SAIT is continuing to monitor the impact of seasonal flu and H1N1 in our community in conjunction with Alberta Health Services (AHS). As further information becomes available processes and responses listed here may be adapted accordingly.
The following questions and answers are intended to help guide employee actions through this flu season. If you have additional questions, please submit them to
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Responses to frequently asked questions will be listed here. Please check back for updates.
What should I do if I have been in contact with someone with an influenza like illness?
Continue with your regular activity, unless you are displaying influenza-like symptoms or unless you have been otherwise advised by your healthcare provider.
Monitor yourself and your family for symptoms of influenza illness.
Practice self-care at home and at work.
If you develop flu-like symptoms, stay home until the symptoms have been resolved.
Individuals can also call Health Link Alberta at 403-943-LINK (5465) or visit www.healthlinkalberta.ca, 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Should I stay at home if I feel ill? Confirmation of an H1N1 diagnosis is difficult to obtain, as Alberta Health Services (AHS) has made a decision to suspend testing for H1N1.
Notwithstanding, all employees should perform daily self-assessment for symptoms of flu and should not come to work if they are experiencing a flu-like illness characterized by the following:
Acute onset of a new cough or change in an existing cough, plus one or more of the following:
Fever
Sore throat
Joint pain
Muscle ache
Severe exhaustion
How long should I stay at home if I demonstrate symptoms of seasonal or H1N1 influenza? Influenza can be in incubation for up to four days, however most individuals contract the virus 24 to 48 hours before showing any signs. An untreated previously healthy individual can spread the virus 24 hours prior to, and up to seven days after the onset of symptoms.
You are advised to stay home from work for seven days after your symptoms begin or until you feel well enough to resume normal activities – whichever comes first.
If your symptoms worsen (e.g. shortness of breath, dehydration, worsening fever, cough or weakness) contact your health-care provider or visit your nearest health-care centre.
Those whose flu symptoms persist after seven days should call the Alberta Health Link at 1-866-408-5465 and seek medical attention.
Have expectations for reporting changed for employees who are absent due to illness unrelated to seasonal or H1N1 flu? No. SAIT’s General Illness Leave procedure (HR.1.5.2) requires employees who are ill to call in to their supervisor or manager at the start of each work day and inform him/her of the cause of their impending absence. A medical certificate is required for any time lost due to general illness or injury in excess of three (3) days.
What happens if employee absence escalates to a level that affects the ability of a school, department or the institution to continue operations? All SAIT departments and schools have business continuity plans in place designed to sustain operations as much as possible in the event of escalating absence due to H1N1.
Employees will be provided instruction in the event the severity of absence exceeds the capacity of an individual school, department or the entire institution to continue adequate operations.
What should you do if you suspect one of your colleagues has the flu? If you suspect a colleague of having the flu, encourage him/her to visit the Health Clinic on campus to be checked out. If the employee is found to have a high temperature, he/she will be isolated while arrangements are made to deliver him/her home safely.
Are supervisors obligated to tell other staff if a colleague is absent due to seasonal flu or H1N1? It is not appropriate for a supervisor to notify staff of details regarding an individual’s health status. This can violate the privacy of the individual in addition to creating unnecessary concern for staff members -- and the employee who is ill.
Where can departments get hand sanitizer for their employees? A limited supply of small bottles of hand sanitizers are available to departments/employees at the main campus through the Health, Safety & Wellness office (NJ407 within the Senator Burns building).
What exactly is meant when health officials advise those with flu symptoms to “self-isolate”? Self-isolating is avoiding contact with others. The purpose is to help prevent further transmission of the influenza virus. Visit AHS for recommendations on when to self-isolate.
What if I don’t want to come to work for fear of exposure to H1N1? An absence due to perceived fear of exposure is not covered under SAIT’s illness leave. You may choose to request other types of leave (e.g. vacation, lieu days) through your supervisor. SAIT is continually monitoring the influenza situation and decisions will be made to ensure that the workplace remains safe.
What if I am the primary care giver for an individual with H1N1 or influenza-like symptoms and need to take care of them? In the situation where there are no other options for dependent care for the individual with influenza-like symptoms then it is reasonable to discuss possible leave arrangements with your Supervisor. Options may include special leave, which allows for some time off (Article 35 - AUPE; Section 40 - SAFA; Employee Information (mySAIT) - Mgmt/APT for illness within the immediate family), vacation, lieu time and leave of absence without pay.
What is SAIT doing to prepare for a pandemic outbreak? At all campuses, SAIT is taking proactive measures to minimize the incidence of seasonal flu and H1N1 infection and its impact on operations. Actions include:
Posting H1N1-related information on all notice boards;
Placing hand sanitizers at or near high-traffic public areas, such as food outlets, elevators, labs and in the student residences;
Escalating the regular disinfection of all SAIT buildings;
Increasing the capacity of Campus Health Services to effectively respond to a pandemic;
Updating business continuity plans.
SAIT is also following the Public Health Agency of Canada’s guidelines for reducing the risk of transmission within school settings. These include promoting proper hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, disinfecting commonly-used surfaces, and reporting infection information to local public health authorities.
