POL-U1300.01 Requiring Proof Of Rubeola Measles Immunity

The Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs will ensure appropriate procedures are implemented and well communicated for employees. The Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services will ensure appropriate procedures are implemented and well communicated for students. All Vice Presidents and the President will take appropriate action to ensure the policy and procedures are followed in their respective areas.

Students and employees are required, at their own expense, to provide documentation satisfactory to the university verifying immunity (see procedures for students or employees). Students are not allowed to register for classes, participate in campus activities, or move into university housing until they have provided appropriate documentation to the Student Health Center. Employees hired on a permanent basis on or after the effective date of this policy must provide appropriate documentation to Human Resources within 60 days of their hire date.

Students and employees may request the university waive the requirement to provide proof of rubeola measles immunity for personal, medical, or religious reasons. Waiver requests for employees will be reviewed and approved by the Director of Human Resources. Waiver requests must be made within 60 days of hire date. Human Resources will notify hiring officials of those employees granted a waiver.

Waiver requests for students will be reviewed and approved by the Director of the Student Health Center. Waiver requests must be made and approved prior to registering for classes, participating in campus activities or moving into university housing.

An official outbreak will be declared and revoked by the University President upon recommendation by the Director of the Student Health Center and the Whatcom County Health Department. The status of the outbreak will be posted daily by University Communications on the university’s website (www.wwu.edu) and Emergency Hot Line (360.650.6500).

In the event of a rubeola measles outbreak, students and employees who have been approved for a waiver or employees who have not provided appropriate documentation will be banned from physically remaining at or reporting to work, attending classes, living in university housing, and participating in campus activities until health officials determine it safe to do so, or until appropriate documentation of immunity is received. The Director of Human Resources is responsible for notifying those employees and their department heads of the ban. Department heads are responsible for ensuring that such employees are not allowed to physically remain at or return to work until the outbreak has officially ceased or are released to work by Human Resources. The Director of the Student Health Center is responsible for notifying affected students. The Director of Student Health and the Director of Human Resources will work with satellite site Directors and the appropriate health department authorities to ensure the ban is appropriately addressed where applicable.

Employees and students banned from campus must check the status of the outbreak daily via the university website (www.wwu.edu) or Emergency Hot Line (360.650.6500). Upon notification that the outbreak has officially ceased: a) Banned students may resume classes and return to university housing, and b) Banned employees must report to work.

Affected FLSA exempt professional staff may request approval from their department director or chair to telework full or part-time during the duration of the outbreak. Non-FLSA professional staff and classified staff may only telecommute if approval is granted in compliance with the Teleworking policy. Faculty work assignments will be negotiated via the Provost’s Office.

Banned non-exempt FLSA employees must use available accrued leave or leave without pay for any time not worked for full or partial days of .25 of an hour or greater. Exempt FLSA staff and faculty who are not approved to telework during the duration of the ban must use accrued leave if available for each full day absent. If no accrued leave is available, exempt FLSA professional staff and faculty must take leave without pay for each work week where work is not performed.

Permanent or probationary employees hired on or after the effective date of this policy will be terminated immediately after 60 days of employment if they have not:

1. Provided proof of rubeola measles immunity or
2. Received an approved waiver.

Non-compliant permanent and probationary employees hired prior to the effective date of this policy will be reported to the appropriate vice president, dean or director and are subject to banning and pay reduction provisions of this policy. Policy sections # 5 and #8 apply to non-compliant temporary employees.

Employees terminated due to non-compliance with this policy may be reinstated without competition if proper documentation is made to Human Resources within 30 days of termination.