Posted on Aug 22, 2021
Am I required to telework when I am on quarters with Covid-19?
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Hello everyone,
I am a 42A AGR in the reserves and yesterday I tested positive for Covid and was told I will be on quarters for 10 days, or longer if symptoms are still present. Well I was informed by my unit today that starting tomorrow I will still be working as normal, just from home. I don't mind checking my emails throughout the day and helping out a bit, but they expect me to just continue to work a full day as if nothing has changed. I am not feeling well at all and I have had a massive migraine that just gets worse from staring at a computer screen for long periods of time, among other things. I thought quarters were a tool used to help me recover from a sickness?
So what do you guys think? Am I in the right or is my unit?
Thank you for your time.
I am a 42A AGR in the reserves and yesterday I tested positive for Covid and was told I will be on quarters for 10 days, or longer if symptoms are still present. Well I was informed by my unit today that starting tomorrow I will still be working as normal, just from home. I don't mind checking my emails throughout the day and helping out a bit, but they expect me to just continue to work a full day as if nothing has changed. I am not feeling well at all and I have had a massive migraine that just gets worse from staring at a computer screen for long periods of time, among other things. I thought quarters were a tool used to help me recover from a sickness?
So what do you guys think? Am I in the right or is my unit?
Thank you for your time.
Coronavirus COVID19
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Edited >1 y ago
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Responses: 8
Neither of you are "right" yet.
If you need 10 days to recover, and your symptoms prevent you from carrying out your duties telework style, then you need a not from a doc, and you and your unit need to process the 10 days as convalescent leave.
It doesn't matter how sick you say you are, it's not a con leave request until a dr says you are that sick.
Right now, your unit is working on the assumption that you are no different than any other AGR that got directed to telework 10-14 days due to direct contact exposure, or positive test and either asymptomatic or mild symptoms that did not prevent the AGR from teleworking.
If you need 10 days to recover, and your symptoms prevent you from carrying out your duties telework style, then you need a not from a doc, and you and your unit need to process the 10 days as convalescent leave.
It doesn't matter how sick you say you are, it's not a con leave request until a dr says you are that sick.
Right now, your unit is working on the assumption that you are no different than any other AGR that got directed to telework 10-14 days due to direct contact exposure, or positive test and either asymptomatic or mild symptoms that did not prevent the AGR from teleworking.
I'm no expert but I would say if you tested positive but are asymptomatic, then yeah do the work. If you have symptoms, which you state you do, communicate with your leadership and explain it. It may be they just need to hear you state it. Some commands are either stubborn or just don't realize their expectations versus capabilities of an individual.
PO1 Don Uhrig
I have to disagree. If you are "sick" under any definition you should not be nor are you required to work. "Telework" or otherwise. Look at it another way... Are you required to telework while on annual leave? NO! What you are suggesting perpetrates the false stigma of a sick-bay commando. The implication is that the service member is somehow malingering, which for someone who has tested positive for COVID could not be farther from the truth.
SSG (Join to see)
PO1 Don Uhrig disagree then. I never said he was malingering. If you tested positive and are asymptomatic and in no way limited besides a positive diagnosis, yeah you could help the unit. And actually yeah, I've had to do work on leave. Like I said in my original comment, he should speak to his leadership since he has symptoms that they may or may not be tracking.
You cannot be on quarters longer than 72hours and this needs to be convalescent leave done on a DA31. SFC (Join to see) Any different in AGR? Go to AR 600-8-10 page 25. https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN30018-AR_600-8-10-000-WEB-1.pdf
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Of those that I know who tested positive, some were asymptomatic, some had a slight cough for a couple days, and some were laid up for 2-5 days.
The ones that weren't laid up worked from home M-F for two weeks.
Perhaps you are not.
Sick means "affected by physical illness".
The point is, not everyone is affected by physical illness while infected with COVID. As stated above, some are asymptomatic, and some only experience mild symptoms, and not unlike a Soldier who is at home with a foot in a cast, are completely able to perform their duties in a telework manner.