Below are the steps that should be taken in certain cases of possible COVID-19 discovery. You should have the actual poster in your office. For a copy of the poster, click here.

COVID-19 – Initial Decision Tree                                       March 30, 2020

Employee information is protected by the Privacy and Rehabilitation Act and as such must be 
restricted to only those identified in this document.

For more information please contact Loretta Chamberlain at (202)748-2394 or call your Area OHNA and 
Area Human Resources Manager.

CDC or Public Health notification

Notify
•      District or
1.                           Area OHNA

Do you have a federal agency within your

Yes

No

District or Area OHNA
communicates findings with respective

Inform
•      National HR
•      National Occupational Health and

Follow COVID-19 Exposure Checklist and Playbook.
Employee stays home (up to 14

USPS is informed of  COVID-19
positive employee

•      District HR

Notify
•      District or Area OHNA
•      District HR

facility?

agencies’ medical personnel

Medical Services

Confirmed

Confirm OHNA confirms positive COVID-19

days) Administrative Leave

na
Other notification

test

2.
Employee develops
a fever and symptoms such as a cough or difficulty
breathing

Yes

•      Provide surgical mask
•      Send home
•      Advise/ seek medical treatment
•      Leave according to Families First Coronavirus Response Act and ELM Sec. 513

If confirmed positive COVID-19, Go to Step One and follow COVID-19 Exposure Checklist and Playbook. 
Employee stays home (up to 14 days) Administrative Leave

No

3.
Employee has visited level 3
countries or on cruise travel in past
14 days?

No

•
Yes
•

Notify District or Area OHNA
District HR Manager

•      Stay home
•      (14 days)
•      Administrative leave

Yes

Did employee later
show symptoms of COVID-19?

No

Go to
Step One.  Employee remains on sick or annual leave until cleared.

•      Return to work

4.
Employee                                

Notify
•      District or Area

•      Stay home (up to 14 days*)

shares household with an individual with positive COVID-19?

Yes

OHNA
•      District HR Manager

•      Administrative leave

*Stay at home (up to 14 days) until household member has had no fever for at least 72 hours (at 
least 3 full days of no
No             fever w/o the use of any fever-reducing medications) AND other symptoms have 
improved (for example, when cough or shortness of breath has improved) AND at least 7 days have 
passed since COVID-19 symptoms first appeared.

5.
Employee
has been exposed, outside of work, to individual with
positive COVID-19?

Yes

Notify
•      District or Area OHNA; then
•      District or Area OHNA contacts Local Health Department for advice

I nform
•      OHNA contacts Local Health Department for advice

Local Health Department reviews and orders Quarantine = 14 days Admin Leave
No Quarantine = Employee returns to work

If Local Health Department does not review, OHNA interviews employee to determine Quarantine = 14 
days Admin Leave
No Quarantine = Employee returns to work

No

6.
Employee  has been exposed
to individual who was exposed to individual with positive
COVID-19?

Yes

•      Cleared to work

Per CDC guidelines, employees exposed to (no COVID- 19 symptoms) individuals with potential 
exposures to COVID-19 (such as in a household), i.e., “contacts of contacts;” are not considered 
exposed.