POLICY ON HIV / AIDS
1. INTRODUCTION
This document contains an outline of Protecting the Rhino policies and regulations governing employees who have been medically diagnosed or are suspected to be inflicted with the AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) virus.
2. PURPOSE
This AIDS policy aims to reassure employees that the disease is not spread through casual contact and normal work-related tasks. It is also our aim to reduce unrealistic fears and misconceptions on acquiring the virus. Our policy is to encourage sensitivity to and under standing toward employees affected with the condition and to ensure that they do not feel, in any way, ostracized or discriminated.
3. GENERAL POLICY
One of our utmost concerns is providing our employees with a healthy work environment by protecting their physical and emotional well-being. We do not believe that disabilities and diseases should, in any way, hinder anyone from living the life they want. Thus, we are committed to ensuring that we can and we will reasonably accommodate the needs of our employees provided that they can still meet the reasonable standards set forth by our company. This said, here are three major points we want to emphasize about our AIDS policy here at Protecting the Rhino.
Employees diagnosed with any AIDS-related virus can choose to continue their employment with us provided that they are medically certified to do so AND that they can meet the standards that the company shall set for them.
We will hold AIDS-centered seminars and workshops for all employees to help them understand how the AIDS virus is spread and how to prevent its acquisition. However, the main point of these seminars would be the reduction of misconceptions and unrealistic fears about AIDS and the individuals who have been afflicted with this.
The term “AIDS-related conditions” is defined as the four medically diagnosed conditions namely:
The presence of AIDS antibodies even without the presence of the symptoms of the disease
The presence of AIDS-related complex
AIDS as the disease itself in its entirety
An infection in the Central Nervous System.
4. SUPERVISOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES
For the benefit of everyone in the company, here are some guidelines that could help us ensure we provide the right accommodations for our afflicted colleagues as well as the means to protect the physical and emotional well-being of everyone in the company:
Everyone’s medical conditions are kept in the strictest confidence.
If an employee who has AIDS requests for accommodation for their medical condition, that employee must first obtain a written medical certificate that states that they are medically capable to keep working AND that they need reasonable job accommodations so they can maintain their employment.
Upon meeting these requirements, the company shall grant the infected employee with reasonable accommodations to make their jobs manageable.
If a healthy employee, for any reason, refuses to work with an employee who has been diagnosed with the disease, then the job transfer for the healthy employee should be justified by a medical certificate stating the need for the transfer. Otherwise, normal transfer procedures shall be followed.