Step 1: Do not report to the worksite. A COVID-19 diagnosis means you should isolate immediately.

Step 2: Contact your manager to inform them you have tested positive for COVID-19.

• Let your manager know you cannot report to the worksite for at least 5 calendar days from the start of symptoms or date of positive test administration (if there are no symptoms)
• Discuss with your manager which DPS employees and/or students you have been in close contact with in the time period of 48 hours before you were tested or started showing symptoms through the current date. 
• Discuss with your manager if working remotely is an option and if you are feeling well enough to do so. 

Step 3: Submit a request for a Leave of Absence. If you are feeling ill, or are otherwise unable to work remotely, you need to submit a request for leave of absence immediately.  If you are unable to submit a leave request due to illness, contact your manager to submit it on your behalf. 

• Steps for completing a Leave of Absence Request: 
  • You must request a leave through TruePay. Use this How To Guide to submit your request.
  • You will select Emergency Leave - Employee on the TruePay site. This is the COVID related leave option. 
  • Start and End date: The start date is the first date you did not report to the worksite. The end date will be no less than 5 calendar days from the start of symptoms.  The end date can be extended by the Leave of Absence Team if symptoms have not gone away. 

• The requirements to return to work in person are:  
• No fever for 24 hours without medicine, AND,
• Other symptoms have improved, AND,
• At least 5 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
• Upon your return, please wear a mask at all times for at least 5 additional days. 

For new employees who do not have enough accruals for quarantine period, you may fall under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA). 

• The Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) provides public health emergency leave for eligible employees during a declared public health emergency. If an employee does not have enough accruals as of 1/1/2021 to be out for the quarantine period, then the employees may receive up to two weeks of emergency leave based on their regularly scheduled hours (up to a maximum of 80 total hours). Emergency leave will be paid at the employee’s regular rate. Once the full two weeks of emergency leave is exhausted, the employee will not be entitled to additional emergency leave (i.e., emergency leave does not replenish each school year). Isolation and Quarantine Leaves help protect the public by preventing exposure to people who are sick or have been exposed to people who are sick. Employees subject to an isolation or quarantine order have access to several forms of paid leave.

Emergency Leave - Employee are paid using sick leave bank, sick, vacation, and then personal/flex time. 

A student, staff member, or someone not living with you that you have been in close contact with, has tested positive for COVID-19

Step 1: Review below. 

A: If you are vaccinated, you do not need to quarantine. The following instructions do not apply. You may return to work or activities. 

B: If you are not vaccinated or you show symptoms, then do not report to the worksite. You should quarantine immediately.

Step 2: Contact your manager to inform them you need to quarantine.

• Let your manager know you cannot report to the worksite for at least 5 calendar days from the last exposure to the individual with COVID-19.  

• Discuss with your manager if working remotely is an option.

Step 3: Submit a request for a Leave of Absence.  If you cannot work remotely, you need to submit a request for leave of absence immediately.

• Steps for completing a leave of absence request: 
  • You must request a leave through TruePay. Use this How To Guide to submit your request.
  • You will select Emergency Leave - Employee on the TruePay site. This is the COVID related leave option. 
  • The start date is the first date you did not report to the worksite. The end date will be 5 calendar days from the day you were last in contact with the individual with COVID-19.

If you test positive for COVID-19 during your leave, you will need to follow instructions above for “testing positive for COVID-19”.

Emergency Leave - Employee are paid using sick leave bank, sick, vacation, and then personal/flex time. 

Step 1: Do not report to the worksite. You should isolate immediately as you support the recovery for the person in the household. You then need to quarantine after isolation.   

Step 2: Contact your manager to inform them you need to isolate and quarantine.

• Let your manager know you cannot report to the worksite for at least 5 calendar days as you are isolating and quarantining.
• Discuss with your manager if working remotely is an option. 

Step 3: Submit a request for a Leave of Absence.  If you cannot work remotely, you need to submit a request for leave of absence immediately.

• Steps for completing a leave of absence request: 
  • You must request a leave through TruePay. Use this How To Guide to submit your request.
  • You will select Emergency Leave - Individual in Household or Emergency Leave - Related to Child Care on the TruePay site. This is the COVID related leave option.
    • You will need to attach the positive results of the person in the household to the leave request or proof of child care/school closure. 
  • The start date is the first date you did not report to the worksite. The end date should be no less than 5 calendar days from the day the person in the household first experienced symptoms of COVID-19.

If you test positive for COVID-19 during your leave, you will need to follow instructions above for “testing positive for COVID-19”. 

Emergency Leave - Individual in Household and Related to Child Care are paid using sick, vacation, sick leave bank and then personal/flex time.