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Interim Guidance for State Departments on Coronavirus (COVID‑19)

Updated 3/12/2020

This guidance document, drafted by the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Human Resources, complies with applicable laws, policies and memoranda of understanding governing state operations.

State workers

What if an employee reports they have tested positive for COVID-19?

If an employee is confirmed to have COVID-19, departments should inform fellow employees of their possible exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace but maintain confidentiality as required by applicable health and privacy laws and rules. Sacramento, Placer, and Yolo counties are no longer requiring 14-day quarantine after exposure, however departments should consult with their local public health department about what guidance to give employees and any possible actions to take based on individual circumstances.

Can I require a doctor’s note from an employee to make sure they do not have COVID-19?

All requests for doctor’s notes must follow state policies, laws and memoranda of understanding (MOU). If not deviating from policy, laws and MOU, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend not requiring a healthcare provider’s note for employees who are sick with acute respiratory illness to validate their illness or to return to work, as healthcare provider offices and medical facilities may be extremely busy and not able to provide such documentation timely.

Can I ask for specifics on an employee’s illness when they call in sick?

You must follow sick leave policies and MOU in requesting information on employee illnesses. You may only request information on prognosis (i.e. duration, anticipated return and any restrictions), not diagnosis.

If an employee calls in sick and expresses that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 due to travel or contact, what should I do?

Please provide the reported information to your human resources office who will determine if any action is needed and handle any further communication with the employee.

An employee recently returned from an international trip and someone who went on the trip with the employee became ill. What if anything should we do?

Contact the local public health department of the employee’s residence to see if the ill individual is considered high risk, and ask what, if anything, the employer might need to do including employee self-quarantine, alternate work arrangements for employee, such as telework, or other precautionary measures.

What should I do if an employee arrives to work and is visibly sick?

Employees should be encouraged to go home and/or seek medical treatment. Employees cannot be forced to go home, so employers should work with the employees on work alternatives.

What precautionary measures can a department take?

Departments should ensure business continuity plans are up to date and work with their human resources office to explore flexible work arrangements (i.e. telecommuting, staggered shifts) to increase the physical distance among employees and between employees and others, if state and local health authorities recommend the use of social distancing strategies. Ensure that you have the information technology and infrastructure needed to support employees who may be able to work from home.

What precautions can be taken by state workers to protect themselves?

In order to reduce the spread of viruses (including COVID-19) at work, some important and necessary steps can be taken by all employees to protect themselves and those around them:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place.
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.
  • Follow guidance from public health officials.

Employees should work with their supervisor/manager on options for telework and flexible work schedules, and/or their human resources office on leave options.

Is increased cleaning of state buildings taking place?

The Department of General Services (DGS) started a more frequent and rigorous disinfectant regime focused on high-touch surfaces, paying extra attention to surfaces in public areas such as doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, etc. In addition, DGS is ensuring public hand sanitizer dispensers are in all DGS-managed state offices.

Within state-leased buildings, DGS contacted lessors to determine what actions they are taking to ensure that public areas are cleaned regularly, and that hand sanitizer dispensers are available in their buildings.

What if my child’s school is closed because of COVID-19?

Sudden school closures could disrupt work schedules and increase absenteeism. Departments should consider all viable options for telework and flexible work schedules. Employees shall be able to use leave credits of all types available, including sick leave, to care for children as a result of school closure that officials determine are necessary to protect public health.

State workers deployed for COVID-19

Various employees have been deployed for COVID-19 response. What actions, if any, should be taken for their return to the office?

Employees need to have their risk assessed depending on whether there was contact with a known case and whether appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was worn. CDC risk assessment guidelines are located at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/risk-assessment.html and risk assessment guidelines for healthcare personnel are located at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-risk-assesment-hcp.html. In addition, OSHA provides standards for protecting workers from COVID-19 located at: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/.

State Workers on Quarantine

What if an employee is subject to quarantine or self-monitoring by a local public health department?

An employee who is subject to quarantine or self-monitoring as issued by a local public health department, will be provided Administrative Time Off and telework will be considered, consistent with department policy.

What if an employee becomes ill during quarantine or self-monitoring by a local public health department?

