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Life Threatening Illness
Policy Number: 200-08
Olympic College recognizes that employees and students with life-threatening illnesses may wish to continue to engage in as many normal pursuits as their condition allows, including work.
As long as these employees and students are able to meet acceptable performance standards and medical evidence indicates that attendance at Olympic College is not a threat to others, the College must treat them the same as any other employee or student.
At the same time, Olympic College seeks to provide a safe environment for employees and students. Therefore, precautions will be taken to insure that an employee's or student's condition does not present a health and/or safety threat to any other individuals on campus.
Consistent with this concern for employees and students with life-threatening illnesses, Olympic College will provide the following resources to staff and students:
- Education and information on terminal illness and specific life-threatening illnesses;
- Referral to agencies and organizations which offer supportive services for life-threatening illnesses; and
- Benefits consultation to assist employees in effectively managing health, leave, and other benefits
General Statement and Guidelines
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a fatal illness that attacks the human immune system, has emerged as a major public health problem that has an impact on all segments of society. In response to this public health problem, Olympic College is issuing this statement and guidelines to deal with AIDS.
Current medical evidence indicates that employees or students with AIDS, AIDS-Related Complex (ARC), or a positive Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), do not pose a health problem in a normal academic or employment setting. The administration of effective education and training programs are ways in which the College can best keep the campus healthful and safe for employees and students. A variety of educational programs based on the most current scientific and legal knowledge available to the College will be provided to the campus community as a whole. Specific educational programs will be given to those who are or are
perceived to be at risk, such as nursing students. These programs may also be of paramount importance in discharging the College's responsibility to protect its employees and student body from the transmission of AIDS.
Because there is no specific therapy for AIDS or AIDS-related conditions, the following College guidelines are designed to increase awareness and to prevent further spread of the disease:
- Olympic College employees or students who have AIDS, ARC, or a positive HIV antibody test, whether they are symptomatic or not, will be allowed regular employment or classroom attendance in an unrestricted manner as long as they are physically able to work or attend classes and to perform their duties on a satisfactory level.
- Presently, there is no medical justification for restricting the access of employees or students with AIDS, ARC, or a positive HIV antibody test to student unions, theatres, restaurants, cafeterias, snack bars, gymnasiums, swimming pools, recreational facilities or other common areas.
- Persons with AIDS, ARC, or confirmed positive HIV antibody tests, cannot donate blood. This statement supports the American Red Cross and American College Health Association position.
- Consideration of the existence of AIDS, ARC, or a positive HIV antibody test will not be part of the hiring process, job promotion, or admission to the College.
- The College will not implement mandatory screening of employees or programs of screening newly admitted or current students for antibody HIV. No attempt will be made to identify those in high risk groups or require screening only of them. The Olympic College Personnel Office and The Dean of Students Office are familiar with sources of testing for antibody HIV, and will confidentially refer employees or students requesting such testing.
- No specific or detailed AIDS, ARC or positive HIV antibody test information concerning complaints or diagnoses will be provided to the public, faculty, administrators or parents, without the express written permission of the subject in each case. The duty of the College to protect the confidentiality of information may be superseded by the necessity to protect others only in specific life-threatening circumstances. This duty may also be superseded if federal or state public health reporting requirements for AIDS are enacted which require the submission of names of those with AIDS, ARC, or a positive HIV antibody test to public health authorities.
Glossary of Terms
- AIDS -Acronym for the acquired (not inherited) immunodeficiency (a break-down of the body's defense system, producing susceptibility to certain diseases) syndrome (a spectrum of disorders and symptoms). People with AIDS itself suffer from unusual, life-threatening infections and/or rare forms of cancer.
- ARC -The virus thought to cause AIDS may also produce milder illnesses called AIDS-Related Complex. Persistent enlargement of lymph nodes, chronic fatigue, fever, weight loss, night sweats, and abnormal blood counts are typical features. About 5 to 20 percent of the individuals with ARC have progressed to have full-blown AIDS.
- HIV - A retrovirus, called Human Immunodeficiency Virus is believed to cause AIDS and ARC. This virus is extremely fragile, and does not survive outside body cells. It is present in the body fluids, but epidemiological evidence has implicated only blood and semen in transmission.
- Recommended by Ad hoc Committee
- Submitted to President’s Cabinet for Review
- Approved by President
- Submitted to Board of Trustees
- Approved by Board of Trustees April 1, 1988
- Published in Washington Administrative Code