CSC bares leave policy for quarantined gov’t workers

BAGUIO CITY -- Government employees returning from official travel abroad can charge their days of quarantine as official time.

The Civil Service Commission has issued a policy allowing civil servants who have been or will be absent from work due to self-quarantine upon returning from official travel abroad to render such absence on official time.

Covered by the policy are all government officials and employees, regardless of status of appointment, who have been or will go on travel on official business to other countries affected by the Influenza A (H1N1) global pandemic since the start of the spread of the virus in April 2009.

Official business includes travel due to study grant, scholarship, training, seminar, conference, fora and other similar circumstances. Self-quarantine can be done in their homes or in any appropriate health facility.

But government workers who underwent self-quarantine due to travel abroad for personal reasons should charge their absence from work to their accumulated sick leave credits. Similarly, those who contracted Influenza A (H1N1) for reasons other than recent travel abroad, and who are taking care of family members/relatives being treated for said illness, should charge their absence to their sick leave credits.

Upon returning to work, the government official or employee concerned who has not exhibited flu-like symptoms such as fever associated with coughs and colds, muscle aches, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, should present to the agency’s human resource unit a medical certificate issued by a qualified physician stating that that person has submitted to self-quarantine and is cleared to return to work.

Those who exhibited flu-like symptoms but did not contract Influenza A (H1N1) should submit a medical certificate stating they have been treated of flu and may already report back to work.

Moreover, those who have been actually infected with the Influenza A (H1N1) virus should submit to their respective agencies’ HR unit a medical dertificate issued by a government health facility responsible for the treatment of said infection indicating that they have been treated and are cleared to return to work.

The CSC has asked agency heads to institute appropriate measures to disseminate health advisories in their respective offices, as well as to ensure continuous delivery of public service during the periods of absence of concerned officials and employees.