Jamesville-Dewitt Central School District > About Us > Policies and Procedures > Comprehensive District-Wide Safety Plan > APPENDIX U 

APPENDIX U 

COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PLAN

This Appendix V to our Safety Plan has been developed in accordance with the amended New York State Labor Law section 27-c and New York State Education Law paragraphs K and I of subdivision 2 of section 2801-a (as amended by section 1 of part B of chapter 56 of the laws of 2016), as applicable.

In accordance with New York Education Law § 2801-a(2)(m) and New York Labor Law §

27-c, {insert district name} (the “District”) has prepared the instant Public Health Emergency Communicable Disease Plan (the “Plan”) to guide the District employees and the community in preparation for and in response to a declared public health emergency involving a communicable disease.

This Plan has been developed with the input of the Jamesville-DeWitt:

  • Faculty Association
  • Administrators Association
  • Food Service Unit
  • Clerical and Aide Unit
  • Mechanics Unit
  • Maintenance Unit
  • Transportation Unit
  • Custodial Unit

as required by the amended New York State Labor Law.

No content of this plan is intended to impede, infringe, diminish, or impair the rights of us or our valued employees under any law, rule, regulation, or collectively negotiated agreement, or the rights and benefits which accrue to employees through collective bargaining agreements, or otherwise diminish the integrity of the existing collective bargaining relationship.

A copy of the final version of this plan will be published in a clear and conspicuous location and shall be included in The District Safety Plan.

The District publishes this Plan based on the requirements in place at the time of its publication but recognizes it must be flexible in the time of response to a communicable disease. Accordingly, the Plan may be updated over time. The District will comply with all applicable local, state, and federal orders, rules, laws, and regulations (collectively, the “Authority”). To the extent the Authority conflicts with any provisions of these Protocols, the District will comply with the Authority.

The Superintendent is responsible for the oversight of the implementation of this Plan and may designate one (1) or more employees to assist in such oversight. The Superintendent will consult legal counsel for guidance regarding any executive orders, rules, laws or regulations, as needed.

Table of Contents

Planning Assumptions

The health and safety of our employees and contractors are crucial to maintaining our

mission-essential operations. The fundamentals of reducing the spread of communicable diseases include, but are not limited to:

  • Using hand sanitizer and washing hands with soap and water frequently, including:
    • After using the restroom
    • After returning from a public outing
    • After touching/disposing of garbage
    • After using public computers, touching public tables and countertops, etc.
  • Practicing social distancing, when possible.
  • If you are feeling ill or have a fever, notify your supervisor immediately.
  • If you start to experience coughing or sneezing, step away from people and food, cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm or a tissue, the latter of which should be disposed of immediately.
  • Clean and disinfect workstations at the beginning, middle, and end of each shift.
  • Other applicable guidance should also be considered, which may be published by the New York State Department of Health (“NYSDOH”), and/or local public health departments.
  • The following assumptions have been made in the development of this plan:
  • The health and safety of our students, employees and contractors, and their families, is of utmost importance.
  • The circumstances of a public health emergency may directly impact our own operations.
  • Impacts of a public health emergency will take time for us to respond to, with appropriate safety measures put into place and adjustments made to operations to maximize safety.
  • The public and our constituency expect us to maintain a level of mission-essential operations.
  • Resource support from other jurisdictions may be limited based upon the level of impact the public health emergency has upon them.
  • Supply chains, particularly those for personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies, may be heavily impacted, resulting in considerable delays in procurement.
  • The operations of other entities, including the private sector (vendors, contractors, etc.), non-profit organizations, and other governmental agencies and services may also be impacted due to the public health emergency, causing delays or other disruptions in their services.
  • Emergency measures and operational changes may need to be adjusted based upon the specific circumstances and impacts of the public health emergency, as well as guidance and direction from public health officials and the Governor.
  • Per S8617B/A10832, ‘essential employee’ is defined as a public employee or contractor who is required to be physically present at a worksite to perform their job.
  • Per S8617B/A10832, ‘non-essential employee’ is defined as a public employee or contractor who is not required to be physically present at a worksite to perform their job.

