General

Any individual, regardless of vaccination status, who develops any symptoms consistent with COVID-19 during the workday must immediately isolate, wear a mask (if the individual is not already doing so and one is available), notify their supervisor, and promptly leave the workplace. Agencies should have processes in place to provide advice and support to supervisors on any related reporting or human resources requirements. Supervisors should remind the employee of their leave options (e.g., emergency paid leave, sick leave, annual leave, earned compensatory time off, earned credit hours, or other paid time off) if available to the employee, and telework options if authorized by the agency and the employee is physically able and willing to telework.

If the employee has no leave available, supervisors are authorized to approve requests for advanced leave, donated leave under the Voluntary Leave Transfer or Voluntary Leave Bank Programs, if appropriate, or leave without pay in certain circumstances. When these leave options are not practical, a viable alternative, when the employee is covered by a telework agreement, is for the employee to work from home pursuant to an ad hoc arrangement approved by the employee’s supervisor. When an employee opts not to take leave or telework voluntarily, a supervisor may find it appropriate to enforce the employee’s use of leave. Supervisors should consult with agency human resources offices and agency legal counsel before taking such steps, including placing the employee in a paid, non-duty status during the advance notice period for enforced leave. Enforced leave is an adverse action that imposes procedural requirements (i.e., advance notice, an opportunity to reply, the right to representation, and an agency decision) before actually enforcing the use of leave. Enforced leave of 14 days or less may be subject to agency administrative grievance procedures or negotiated grievance procedures. In addition, enforced leave lasting longer than 14 days may be appealed to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) or potentially grieved under an applicable negotiated grievance procedure.