on this page have been grouped under the following topics:

Issues related to the management of a department

  1. What are my responsibilities as a manager?
    1. As a manager you will have two primary areas of responsibility: planning prior to the impact of the pandemic and operating during the pandemic.
    2. Before the impact - Departmental Planning
      1. Determine which services, if any, performed by your department must be continued in the event of the pandemic emergency - including a campus closing.

        Managers should consult with their chain of command in making such determinations. You may have already done this as part of your general emergency preparedness planning that you may use in inclement weather situations.

        Examples of essential services that may need to continue to be available during a pandemic related closing could include patient care, lab animal care and services related to employee, student and patient safety.

        In addition, residence halls and food service may need to remain open should any students have to remain on campus, receiving staff may need to be available to support residence halls and food service operations, certain human resources and payroll staff may continue to work should a payroll need to be run during the period of the campus closing.
      2. Once a determination has been made regarding essential services, you must then determine which employees will be necessary to work in the event of a campus closing or adjusted services.

        Consideration should be given to who will be available to work and whether or not individual circumstances could prevent a person normally designated as "essential personnel" from working. Managers may elect to identify essential personnel and then categorize them according to who will be expected to respond first.

        For example, "Category 1 essential personnel" may be those who would be asked to perform essential duties during a campus closing. "Category 2 personnel" would then be those who have been cross trained and can be called on if a Category 1 employee is unable to work during the emergency. Employees designated as Category 2 must be able to provide the same duties normally provided by a person in Category 1.

        It is important for managers to have back-up personnel identified in the event the primary staff cannot perform the duties.
      3. It is strongly recommended that managers go through this decision making process now – before the real emergency – and document your plan and inform those employees that you have designated as "essential personnel."
    3. During the Emergency
      1. Determine nature of situation – if campus closing, this could involve need for service continuity; if not a campus closing, this could simply mean ensuring continuation of operations while also providing flexibility to employees, i.e. altering work schedules, approving leave, etc.
      2. Notify essential personnel of operational needs/plans.
      Other general responsibilities of each manager include serving as an employee resource regarding leave policies, alternative schedules, reminding employees of who constitutes essential personnel, identifying back up staff for essential personnel unable to work, etc.
    4. Please make sure you familiarize yourself the FAQs for MCG employees as well for consistency in application of relevant policies.

Issues Related to Employee Health / Absences

  1. What is the suggested protocol on "well-being checks" to check on the condition of employees who do not show up, have not called, and cannot be contacted?
    1. There is no MCG "well-being check" policy. In the event of a pandemic, it is expected that departments will adhere to established attendance policies including normal notice requirements. Also, in a pandemic situation, managers may elect to check on employees who have not reported for work and have not followed normal absence reporting procedures.

