Communicable Diseases in the Workplace

Type

Procedure

Category

Health and Safety

Department

Health Clinic

Phone

(541) 463-5344

Primary Contact

Grant Matthews

Contact Email

Responsible Executive Authority

Vice President, Academic and Student Affairs

Purpose

This procedure is designed to address serious communicable diseases, not the common cold, flu, or other routine illnesses. The College strives to make adequate provision for the safety and security of students and staff. Serious communicable diseases have the potential to affect everyone in the learning environment at Lane Community College.

Narrative

Serious communicable diseases have the potential to affect everyone in the learning environment at Lane Community College. This procedure is not designed to address the common cold or flu, or other routine communicable diseases, but rather those illnesses or diseases that have been identified as being more serious in nature. The college expects that students and employees will be sensitive to symptomology and utilize sound judgment in determining their level of illness, following guidelines provided by their health care providers and official public health information. Lane Community College will follow current public health guidelines.

Students who learn they have an illness that has the potential to be passed on to co-workers, fellow students or clients in the regular course of their study or work at Lane need to disclose this to the Health Clinic, Public Safety Manager or the Center for Accessible Resources.

Employees who learn they have an illness that has the potential to be passed on to co-workers, students or clients in the regular course of their work at Lane need to disclose this to the Chief Human Resources Officer or designee.

The person to whom the student or staff person discloses the illness will work with the person to determine steps necessary to protect the disclosing person and other members of the campus community. Lane recognizes that a student's or employee's medical condition is confidential information and will treat it as such unless otherwise provided by law. 

Students and employees, with a communicable disease or life threatening medical condition, will be allowed to work as long as they can maintain acceptable performance and do not pose a health threat to themselves or others. Lane may periodically obtain medical counsel to evaluate the student's or employee's health or the health risk to others. Lane Community College reserves the right to ask students or employees who show signs and symptoms of a communicable illness to seek medical evaluation and provide a medical release prior to returning to classes or work when appropriate.

Date Adopted

Saturday, May 1, 1999

Date Last Reviewed

Friday, July 31, 2015