Guidance for High Risk Employees - Clarification 25 March 2020

A recent SI-wide email, dated 20 March 2020, provided guidance to "ensure the safety of our staff, especially our most vulnerable staff, those that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicate are at higher risk for complications from COVID-19."

The email outlined a high-risk-certification process, below, for those employees who feel that they meet the CDC criteria.

Please note: This process is not mandatory, nor is it intended or required for staff who are able to telework and are on approved telework agreements. The certification process is voluntary and intended for those individuals who have been deemed mission-essential, are not telework-eligible, and meet the high-risk criteria.

Certification Process for COVID-19 High Risk Status

Employees who feel that they are in the CDC's higher risk category should take the following steps (Some mission critical positions may not be able to accommodate all requests):

STEP 1: Read the higher risk categories as identified by the CDC:

  • Adults age 65 years and older
  • People with the CDC identified serious underlying conditions like: Heart disease, Diabetes, Lung Disease.

STEP 2: Call the Smithsonian Occupational Health Service (OHS) for a consultation.

Call 3-Well (202-633-9355) between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm (EDT) to speak with an Occupational Health Nurse.

  • Let them know that you want to be certified as higher risk.
  • The nurse will ask you a couple screening questions, and if you have any documentation.
  • If you qualify under the CDC higher risk categories, OHS will issue you and your supervisor a Duty Disposition Report (DDR). The nurse will not share your personal health information with your supervisor.
  • If you have a condition that is not in the CDC list, and your personal medical provider has designated you in writing as higher risk, your documentation will be reviewed at on a case-by-case basis. People who MAY be at increased risk include asthmatics, pregnant, and severe immunocompromised. Many serious medical conditions do not place you at increased risk of COVID-19 complications. This is not to say they are not serious medical conditions; even healthy young people have become gravely ill from COVID-19. As a community we need to work together to reduce risk as low as possible to support those who are truly higher risk.