Illnesses in the Workplace

Policy

Employees who have or suspect they have a serious contagious illness that could be transmitted through casual contact at work should avoid Loyola’s campus until they have been medically evaluated. In some cases, such as with an epidemic or pandemic, an employee may be required to stay away from campus until they can provide documentation from their doctor that they are no longer contagious. In such cases, work-from-home arrangements or additional sick days may be allowed at the discretion of division vice president and Human Resources. The university will require employees to follow all CDC quarantine and isolation guidelines in place. This will include any requirements to quarantine or isolate based on personal or approved professional travel before returning to the workplace. Different guidelines may apply based on an employee’s vaccination status.

Employees with life-threatening illnesses that cannot be transmitted in the normal course of business, such as cancer, heart disease, and HIV+/AIDS, often wish to continue their normal pursuits, including work, to the extent allowed by their condition. Loyola University New Orleans supports these endeavors as long as employees are able to meet acceptable performance standards.

Procedure

Employees are required to abide by all OSHA and CDC guidelines, all federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and university guidelines regarding illness in the workplace. This includes, but is not limited to, health and safety requirements including social distancing measures, appropriate personal protective equipment, hygiene requirements, and reporting requirements.

Medical information concerning individual employees is treated confidentially and Loyola University will take reasonable precautions to protect such information from inappropriate disclosure.

Employees with questions or concerns about contagious or life-threatening illnesses are encouraged to contact Human Resources or Loyola’s Public Health Coordinator for information and referral to appropriate services and resources.