An employee who has been subject to quarantine or self-monitoring as issued from a local public health department and tests positive for COVID-19 or otherwise becomes ill shall, no sooner than 14 days after the quarantine or self-monitoring began, be able to use leave credits of all types available. Employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 or are caring for a family member who has tested positive for COVID-19 may be eligible for Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or California Family Rights Act (CFRA). Please work with your human resources office regarding the time off for the employee.  

If an employee has been in the office prior to mandatory or self-quarantine, is there any special disinfecting or cleaning that should be completed?

No additional disinfection beyond routine cleaning is recommended at this time.

State workers with household members on quarantine

If someone I live with was exposed to the COVID-19, can I come in to work?

CDC does not recommend testing, symptom monitoring or special management for people exposed to asymptomatic people with potential exposures to COVID-19 (such as in a household), i.e., “contacts of contacts;” these people are not considered exposed to COVID-19.

If someone I live with has traveled to an impacted COVID-19 country and is on self-quarantine, can I come to work?

CDC does not recommend testing, symptom monitoring or special management for people exposed to asymptomatic people with potential exposures to COVID-19 (such as in a household), i.e., “contacts of contacts;” these people are not considered exposed to COVID-19.

If someone I live with tests positive for COVID-19 and is quarantined, can I come in to work?

Employees exposed to someone (such as in a household) confirmed to have COVID-19  should consult with their local public health department about any possible actions to take based on individual circumstances. Employees should contact human resources offices to discuss all viable options for telework or leave availability as recommended by the local public health office.

Employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 or are caring for a family member who has tested positive for COVID-19 may be eligible for Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or California Family Rights Act (CFRA). Employees can work with their Human Resources office to determine if they meet eligibility.

State Workers choosing to travel to high-risk countries

If I chose to travel via a cruise ship or to a high-risk country, come in contact with COVID-19 and am subsequently placed in quarantine or self-quarantine, am I eligible for Administrative Time-Off?

An employee who chooses to travel after knowing the risks and becomes subject to quarantine will not be provided ATO and the employee should contact their department’s human resources office regarding leave options.

State workers traveling for work

Are there are restrictions on traveling within California related to COVID-19?

There are not any current travel restrictions for traveling throughout California.

What do I do if employees are refusing to travel for work?

If the travel is not critical to work functions, the supervisor/manager has the discretion to determine whether or not travel is required. The California Department of Public Health has issued an updated policy on mass gatherings recommending rescheduling or postponing gatherings of 250 or more as well as implementing social distancing for smaller groups. In addition Santa Clara County Public Health has prohibited, effective March 11-31, 2002, large gatherings of over 1000 people. Departments should be regularly checking with the local public health department as new orders are issued.

If the travel is essential to the employee’s job functions, the employee would be required to travel. Any refusal to travel by employees should be addressed with your human resources office.  If the employee self-identifies as being in a high risk group as defined by the local county health department, please provide the reported information to your human resources office who will work with the employee on viable options for telework or leave ability. See section below on state workers at higher risk.

State workers in health care settings

What precautions should be taken for state workers in health care settings?

Departments should follow the rules and policies of the department, and applicable MOUs. CDC guidance refers to standard precautions in healthcare settings to protect health care workers from infection and prevent the spread of infection from patient to patient. Standard precautions include:

  • Perform hand hygiene with alcohol-based hand rub before and after all patient contact, contact with potentially infectious material, and before putting on and upon removal of personal protective equipment (PPE). Use soap and water if hands are visibly soiled.
  • Follow respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette principles.
  • Use PPE whenever there is an expectation of possible exposure to infectious material.

State Workers at higher risk

What precautions should be taken by state workers who are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19?

If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or health condition, it is important for you to take precautions to reduce your risk of getting sick. Actions employees can take to reduce the risk include:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place.
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick, and stay away from large gatherings and crowds.
  • Avoid cruise travel and non-essential air travel.
  • Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs; practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces.
  • During a COVID-19 outbreak in your community, stay home as much as possible to further reduce your risk of being exposed.

Additional guidance for employees who are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 can be found on the CDC website. Employees taking precautions, based on higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19, should work with their supervisor/manager on options for telework and flexible work schedules, and/or their human resources office on leave options.