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Concept of Operations

In executing this plan, all employees and applicable contractors of the District shall be notified by emails and/or texts with additional information and updates provided on a regular basis, as information and updates become available. Superintendents and other designated administrators will be notified of pertinent operational changes by way of written notification via email and/or texts. Other interested parties, such as vendors, will be notified by phone and/or email as necessary. The Superintendent, or their designee, will maintain communications with the public and constituents as needed throughout the implementation of this plan.

The Superintendent of the District, or their designee, will maintain awareness of information, direction, and guidance from public health officials and the Governor’s office, directing the implementation of changes, as necessary.

Upon the conclusion of the public health emergency, as determined by the applicable governmental agency, the Superintendent of the District, or their designee, will direct the resumption of normal operations or operations with modifications as necessary.

Essential Functions

When confronting events that disrupt normal operations, the District is committed to ensuring that essential functions will be continued even under the most challenging circumstances. Essential functions are those functions that enable an organization to:

  1. Maintain the safety of employees, contractors, and our constituency;
  2. Provide vital services and applicable supervision of those services;
  3. Provide any services required by law;
  4. Sustain critical operations and maintenance; and
  5. Uphold the core values and mission of the District.

Essential functions are prioritized according to a number of factors, which includes but is not limited to:

  • The time needed and the priority of each essential function;
  • Interdependency of a function to other functions; and/or
  • How vital the function is to the ongoing operations and mission of the District.

Priority 1 identifies the most essential of functions, with priority 4 identifying functions that are essential, but least among them.

The essential functions for the District have been identified as:

Essential Function

Description/Justification

Priority

Administration and Business Operations

Provide leadership and guidance in all aspects of operations Maintain business functions and meet reporting requirements

1

Food Service

Provide meals as needed, meet reporting requirements

1

Transportation

Transport students and materials

1

Custodial and maintenance services

Clean, repair, and maintain facilities and other assets

1

Technology

Provide resources and support to maintain continuity of instruction

1

Essential Positions

Each essential function identified above requires certain positions on-site to effectively operate. The table below identifies the positions or titles that are essential to be staffed on-site for the continued operation of each essential function. Note that while some functions and associated personnel may be essential, some of these may be conducted remotely, as determined by the Superintendent or their designee, and do not need to be identified in this section.

Administration and Business Operations
  • Essential Positions/Titles
    • Superintendent
    • Assistant Superintendents
    • Business Official
    • Director of Technology
    • Payroll Clerk, Treasurer, Accounts payable/receivable
    • Principals, Asst. Principals, Director/Asst. Dir. of PPS
  • Justification for Each
    • Ensures central point of communication and leadership, the safety of facilities and continuity of District operations
    • Ensures supervision and oversight of District operations and hardcopy business functions
    • Management of facilities, instruction, instructional tools and access to same
Food Service
  • Essential Positions/Titles
    • Food Service Manager
    • Cooks
    • Food Service Workers
  • Justification for Each
    • Preparation of meals and oversight of food service operations
Transportation
  • Essential Positions/Titles
    • Director of Transportation
    • Dispatcher
    • Bus Drivers
    • Bus Aides
    • Mechanics
  • Justification for Each
    • Coordination of necessary travel, meals and/or other needed services
Custodial and Maintenance Services
  • Essential Positions/Titles
    • Director of Facilities
    • Custodians
    • Maintenance
  • Justification for Each
    • Cleaning and maintenance of facilities as necessary
Technology
  • Essential Positions/Titles
    • Director of Technology
    • District Technology Support Staff
  • Justification for Each
    • Ensures ongoing support and maintenance of instructional technology, communications, and other information systems

Reducing Risk through Remote Work & Staggered Shifts

By assigning certain staff to work remotely and by staggering work shifts, we can decrease crowding and density at worksites.

