These frequently asked questions (FAQs), which supersede and replace the guidance previously issued on March 14, 2020, are applicable to all departments that report directly to the Fulton County Manager. It is highly recommended that elected officials, who are appointing authorities or department heads that report directly to a Board, follow these parameters and/or contact the Department of Human Resources Management (DHRM) and/or County Attorney’s office for guidance if they seek to implement a protocol inconsistent with these guidelines. These FAQs are subject to change as the COVID-19 situation develops. The County reserves the right to rescind or modify this guidance at any time. (*issued April 10, 2020)
WHAT IS THE CORONAVIRUS OR COVID-19?
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China. Some limited person-to-person transmission has been reported in countries outside China, including the United States. By comparison, other respiratory illnesses such as seasonal influenza, are currently widespread in many US communities.
It depends on your vaccination status and whether you have been designated as “Emergency Essential” personnel. Generally, you should quarantine if you have been in close contact (within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone who has COVID-19, unless you have been fully vaccinated or designated as “Emergency Essential” personnel by your department head. People who are fully vaccinated do NOT need to quarantine and therefore may continue to report to work after contact with someone who had COVID-19 unless they have symptoms. However, fully vaccinated people should get tested 3-5 days after their exposure, even if they don’t have symptoms and wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative. Unvaccinated employees should not report to work but may be expected to work remotely while under self-quarantine, unless telecommuting is not an option or the employee is unable to do so due to sickness associated with their symptoms, and informs their immediate supervisor. Unvaccinated Emergency Essential Staff can continue to work, if asymptomatic, and should get tested 10 days after the date of last exposure.
Any employee exhibiting symptoms of acute respiratory illness (i.e., fever of 100.4° F or greater, cough or shortness of breath) should be isolated and should immediately consult with the Department of Human Resources Management and/or the County Attorney’s Office. Employees with the ability to telework may be required to telecommute.
Consistent with generally applicable County policy, an employee may be required, as a condition of returning to work, to obtain and present certification from the employee’s health care provider that the employee is able to resume work and can safely perform the essential functions of the employee’s job. Before an employee returns to work, the department should consult with the Department of Human Resources Management and/or the County Attorney’s Office concerning County policy on requesting medical documentation from an employee returning from leave.
In an effort to exercise flexibility and support our employees during this difficult time, Fulton County may permit employees to telecommute as appropriate in accordance with the Telecommuting Policy and Procedure (335-16). If telecommuting is not a viable option, Fulton County may permit an employee to take leave without pay for up to five (5) business days. Absent extraordinary circumstances, thereafter failure to report to work following the leave without pay period would result in dismissal for job abandonment in accordance with the Separations Policy and Procedure (330-19). Employees are still required to follow Fulton County and departmental protocols for reporting absences. If an employee fears contracting COVID-19 because of an existing health condition, the employee may be eligible for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or an accommodation, including telecommuting or a leave of absence, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Yes, Fulton County has a general duty to its employees to ensure that the workplace is free from recognizable hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. In order to keep the workplace and employees free from cases of COVID-19, departments may need to ask employees questions about whether they intend to or have traveled during their scheduled time off. Permissible inquiries include, for example, asking whether an employee has taken a cruise or traveled to or through any county for which the CDC has issued Level 3 or 4 Travel Health Notice. A department may require an unvaccinated employee who has traveled domestically or internationally to refrain from coming to work and self-quarantine for an appropriate period of time, which is usually 7 to 10 days, per CDC guidance. In addition, the CDC has designated cruise ship and riverboat travel as a Level 3 risk. Departments may require employees who have been traveling by cruise ship or riverboat to self-quarantine for an appropriate period of time. People who decide to go on a cruise should get tested 3–5 days after their trip, regardless of vaccination status.
Examples of “Hazardous Emergency Essential” personnel include, but are not limited to, law enforcement
officers, correctional institution personnel, fire fighters, emergency medical services personnel, physicians,
nurses, public health personnel, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, emergency management
personnel, 911 operators, public works personnel, and persons with skills or training in operating specialized
equipment or other skills needed to provide aid in a declared emergency as well as individuals who work
for such facilities employing these individuals and whose work is necessary to maintain the operation of the
facility.
“Standard Essential” employees are also expected to continue to perform their job duties during a declared
state of emergency and/or office closure. “Standard Essential” personnel may be required, at the discretion
of the Department Head, to work on-site, be on-call or telecommute.
Examples of “Standard Essential” personnel include, but are not limited to, department heads, payroll
personnel, PBX operators, court administrators, judicial staffers, and critical facilities personnel.
All essential personnel will be compensated at their regular rate of pay. In addition, any “Emergency
Essential” employee who works during an office closure or declared state of emergency will receive accrued
leave banked as “holiday earned” at a rate of 1.5 for each hour actually worked, up to a maximum of 120
hours. Any “Standard Essential” employee who performs work during an office closure or declared state
of emergency will receive accrued leave banked as “holiday earned” at a rate of 1.0 for each hour worked,
up to a maximum of 80 hours. (The ability to accrue “holiday earned was discontinued by the Board of
Commissioners at its April 1, 2020 meeting. All holiday earned up until that point will remain on the record.)
It depends. Based upon available information to date, those at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19
include people aged 65 years and those who have certain underlying medical conditions. Those
underlying chronic conditions include chronic lung disease, moderate to severe asthma, cardiac disease
with complications, diabetes, renal failure, liver disease or immunocompromising conditions (i.e., cancer
treatment, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and
prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications). In addition, people of any
age with severe obesity might also be at risk. An employee suffering from one or more of these serious
underlying medical conditions or any other condition communicated by the Governor of the State of
Georgia, the CDC, the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), and/or the employee’s personal health
care provider as likely to cause an increased spread of COVID-19 may be request to use administrative leave
to isolate, quarantine, or shelter-in-place.
Administrative leave may only be granted to an employee if telecommuting is not a viable option. Any
employee seeking to use administrative leave due to an underlying medical condition will be required to
complete a “Declaration to Support Request for Administrative Leave” form. Fulton County reserves the right
to request documentation to substantiate the basis for using this leave at a future time.
As we navigate this public health concern, we are further suggesting that employees leverage the
telemedicine option available under both the Kaiser and Anthem|Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. Employees
may contact their respective provider telemedicine services as follows:
Anthem | Blue Cross Blue Shield
www.LiveHealthOnline.com
Kaiser Permanente
Members will have to download the Kaiser Permanente App or call 404-365-0966.
As a reminder, employees who are BCBS members can also seek medical attention for COVID-19 at any
Grady Facility without a need for a co-pay. The Georgia Insurance Commissioner has also directed all
insurance providers to waive all co-pays related to COVID-19 testing.
COVID-19 is an emerging respiratory disease and there is much more to learn about its transmission, clinical
course and populations at increased risk of disease and complications. Everyone can do their part to help
plan, prepare and respond to this emerging public health threat. Fulton County will continue to monitor the
situation and provide guidance as more information becomes available.