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Appendix ~ Cabarrus County Employee Guidelines for Work Place Prevention and Control of H>tuna-- Inun-u-odeficie-tcy Virus (HIV) Infection and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Remove -becomes an administrative policy. Section 1. 1'olicv Cabarrus County; tyre • • ,takes seriously the health, safety and well-being of its employees and citizens. Cabarrus County is committed to offer and maintain a work place environment that is both healthy and safe. At the same time, Cabarrus County is equally committed to provide a work place environment that is free from illegal discrimination and harassment for employees with Acquired Immune Deficiency Synch•ome (AIDS), AIDS Related Complex (ARC) or who test positive for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (1-IIV). To practically confront the problem of AIDS, ARC and HIV, specific guidelines directing the County in prevention and control efforts have been adopted and are enumerated in this policy. This policy is designed to assist ail County departments in establishing effective AIDS education programs and in fairly and effectively handling ATDS- related personnel situations in the work place. In this document, the term AIDS is used to refer either to the general AIDS phenomenon or to clinically diagnosed AIDS as a medical condition. HN is used when the discussion is referring to the range of medical conditions which HN infected persons might have (that is, immunological and/or neurological impairment in early HN infection to clinically diagnosed AIDS). The guidelines issued by the Public Health Service's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) dealing with AIDS in the work place state that, "The kind ofnon-sexual person-to-person contact that generally occurs among workers and clients or consumers in the work place does not pose a risk for transmission of AIDS". Therefore, HIV- infected employees should be allowed to continue working as long as they are able to maintain acceptable performance and do not pose a safety or health threat to themselves or others in the work place. If performance or safety problems arise, departments are encouraged to address them by applying existing North Carolina Division of Health Services policies and practices, as may be amended from tithe to time. HIV infection can result in medical conditions which impair tl}e-an employee's health and ability to perform safely and effectively. I•• `'•°~~ ~°~~~, -'Deparhnents should treat HIV- infected employees in the same manner as employees who suffer from other serious ilhtesses. ~~is-tneat~s; #l~or example, t-1}at emplo}gees may Ue granted sick leave or leave without pay when they are incapable of performing their duties or when they have medical appointments. In this regard, departments are encouraged to consider accommodation of employees' AIDS- related conditions in the same manner as they would other medical conditions which warrant such consideration. T~ack~itiet~tThere is no medical basis fat• employees refusing to work with fellow employees or depat•tment clients who are HN-infected. Nevertheless, the concerns of these employees should be taken seriously and should be addressed with appropriate information and counseling. PttrtHettnete; eEmployees , ,who may come into direct contact with the body fluids of persons having the AIDS virus, should be provided appropriate informatioli and equipment to minimize the risk of such contact. Section 2. AIDS Ltformatiou and 1;chteational Materials (a) Education Efforts. AIDS information and education programs are most effective if they begin before a problem situation arises relative to AIDS and employee concerns. 84 Attachment number 5 F-5 Page 212 of 362