Agenda - 02-17-2003-8k - Laserfiche WebLink

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department that will provide all volunteers with vaccinations. In Stage II, the hospital will provide vaccinations for the remainder of its employees, while the Health Department staff will immunize the remaining volunteers. The cost at Stage I is minimal. Depending on the time frame required for the Stage II immunizations, there may be some cost associated with diverting staff from clinical or home visiting responsibilities while vaccinating others. It is expected that the State will provide the needed medical supplies in Stage II as well. In both Stage I and II, if 3% of the vaccine recipients are mildly ill (recent experience suggests 1-3% with mild symptoms), about 5 people would be taking sick leave from 1-5 days. In addition, the policy below would assist employees in bridging the gap between first becoming ill and when Workmen's Compensation begins. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that: 1. That the Health Director, or her designee, identify those County employees for whom immunization is recommended under Stage I of the Federal immunization program. The selection of such employees is in the sole discretion of the Director and is not subject to appeal by any employee. 2. If an employee who is so selected elects to take the vaccine, and, as a result of taking that vaccine, becomes ill and requires medical treatment, the County reimburse such employee any reasonable medical charges paid by such employee as a deductible or co-pay amount required by the County's health insurance plan, unless such deductible or co-pay amount is payable by workers compensation insurance or another health insurance policy. Subject to The North Carolina Worker's Compensation Act, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 97-1 et seq., determination of whether an illness is the result of taking the vaccine is in the sole discretion of the Health Director or her designee and is not subject to appeal by any employee. 3. If an employee who is so selected elects to take the vaccine, and, as a result of taking that vaccine, becomes ill such that absence from work is required, the employee shall be granted additional sick leave days for such absence, up to seven days (which coordinates with The North Carolina Worker's Compensation Act benefit waiting period). Subject to The North Carolina Worker's Compensation Act, determination of whether an absence is the result of taking the vaccine is in the sole discretion of the Health Director or her designee and is not subject to appeal by any employee.