UPPS 04.04.44 - Employees with Serious Illnesses

POLICY STATEMENT

1. This policy provides guidelines for faculty and staff employees who have serious illnesses, for supervisors and managers responsible for these employees, and for dealing with the concerns of co-workers.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

1. A serious illness is any medical condition that is likely to result in significant impairment of mental or bodily function, is likely to be life-threatening, or is likely to pose a significant health risk to others.

2. The university recognizes that employees with a serious illness may wish to continue to work.

3. The university also recognizes that continued employment for an employee with a serious illness may be therapeutically important for remission or recovery, and may prolong that employee’s life or quality of life. As long as the employee meets the performance standards of his or her job, and poses no health hazard to other employees (as determined in Section 02.04), he or she may continue to work. Supervisors and managers will be sensitive to their conditions and see that, to the extent possible, the employee is treated like other university employees.

4. Concurrently, the university strives to provide a safe work environment for students, other employees, and the public. The director of the Student Health Center, the director of Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management, and the TSUS associate general counsel will confer and make recommendations to the appropriate vice president regarding precautionary actions that should be taken to ensure that an employee’s condition does not present a significant health or safety risk to others.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Employees are encouraged to report any serious illnesses that cause disabilities to their supervisors if they would like to request workplace accommodations. Employees should refer to UPPS No. 04.04.60, Workplace Accommodation concerning reasonable accommodations.

2. Employees who have a serious illness should refer to UPPS No. 04.04.30, University Leave Policy concerning Family Medical Leave and other leave options.

3. Human Resources will assist supervisors and employees with a serious illness with insurance, leave, benefits, and other work-related matters.

4. The following people will participate in determining the appropriateness of an employee’s request for an accommodation: the director of the Student Health Center, the assistant vice president for Human Resources, the assistant vice president and director of Student Diversity & Inclusion/ADA coordinator, and members of the Workplace Accommodation Interactive Team (as identified in UPPS No. 04.04.60, Workplace Accommodation).

PROCEDURES FOR MAINTAINING CONFIDENTIALITY

1. Information about an employee’s serious illness is confidential, and any disclosure requires the written consent of the employee or authorization as provided in Section 02.04. Upon receiving the employee’s written authorization, supervisors may consult with the assistant vice president for Human Resources to discuss:

   1. university policy concerning any action that may need to be taken; and

   2. reasonable accommodations for the employee with a disability consistent with the needs of the work unit and other employees.

PROCEDURES FOR DEALING WITH CO-WORKERS

1. Supervisors and managers should:

   1. be sensitive and responsive to co-workers’ concerns; and

   2. ensure that the work of the unit continues and that the ill employee is not harassed or discriminated against by other employees because of a disability.

2. If an employee becomes aware of a person having an illness that may be a direct threat to other employees, students, or the public, the employee should immediately report the illness to Employee Relations, in Human Resources, who will consult with the director of the Student Health Center.

REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS

1. Reviewers of this UPPS include the following:

   Position	Date
   Assistant Vice President, Human Resources	December 1 E4Y
   Director, Student Health Center	December 1 E4Y
   Chair, Staff Council	December 1 E4Y
   Chair, Faculty Senate	December 1 E4Y
   Director, Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management	December 1 E4Y
   Asst. Vice President and Director, Student Diversity & Inclusion/ADA Coordinator	December 1 E4Y
   Chief Diversity Officer & Director, Equity & Access	December 1 E4Y

CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

This UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

Assistant Vice President for Human Resources; senior reviewer of this UPPS

Vice President for Finance and Support Services

President