COVID-19 Protocols FAQ
School-Based Employees
Mask Requirements
What are the current mask requirements for HCPS?
Masks are optional for school sponsored activities, except in health suites. Masks are optional on school buses.
HCPS Operating Status
What operational status threshold is HCPS operating under?
As of April 1, 2022, the HCPS operating status is as stated below.
COVID-19 Health, Quarantine, and Isolation
- Why am I not informed about COVID-19 positive numbers?
HCPS publishes all COVID-19 positive numbers on hcps.org daily. These numbers are displayed by school. Parents and guardians will be notified by their school of a classroom or schoolwide outbreak. - If an employee presents with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result, will they be required to have a negative COVID-19 test before returning to work?
No, however, the school nurse or the HCPS HR Specialist - Case Manager will guide you on your return-to-work needs based on your unique health circumstances. - What is the HCPS quarantine guidance?
Individuals identified as close contact will need to talk with their school nurse or HCPS HR specialist to determine next steps, as isolation guidance is based on multiple factors, including vaccination status and symptomatic presentation, as well as recommended testing. How do you calculate isolation or quarantine end dates?
To calculate your five (5) full day isolation period, day zero (0) is your first day of symptoms. Day one (1) is the first full day after your symptoms developed. If you test positive for COVID-19 and never develop symptoms, day zero (0) is the day of your positive viral test (based on the date you were tested) and day one (1) is the first full day after your positive test. If you develop symptoms after testing positive, your 5-day isolation period must start over.My doctor said 10 days, but the school said 5. What should I do?
Follow your doctor’s guidance. School guidance is 5 days and asymptomatic, and fever free without medication for 24 hours. You may require more than 5 days quarantine/isolation.- Do I need a booster to be considered fully vaccinated?
The CDC has added boosters into their clinical decision aids. The requirements for being fully vaccinated are still the same, but in some circumstances, boosters are being factored into the decisions for things like quarantine. For this circumstance, it is best to talk to a health care provider to understand anything specific to your health and vaccine.
- How is HCPS making decisions about increasing or decreasing activity restrictions related to COVID-19 transmission?
HCPS has aligned our approach with CDC determinations of COVID-19 Community Levels. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. To view the latest CDC Community Levels visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html The HCPS Operational Status will reflect our community level defined by the CDC and will reflect any operational restrictions or allowances based on that status. The HCPS Operational Status can be viewed at hcps.org.
Employee Leave
- If an employee is required to quarantine/isolate due to COVID-19 exposure, must they use their accrued leave?
For vaccinated employees, who test positive for COVID-19, effective 1/17/22 employees may be eligible for coverage of up to five full days via COVID-19 breakthrough leave. (HCPS Special Announcement)
For unvaccinated employees, regardless of the reason for quarantine/isolation, the employee must utilize their accrued leave during that period.
For HCEA employees who must quarantine or isolate (for self or family member) the employee may be eligible for COVID-19 Work leave (half day up to 10 half days total) Staff Relations - 2022_1_19_HCEA_MOU_COVID-19.pdf - All Documents
Please access link to review specific unit MOU details. (Staff Relations - COVID Breakthrough Leave - All Documents) - If an employee is required to quarantine/isolate, how should their leave be coded?
An unvaccinated employee who is required to quarantine/isolate must use their illness, personal business, and/or annual leave if applicable.
Vaccinated employees who are positive for COVID-19 may be eligible for up to five duty days breakthrough leave which would be coded as COVID-19 breakthrough leave once vaccination status has been verified. (Staff Relations - Breakthrough Covid Leave Directions - payroll purposes.pdf - All Documents)
For HCEA employees who receive supervisor approval to utilize COVID-19 Work Leave, coding would be labeled as .5 day COVID-19 Work Leave, the remaining .5 would be charged to accrued leave.
Illness in family leave may be utilized if the employee (vaccinated or unvaccinated) is out due to a member of their household who has been required to quarantine. - If an employee will be out for more than five (5) duty days, are they required to apply for FMLA?
Qualifying leave under the FMLA will vary based on the reason for leave. Employees with FMLA qualifying leave questions should contact the Benefits Office at benefits@hcps.org. However, below are two scenarios that may help determine if FMLA leave is needed:
a. If the employee is ill and or is caring for an FMLA qualifying family member who is ill, they may apply for job-protected leave under the Family Medical Leave Act just as they would for any other health condition.
b. If the employee is not ill and or is not caring for someone who is ill and must quarantine for close contact or closure of a child’s school/daycare, they likely will not be eligible for FMLA due to the serious health condition qualifier. - To whom should I direct an employee if they have concerns about utilizing their leave due to a requirement to quarantine because of an exposure that occurred while actively performing their job functions in the building?
Employees with concerns about utilizing their leave due to exposure in the school building may contact the Staff Relations Office at (410) 588-5311.
Employee Inquiry Contact Guidance
- Who should employees contact if they have COVID-19 symptoms or were in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19? School-based employees who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 should be directed to their school nurse for further guidance on isolation or quarantine requirements. Non-school based employees should contact the Human Resources office at covidreporting@hcps.org for isolation or quarantine guidance.
Remote Work
Am I allowed to let an employee who must quarantine/isolate work virtually during their quarantine/isolation period if they feel well enough? If the essential functions of the employee’s job duties allowed them to work virtually before the quarantine/isolation requirement, it is at the supervisor’s discretion to allow that individual to work virtually during that period. If the essential functions of that person’s job duties require them to be in-person, they must utilize their sick leave during their quarantine/isolation period. If you have further questions regarding the ability to approve an employee for telework, please contact the Human Resources Department.
Am I allowed to let an employee who must quarantine/isolate work virtually due to their child being required to quarantine?
If the essential functions of the employee’s job duties allowed them to work virtually before the quarantine/isolation requirement, it is at the supervisor’s discretion to allow that individual to work virtually during that period. If the essential functions of that person’s job duties require them to be in-person, they must utilize their sick leave during their quarantine/isolation period. If you have further questions regarding the ability to approve an employee for telework, please contact the Human Resources Department.
Substitute Plans
- If a teacher must quarantine/isolate and utilize their leave, are they expected to create plans for the substitute?
If the employee is not on approved leave under FMLA, they may voluntarily elect to utilize half of their duty day to create substitute plans, grade student work, and maintain teacher-parent communication for each day of their quarantine/isolation period. A quarantined/isolated employee must utilize accrued leave for the remaining half of the day. If the employee is not well enough to create lesson plans as part of each day they are quarantined/isolated, they must utilize accrued leave for the full duty day. If the employee is on job-protected FMLA leave, you may not request them to provide plans while they are out during their FMLA period. Please refer to the recent distributed HCEA MOU for Substitute Plans for further guidance and limitations. - If a teacher must quarantine/isolate and cannot provide in-person instruction, may their lessons be provided asynchronously, or must the school obtain a substitute to deliver the instruction?
If students remain in the teacher’s classroom, building administration should utilize support available or secure a substitute to deliver instruction to those in-person students. If the entire class has been required to quarantine/isolate, other options may be considered. This will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
#HCPStogether
This FAQ was last updated on April 1, 2022 at 8:00 a.m.
Email us at COVID19questions@hcps.org.
Email: COVID19questions@hcps.org
Website: https://www.hcps.org/covidresources/