Remote Work Protocols

In executing this plan, those employees identified by the Superintendent, or their designee, as non-essential will be notified and authorized to work remotely, as needed. Working remotely requires:

  1. Identification by the Superintendent or their designee of the staff who will be authorized to work remotely;
  2. Approval and assignment of remote work and related schedules;
  3. Remote work logs to track work progress and troubleshoot issues that arise;
  4. Equipping staff for remote work, which may include but is not limited to:
    1. Internet-capable laptop;
    2. Necessary peripherals;
    3. Access to VPN and/or secure network drives;
    4. Access to software and databases necessary to perform their duties;
    5. A solution for telephone communications
      • Note that phone lines may need to be forwarded to off-site staff

Staggered Shifts

Implementing staggered shifts may be needed for personnel performing duties that are necessary to be performed on-site but perhaps less sensitive to being accomplished only within core business hours. As possible, management will determine whether opportunities for staff to work

outside core business hours as a strategy of limiting exposure is possible. Regardless of changes in start and end times of shifts, the District will ensure that employees are provided with their typical or contracted minimum work hours per week. Staggering shifts requires:

  1. Identification of positions for which work hours will be staggered;
  2. Approval and assignment of changed work hours; and
  3. Communication with applicable parties.

Personal Protective Equipment

The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce the spread of communicable disease is important to supporting the health and safety of our employees and contractors. PPE that may be needed can include but is not limited to:

  • Masks;
  • Face shields;
  • Gloves; and/or
  • Disposable gowns and aprons.

Note that while cleaning supplies are not PPE, there may be a related need for cleaning supplies used to sanitize surfaces, as well as hand soap and hand sanitizer. Protocols for providing PPE include the following:

  1. Identification of the need for PPE based upon job duties and work location
  2. Procurement of PPE
    1. At least two pieces of each required type of PPE shall be obtained for each essential employee and contractor during any given work shift for at least six months.
    2. Examples of available PPE include face masks, gloves, and gowns, thermometers.
  3. Storage of, access to, and monitoring of PPE stock
    1. PPE shall be stored in a manner that will prevent degradation.
    2. Employees and contractors have immediate access to PPE in the event of an emergency and will be available in classrooms and office spaces.
    3. An eight-week supply of PPE will be monitored by Facilities to ensure integrity and track usage rates.
  4. PPE Suppliers
    1. Personal Protective Equipment is procured from the following vendors:
      1. WB Mason
      2. James A. Doherty
      3. McKesson
      4. Others as needed
    2. Cleaning supplies are procured from the following vendors:
      1. Grainger
      2. Hill & Markes
      3. Maintenance Products & Equipment
      4. Others as needed

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Staff Exposures, Cleaning, and Disinfection

Staff Exposures

Staff exposures are organized under several categories based upon the type of exposure and presence of symptoms. Following NYSDOH guidelines, we have established the following protocols:

