Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
POLICY NO: 418

This district will not require disclosure of an employee's Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) status. Any information, known to the district or its employees, regarding an individual’s HIV or AIDS status will be confidential unless: 1) the employee gives his/her prior approval for disclosure, or 2) such disclosure is required by law.

This district will not discriminate against anyone who has an HIV/AIDS infection during the hiring, evaluation, promotion, work assignment or termination processes.

Routine HIV antibody testing of employees will not occur. No district employee will be tested for HIV without his/her consent unless otherwise required by law.

As a general rule, no work restriction will be placed on an AIDS or HIV infected employee unless the employee has contracted, or is in danger of contracting, a transmittable secondary disease. Any work restriction requested by or imposed on an employee as a consequence of his/her HIV or AIDS status must be initiated or approved by the employee's physician, the employee's supervisor, and the district superintendent.

Any employee who violates any portion of this policy, or who refuses to work with another employee who has AIDS or the HIV infection, may be disciplined. Such disciplinary action may include suspension without pay or dismissal.

All district employees and volunteers shall take all reasonable precautions to avoid direct contact with blood, blood products, or other infectious fluids.

Whenever district employees or volunteers are required to assist ill or injured persons, the following procedures must be followed to minimize direct contact with blood or bodily fluids:

1. Appropriate barrier precautions will be used when contact with blood or other bodily fluids is anticipated. Latex gloves will be worn whenever blood and body fluids, mucous membranes or non-intact skin must be touched. Gloves will also be worn when handling items or surfaces soiled with blood or body fluids. Gloves must be changed whenever a new person is handled.
2. Hand and other skin surfaces will be washed with soap and water immediately and thoroughly whenever contaminated with blood or other body fluids.
3. Extra precautions will be taken to prevent injuries caused by needles or other sharp instruments or devices while using public cleaning or disposing of these sharp objects.
4. Soiled clothing, uniforms, and linen will be handled as little as possible so as to prevent microbial contamination of air and other persons. Contaminated clothing and cloth materials will be washed separately using hot water and detergent. Dry cleaning will also inactivate known pathogens.
5. Surfaces that are contaminated with blood will be decontaminated with a 10:1 (ten to one) chlorine bleach solution, a seventy (70) percent alcohol solution, or three (3) percent hydrogen peroxide solution. Care should be taken to avoid contaminating the solution or the container of the solution. Sufficient contact time (three (3) to five (5) minutes) should be allowed to insure surfaces are adequately disinfected.

u u u u u u u

ADOPTED: June 18, 1996

LEGAL REFERENCE:

Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act;

The Americans with Disabilities Act;

Idaho State Department of Education

HIV/AIDS Policy Guidelines, September 1994