Communicable Disease Policy
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to define communicable diseases and outline procedures to protect the work and academic environment from potential exposure.
Barry University will make informed decisions involving persons who have communicable diseases based on current and well-informed medical judgments concerning the disease, the risks of transmitting the illness to others, the symptoms and special circumstances of each individual who has a communicable disease, and a careful weighing of the identified risks and the available alternative for responding to an individual with a communicable disease.
Barry University will comply with all applicable statutes and regulations that protect the privacy of persons who have a communicable disease. Every effort will be made to ensure procedurally sufficient safeguards to maintain the personal confidence about persons who have communicable diseases. Barry University will not discriminate against any employee or student based on the individual having a communicable disease.
Definition
Communicable diseases are infectious diseases transmissible (as from person to person) by direct contact with an affected individual or the individual's discharges or by indirect means (as by a vector)—They include, but are not limited to, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, Influenza, Viral Hepatitis-A (infectious hepatitis), Viral Hepatitis-B (serum hepatitis), MRSA infection, Enterovirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and active Tuberculosis.
Barry University may choose to broaden this definition within its best interest and in accordance with information received through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health.
Communicable Disease Reporting and Procedures
Barry University reserves the right to exclude a person with a known communicable disease from the workplace facilities, programs and functions if the university finds, based on a medical determination, such restriction is necessary for the welfare of the person who has the communicable disease and/or the welfare of others within the workplace.
Employees or students shall not be denied access to the workplace or academic setting solely on the grounds that they have possible symptoms of a communicable disease. If you are experiencing symptoms, please do not come to any campus or satellite location. Barry University encourages employees to seek medical treatment at their medical provider and students at Student Health Services or by a private medical provider. One should not return to any campus or satellite location until medical clearance is received and symptoms subside.
Any employee who has been diagnosed with a confirmed communicable infection/disease must notify Human Resources via telephone at (305) 899-4906, (305) 899-3678, or via email at hrsupport@barry.edu.
Any student who has been diagnosed with a confirmed communicable infection/disease must notify Student Health Services via phone at (305) 899-3750.
Faculty or staff members who know of a student diagnosed with a confirmed communicable infection/disease must also contact Student Health Services via phone at (305) 899-3750.
Barry University may be required to notify the Public Health Department.
Due to privacy laws (e.g., “HIPAA”, “FERPA”) concerning protected health information (PHI), Human Resources or Student Health Services will not notify any department, faculty or staff member about an employee or student's illness unless a signed release of confidentiality from the individual is received.
Notification for absences due to illness will only be sent to professors if the student is seen and diagnosed in Student Health Services.
The university reserves the right to request medical clearance to return to work or school by a licensed health care provider (MD, ARNP or PA). Employees must submit medical documentation to Human Resources and students must submit medical documentation to Student Health Services.