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Emergency Guidelines for the Campus Community

H1N1 Influenza Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: September 14, 2009

Employee Questions

I am an employee. What should I do if I develop flu-like symptoms or think I’ve been exposed to flu?

Faculty and staff experiencing flu-like symptoms or who were exposed to someone who has told them they have the flu should contact their personal physicians. Employees who do not have a personal physician and who would like a list of physicians in the Princeton area should call Employee Health Services at (609) 258-5035 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Employees experiencing flu-like symptoms (i.e. fever with cough and/or sore throat) should not come to work and should self-isolate in their homes until they are no longer contagious. The guideline is to remain isolated during illness and for at least 24 hours after the ill person's fever is gone, except to get medical care (fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine).

As this public health situation evolves, all campus community members should be aware that flu guidelines may change, depending upon the nature of the H1N1 virus and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to manage and prevent the spread of flu.

I am an employee feeling sick. Should I still report to work?

Employees experiencing flu-like symptoms (i.e. fever with cough and/or sore throat) should not come to work and should self-isolate in their homes until they are no longer contagious. The guideline is to remain isolated during illness and for at least 24 hours after the ill person's fever is gone, except to get medical care (fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine).

Employees feeling sick should notify their supervisor of their absence from work and contact their personal physicians. Employees who do not have a personal physician and would like a list of physicians in the Princeton area should call Employee Health Services at (609) 258-5035 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

I am a supervisor/manager and someone on my staff is exhibiting flu-like symptoms. What should I do?

If you are a supervisor and one of your employees is exhibiting flu-like symptoms, supervisors should instruct the employee to stay home from work until they are no longer contagious. The guideline is to remain isolated during illness and for at least 24 hours after the ill person's fever is gone, except to get medical care (fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine).

It is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that a sick employee stays out of the workplace for the appropriate amount of time to avoid the potential of spreading illness to others in the office.

Supervisors also should encourage employees exhibiting flu-like symptoms to contact their personal physicians. Employees who do not have a personal physician and would like a list of physicians in the Princeton area should call Employee Health Services at (609) 258-5035 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Supervisors with further questions can call the Office of Human Resources at (609) 258-3304 or Employee Health Services at (609) 258-5035.

Will I be paid if I'm an employee who goes home during the day because I’m exhibiting flu-like symptoms? (updated 9/14/09)

If you have available sporadic absence or vacation time, you should get paid for the
time you are out of the workplace. Union employees should refer to their collective
bargaining agreements. See also What will happen if I am out of work because of flu, but have no sporadic absence days left to cover my absence?

What will happen if I am out of work because of flu, but have no sporadic absence days left to cover my absence? (added 9/14/09)

If employees are out of work because of flu but have no sporadic absence days left, employees' options are to use accrued vacation, compelling reason, or optional holiday time, or take an unpaid leave. If you need to take the time as unpaid leave, please apply for medical leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Also, as a temporary change to the sporadic absence policy, from Sept. 1, 2009
to March 31, 2010, Human Resources employees may borrow up to eight sporadic absence days from your fiscal year 2011 sporadic absence day allocation with the following provisions:

  • Borrowing time is to be used only for absences from H1N1 or flu-like illness.
  • A maximum of four sporadic absence days can be used for each occurrence of H1N1 or flu-like illness.
  • No more than eight sporadic absence days can be borrowed during this period.
  • If you have more than 30 days of vacation accrued, you are expected to use that time before being advanced sporadic absence time.

For more information, visit the HR flu guidelines Web page: http://www.princeton.edu/hr/progserv/er/policyguid/h1n1workguid.pdf

If I am an employee who has been out of work with the flu, do I need to provide medical documentation before I return to work? (updated 9/14/09)

Employees do not need a doctor's note to return to work, unless you are on short-term disability. If you are not out of work long enough to qualify for short-term disability, you should consult with your personal physician to determine when you are no longer contagious and able to return to work.

If you are an employee who is sick and out of work long enough to qualify for short-term disability, your medical provider will need to complete the medical certificate for you to return to work. You also will need approval to return to work from Employee Health Services; employees should call Employee Health Services at (609) 258-5035 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday to seek approval for returning to work. For more information, please refer to the short-term disability page on the Human Resources website at: http://www.princeton.edu/hr/policies/leaves/3.1/3.1.10/.

I am an employee and my children are sick with flu. Can I leave work to care for them? (added 9/14/09)

If you must be absent from work to care for your children, employees should notify your supervisor. As is the policy whenever an immediate family member is ill, you can use your sporadic absence days or vacation time to cover your absence. You might also wish
to discuss the possibility of working from home temporarily with your supervisor. If
you are caring for sick children you may apply for medical leave under the Family
Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Where can I get more information about reducing the spread of illness in my workplace and what I should do if a coworker is ill with flu?  (added 9/14/09)

Detailed guidance for employees and Human Resources policies related to flu in the workplace, including more frequently asked questions, is available on the HR Web page:  http://www.princeton.edu/hr/progserv/er/policyguid/h1n1workguid.pdf.

OTHER FAQs

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Last update: 12-Oct-2009 12:22 PM
Web page comments or errors: Robin Izzo.