  1. If employees or contractors are exposed to a known case of communicable disease that is the subject of the public health emergency (and deemed as a “close contact” with someone who is confirmed infected and it is determined the “close contact” isolate/quarantine, as determined by the local public health department):
    1. Close contacts shall remain at home or in a comparable setting and practice social distancing for the lesser of 14 days or other current applicable NYSDOH/public health guidance for the communicable disease in question.
      1. As determined by the Superintendent, or their designee, these employees will be permitted to work remotely during this period of time if they are not ill, if such duties are capable of being performed remotely.
    2. As authorized by law and applicable government agencies, essential employees may continue work following potential exposure, provided they remain symptom-free and additional precautions are taken to protect them, other employees and contractors, and our constituency/public.
      1. Additional precautions will include the requirement of the subject employee or contractor, as well as others working in their proximity, to wear appropriate PPE at all times to limit the potential of transmission.
      2. In-person interactions with the subject employee or contractor will be limited as much as possible.
      3. Work areas in which the subject employee or contractor are present will be disinfected according to the current NYSDOH/public health protocol. See the section on Cleaning and Disinfection for additional information on that subject.
      4. If at any time they exhibit symptoms, refer to item B below.
      5. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall ensure these protocols are followed.
  2. If an employee or contractor exhibits symptoms of the Disease that is the subject of the public health emergency, the Superintendent or their designee will require:
    1. Employees and contractors who exhibit symptoms in the workplace should be immediately separated from other employees, customers, and visitors. They should immediately be sent home with a recommendation to contact their physician.
    2. Employees and contractors who exhibit symptoms outside of work should notify their supervisor and stay home, with a recommendation to contact their physician.
    3. Employees should not return to work until they have met the criteria to discontinue home isolation per NYSDOH/local public health department guidance and/or have consulted with a healthcare provider, as applicable.
    4. The District will not require sick employees to provide a negative test result for the disease in question or healthcare provider’s note to validate their illness, qualify for sick leave, or return to work unless there is a recommendation from the NYSDOH/public health officials to do so.
    5. Persons exhibiting symptoms may return to work if at least 24 hours have passed since the last instance of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications or in accordance with other NYSDOH/local public health department guidance.
  3. If an employee or contractor has tested positive for the communicable disease that is the subject of the public health emergency:
    1. Apply the steps identified in item B, above, as applicable.
    2. Areas occupied by the subject employee or contractor will be closed off in accordance with applicable NYSDOH/local public health department guidance.
      1. NYSDOH and other local public health department guidance will be considered before cleaning, disinfecting, and reoccupying of those spaces will take place. If this time period is not possible, a period of as long as possible will be given.
      2. Any common areas entered, surfaces touched, or equipment used shall be cleaned and disinfected immediately.
      3. See the section on Cleaning and Disinfection for additional information on that subject.
    3. Identification of potential employee and contractor exposures will be conducted
      1. If an employee or contractor is confirmed to have the communicable disease in question, the Superintendent or their designee will inform all contacts of their possible exposure.
        Confidentiality shall be maintained as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
      2. Apply the steps identified in item A, above, as applicable, for all potentially exposed individuals.

We recognize there may be nuances or complexities associated with potential exposures, close contacts, symptomatic persons, and those testing positive. We will follow the NYSDOH/local public health department recommendations and requirements and coordinate with our local public health department for additional guidance and support as needed.

Cleaning and Disinfecting

NYSDOH/local public health department guidelines will be followed for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces/areas. Present guidance for routine cleaning during a public health emergency includes:

  1. Staff tasked with cleaning and disinfecting areas will be issued and required to wear PPE appropriate to the task.
  2. Soiled surfaces will be cleaned with soap and water before being disinfected.
  3. Surfaces will be disinfected with products that meet EPA criteria for use against the virus in question and which are appropriate for that surface.
  4. Staff will follow instructions for cleaning products to ensure safe and effective use of the products.

Employee and Contractor Leave

Public health emergencies are extenuating and unanticipated circumstances in which the District is committed to reducing the burden on our employees and contractors. The District shall comply with applicable collective bargaining agreements as well as state and federal laws and regulations related to employee leave. This policy may be altered based upon changes in law or regulation, as applicable.

Additional provisions may be enacted based upon need and the guidance and requirements in place by federal and state employment laws, FMLA, executive orders, and other potential sources.

Contractors, either independent or affiliated with a contracted firm, are not classified as employees of the District, and as such are not provided with paid leave time by the District unless required by law.

Documentation of Work Hours and Locations

In a public health emergency, it may be necessary to document the work hours and locations of each employee and contractor to support contact tracing efforts. Identification of locations shall include on-site work and off-site visits.

This information may be used by the District to support contact tracing within the organization and may be shared with local public health officials. During a public health emergency, the District may consider the use of electronic “work logs” to document work hours and activities during scheduled work shifts and while working remotely or on specific projects. These logs will be shared or managed by their supervisors periodically.

Housing for Essential Employees

There are circumstances within a public health emergency when it may be prudent to have essential employees lodged in such a manner which will help prevent the spread of the subject communicable disease to protect these employees from potential exposures, thus helping to ensure their health and safety and the continuity of the District essential operations.

If such a need arises, as determined by the Superintendent, hotel rooms may be the most viable option. If hotel rooms are for some reason deemed not practical or ideal, or if there are no hotel rooms available, the Superintendent or their designee will coordinate with the Onondaga County Emergency Management Office to help identify and arrange for these housing needs.

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