Quarantine vs sick leave 080621

Without new agreements in place, working from home would be subject to impact bargaining. Instead, the absence would be reported in TSEAS (or the equivalent procedure for charter schools) and classroom teachers would request a substitute during the absence from work. Note that Article VI-B of the HSTA collective bargaining agreement requires the making of lesson plans for substitute teachers for the first five days of an absence: “After the fifth day, the teacher, following notification to the school administrator, may have the substitute(s) prepare subsequent lesson plans during the period of the absence.”

No. You would need to take personal leave or leave without pay if you need to stay home and provide child care. However, should you also be identified as a close contact to a positive COVID case and you are not recently vaccinated, or if you are exhibiting signs of COVID and need to seek testing, you could request quarantine leave (see above).

Yes. You will need to provide documentation from your health care provider indicating that you need to quarantine.

The HIDOE confirmed that administrators have the ability to approve the quarantine leave for situations where they are able to confirm the close contact occurred on campus.

The HIDOE confirmed that a PCR test which reflects the employee’s name and positive COVID-19 test may be used to document the need to isolate and the employee will qualify for five days of quarantine leave. Alternatively, if they do not have a positive test result, the employee will need to provide documentation from their health care provider. If symptoms do not improve and the employee needs to stay home for more than five days, the employee will need to use their own sick leave. Alternatively, an employee can request additional quarantine leave if they can obtain a certification from their [...]

The current return-to-work guidance indicates a standard five-day quarantine duration. The HIDOE confirmed that any Bargaining Unit 05 employee who needs to quarantine or isolate will be eligible for quarantine leave if they provide proof of positive test or health care provider certification.  Quarantine leave can be extended beyond five days for the duration of whatever their health care provider certifies.

No. As long as you request quarantine leave and fill out the appropriate paperwork and documentation, quarantine leave does not come from employees' individual leave bank.

Recent updates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Hawaii Department of Health for home isolation and quarantine have been adopted by the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) and were communicated to schools by the superintendent on Jan. 5. The HIDOE updated its guidance on Jan.11 as follows:If you are boosted or fully vaccinated recently*, quarantine is NOT required unless symptoms develop.If you are NOT boosted or fully vaccinated recently*, quarantine for five days after exposure and if ongoing close contact, quarantine five days after the confirmed case is released from isolation. Quarantine is not shortened [...]