      Attendance policies generally require that an employee advise his/her supervisor prior to the beginning of his/her shift of an unplanned absence and provide status reports during the course of an absence. If sick leave is claimed for a continuous period in excess of one week, a physician's statement is required to permit further claim of sick leave rights by the employee-patient. (http://www.mcg.edu/hr/documents/Employee_Handbook_web_6.11.08.pdf).
  2. Will the existing MCG leave policies still apply in the event of a pandemic situation?
    1. Yes, MCG departments should maintain existing departmental absence policies during a pandemic situation.
    2. Employees will continue to be responsible for complying with the established work schedule and existing absence reporting policy.
    3. If, due to circumstances outside of the employee's control, he/she is unable to comply with departmental policy, management should contact Human Resources to evaluate the extenuating circumstances, and move forward with contingency planning as appropriate.
    4. In the event that a healthy employee wishes to stay home to avoid exposure, he/she is still expected to comply with the existing policy regarding annual leave. The MCG policy number is 1.4.24, Accrual and Use of Annual Leave, and the BOR Policy is 802.07.01, Vacation / Annual Leave.
    5. The employee should act in accordance with existing procedure by requesting time off from his/her supervisor. To be considered an authorized absence, the time off must be approved by the supervisor in advance.
    6. It is recognized that managers are responsible for daily operations of their departments and high numbers of employee absences may compromise the department's ability to meet operational demands. Therefore, managers may deny the request of an otherwise healthy employee to take annual leave to avoid exposure at their discretion.
  3. Can I send employees home if I have a reasonable belief that they are sick?
    1. Yes. During a pandemic emergency, MCG will expect its managers and employees to exercise good judgment.
    2. Employees may be instructed to not come to work if sick. This is to help manage and minimize risk to other employees and/or students.
    3. Therefore, if an employee comes to work and the manager has a concern that the employee is actually ill, the manager may ask that the employee go home for the employee's own protection and to avoid the possibility of infecting others.
    4. In a situation such as this, the employee's cooperation with such a reasonable request would be expected.
    5. With respect to making a good faith judgment call as to whether an employee may be ill, managers should use the appropriate guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as information becomes available.
  4. May we require an employee who claims to be out with a pandemic-related illness to provide a doctor's note or remain symptom-free for a specified amount of time before returning to work?
    1. The answer is yes, but you may want to consult with Human Resources on this matter. Managers should take into consideration the possibility that, during an epidemic, healthcare resources may be overwhelmed and it may be difficult for employees to get appointments with doctors or other healthcare providers to verify they are well or no longer contagious.
    2. Also, recent information from the CDC suggests that most individuals experiencing flu-like symptoms will be impacted for 3-4 days. Thus, an employee may only need to seek care from a health care provider if symptoms are persisting and/or not improving, meaning that they won't necessarily have a physician's statement.
    3. Ultimately, during a pandemic health crisis, MCG would be allowed to require a doctor's note or time period during which an employee has been symptom free, before it allows the employee to return to work.
    4. Specifically, we may require the above actions of an employee where it has a reasonable belief, based on objective evidence that employee's present medical condition would:
      1. Impair his/her ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation; and
      2. Pose a direct threat (i.e. significant risk of substantial harm that cannot be reduced or eliminated without reasonable accommodation) to safety in the workplace.
    5. Managers are expected to apply this very carefully.
  5. Due to privacy issues, can we ask employees why they are sick (i.e. flu-related)?
    1. Medically related information is protected; supervisors and managers should not ask employees to disclose employees' health information. However, during a pandemic flu situation, managers may ask employees who call in sick if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms. Please see question #7 below for information on why this is important.
  6. Due to privacy issues, can we ask employees if they fall into a category of high risk such that we may want to consider alternate work arrangements for them in the event of a pandemic?
    1. Yes, in fact, it is important that managers let all employees under their supervision know that it is permissible and encouraged for employees to self-identify that they would be considered high-risk.
    1. The employee is not required to provide any details on the condition that puts them in the category of high-risk, and the manager cannot ask for such information.
    2. "High-risk" generally covers persons whose immune systems may be compromised due to an underlying illness or temporary condition, and females who are pregnant.
    3. Departments may consider some sort of self-isolation for employees considered "high-risk", which may include working from home, working in a more secluded location, or working alternate hours, so as to not put them at risk.
    4. Supervisors may request such an employee to present a statement from his/her physician that he/she would be at risk if exposed. However, the supervisor may not require any specific information on the employee's condition.
    5. If an employee in such a situation is not in a position that is conducive to a different work schedule or working from afar, that employee should be reminded of the availability of sick leave and/or annual leave.
  7. Will MCG monitor the number of employees absent due to flu?
    1. Yes. Actually, the CDC is asking employers to monitor the number of employees experiencing flu so that such information can be reported to local public health officials when the percentage of employees sick exceeds 10% of the employer's workforce.
    2. Because of this expectation, managers may ask employees who call in sick if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms. If employees respond affirmatively, the department will be expected to report the number of occurrences to Human Resources.
    3. The procedure for reporting the number of employees experiencing flu-like symptoms will be as follows:
      1. The designated department representative (see Pandemic Planning Template) will identify the number of employees absent daily due to flu-like symptoms.
          1. This number should include:
          2. Regular and temporary faculty
            Regular and temporary non-faculty
            Residents and postdoctoral fellows
          3. The reporting is not to include student employees.
      2. The designated department representative will send the department name and the number of employees absent via email to the HUMANRESOURCES_BENEFITS email account by 10 a.m. daily.
      3. Human Resources will determine the total number of MCG employees absent due to flu daily and when that number exceeds 10% of the workforce, Human Resources will notify the Campus Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.
    4. In addition, employees should supply medically-related absence information to the Human Resources Department prior to returning to work, if it has been deemed necessary.
  8. Will mental health counsel be available for employees?
    1. MCG has an Employee Assistance Program which provides for up to 5 free visits. Employees may also access mental health services as covered under the health insurance plan.
  1. May an employee take sick leave to get a flu shot?
    1. Yes, sick leave is available to employees and this would be a normal use of that sick leave. Employees should simply request the time necessary to obtain the shot from their supervisor as they would for any other sick leave related appointment.

