OPM Issues Guidance on Zika-Related Concerns

OPM has issued guidance on federal workplace issues related to the Zika virus, saying agencies “are strongly encouraged to utilize all available human resources flexibilities, along with providing workplace accommodations, if appropriate, to support employees who have a significant risk of a severe outcome due to contracting the Zika virus—for example, female employees who are pregnant,” a memo says. The memo follows one earlier this year encouraging agencies to limit official travel to places where the virus is being transmitted—at the time only abroad, but since then also in some spots in the U.S.—and to consider the viewpoint of employees who don’t wish to travel there. The latest guidance says that to use sick leave for personal or family care related reasons, the employee/family member must have actual symptoms; mere exposure is not sufficient unless exposure alone requires quarantine, as ordered by a health authority such as the CDC. Similar policies apply to the up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. However, if employees qualify for sick leave, agencies are encouraged to grant requests for advanced leave. Similarly, OPM encouraged agencies to grant employee requests for annual leave, including requests for advanced leave.