United States Office of Personnel Management |
PQA 2001-05
October 26, 2001
Additional Questions and Answers on Potential Exposure to Anthrax
Q1: My
agency has requested that I be tested for anthrax.
Will I be granted excused absence for testing? Who will pay for testing and treatment?
A1:
Agencies may excuse employees from work without loss of pay or charge
to leave for testing and treatment if the employees have been identified as
being at risk for exposure to anthrax or other hazardous agents.
Services to test for exposure to anthrax may be provided by
the employing agency under 5 U.S.C. 7901. The
Federal Employees’ Compensation Act provides for medical treatment of an actual
injury or occupational disease. However,
if an employee not initially entitled to services to test for exposure to
anthrax is identified later as having a “documented exposure” to anthrax or
other hazardous agents, he or she will be reimbursed for tests and treatments by
the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) or the agency.
In addition, preventative care can be authorized by OWCP when there is
probable exposure to a known contaminant requiring disease-specific measures
against infection. You may obtain
information on workers’ compensation benefits at http://www.dol.gov/dol/esa/public/regs/compliance/owcp/INDEXofResources.htm.
Q2: I am
covered by a plan in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.
Will it provide coverage for services related to anthrax exposure?
A2:
OPM has provided guidance to all FEHB plans asking them to use
maximum flexibility in determining health benefits coverage for these services.
Health plans will provide coverage for any appropriate prescriptions,
including prophylactic treatment, for anthrax.
They also will authorize hospitalization for initial treatment and
monitoring of patients deemed to be at risk.
We expect that employees advised by their employing agencies to consult a
local Public Health Service will have appropriate arrangements made for them.
Since some may be referred to other treatment facilities or may go
directly to emergency rooms for evaluation, any and all appropriate medical
services will be covered by FEHB health plans.
Watch for information on the Office of Insurance
Program’s website, www.opm.gov/insure.
Q3: My
agency does not believe I am at risk for anthrax exposure, but I am nervous and
want to be tested. May I be granted
excused absence?
A3:
Each Federal agency is authorized to determine whether employees may
be granted excused absence in this situation.
Q4: May
an agency grant excused absence to an employee whose worksite is closed due to
contamination by anthrax or other hazardous agents?
A4:
Yes. If all or part of
an installation is closed because of contamination by anthrax or other hazardous
agents, an agency may grant excused absence to employees who are prevented from
working because of contamination of their worksite.
Agencies may require employees to report to an alternate worksite within
the same commuting area or may allow employees to telework from a remote
worksite, if appropriate.
Q5.
May I use sick leave to take a family member for testing or treatment for
potential exposure to anthrax?
A5.
Yes. An
employee may use his or her sick leave, annual leave, or leave without pay to
provide care for a family member receiving a medical examination or treatment
for potential exposure to anthrax. In
addition, an employee may invoke his or her entitlement to unpaid leave under
the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) to care for a spouse, son or
daughter, or parent who is being tested or treated for potential exposure to
anthrax. (Employees may substitute
annual leave or sick leave for leave without pay under the FMLA, within certain
limitations.) Fact sheets on the
Federal leave system are available on OPM’s Web site at http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/HTML/factindx.HTM.
Q6: Where
can I find the latest information about the effects of exposure to anthrax?
Q6:
The Centers for Disease Control has issued a document about
“Anthrax Information and Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response,”
which can be found on its Web site at http://www.bt.cdc.gov.
Web page created 29 October 2001