Issues related to employees working / being paid during a closure

  1. If units are shut down, but some positions need to be staffed, and there are more available employees than open positions, how do we prioritize who is permitted to work?
    1. This question cannot be answered definitively. An important component of each department's pandemic operational preparedness planning process is to identify its essential functions and the essential personnel required to carry them out.
    2. In the event of a health emergency, management has the right to schedule work and assign work duties to employees while balancing operational needs, consistent with the employee's job description.
    3. Managers have the discretion to reassign an employee's job duties as deemed necessary and explore alternate arrangements in order to ensure that essential operations continue.
  2. Can we allow employees to work from home? Are there issues we should consider?
    1. Managers may consider allowing alternate work arrangements including working at home by assessing their operational needs. In fact, it may be prudent for the department and the employee to work together to find ways to enable employees to perform their job functions while away from the central work location, assuming it is feasible, based on their duties and responsibilities.

      Human Resources may assist managers in evaluating the issues when considering approving alternate work arrangements. Managers should refer to MCG's Teleworking/Flextime policy for information on evaluating positions for alternate work arrangements and general guidance.
    2. It is important to note that the telecommuter's at-home work area is an extension of his/her Office work space. Injuries occurring in the work place during work hours are covered under Workers' Compensation, just as an injury would be if it occurred at the central work location. The telecommuter should be instructed to notify the supervisor immediately in the event of an injury or accident. The supervisor shall, upon being made aware of it, follow the institutions Worker's Compensation Policy.
  3. What would happen to employee's pay if they have no sick leave or vacation leave available?
    1. Board of Regents Policy 802.07.07, Miscellaneous Leave, under Other Leave, states: "In the event of inclement weather or any emergency which requires leaves of absence of employees, the president of a System institution may declare leave with or without pay (BR Minutes, 1992-93, p. 135)." This is typically applied when there is a complete campus closure.
    2. In some cases, an institution president may decide that employees should use sick leave in the event of a closure. Since a pandemic event may not actually result in campus closure, use of leave will affect employees based on their own individual circumstances. An employee may choose to use his/her annual leave to cover the absences if he/she does not have sick leave available; however, the employee cannot be forced to use annual leave to cover his/her absences if sent home.
    3. If the employee chooses not to use annual leave to cover the absence and he/she has no sick leave available, the leave shall be without pay.
  4. If the campus or certain departments are closed, how long will employees be paid?
    1. Should this occur, the campus will receive direction from the Office of the President or designee, similar to the handling of notifications during inclement weather situations.

Issues related to employee contact lists

  1. Is it advisable to ask for contact information when employees are out on annual or sick leave? Can it be required (for emergency purposes only)?
    1. Yes. If during the department's pandemic planning it is determined that certain employees responsible for performing essential functions (otherwise known as essential personnel) need to be contacted during periods they may not be scheduled to work, it is advisable to request their contact information.
    2. Such information may include personal telephone numbers, cellular phone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses, etc.
    3. Additionally, it is advisable to have contact information for all personnel in case a department or unit is directly affected by a pandemic and other employees need to be notified.
  2. Can we legally require employees to provide a contact number?
    1. Yes.
  3. Can we require employees to provide contact information when traveling on business?
    1. Yes- if there is a business need to do so.

Issues related to BOR BC/BS employee health insurance

  1. What information is available to employees from BC/BS in the event of Pandemic Flu?
    1. BC/BS will provide members with coverage information, within the scope of their specific benefit plan, for medically necessary care, including antiviral medications. They will keep members and providers informed about the pandemic through resources available on the website.
  2. What medications and tests are covered?
    1. The Board of Regents Plan covers Relenza and Tamiflu anti-viral medications. Lab testing for the H1N1 virus is a covered procedure.
  3. Are there any exceptions?
    1. BC/BS will comply with state and federal regulatory guidelines for care, including those that override plan benefit language.
  4. What else can be expected from BC/BS?
    1. BC/BS will expand current 24-hour phone access capabilities to serve as a clearinghouse for members, providers, employers, and others seeking information, support, and/or referral to appropriate resources. They will also extend access to and capacity of customer service operations, including the 24 hour nurse line.
Revised September 18, 2009 . Please send comments, suggestions or questions about this page to MCG, flu@mcg.edu .