Do employers have any special responsibilities to immunosuppressed employees?

[MamaChocoholic]

Cross posted from Employment Issues, as I wasn't sure of the right topic.

I am an academic, and have a new PhD student starting in September. She will be a full member of our lab for the next three years. She is immunosuppressed.

Our lab has a culture of presenteeism, enforced from on high. When people work from home because they are minorly unwell and don't want to infect other people, I end up in arguments with our departmental secretary who says if they are well enough to work from home, they are well enough to be in work, and if their infection is passed on, then we should all continue to come in.

She proposes this new student be placed in a large office of around 20 people. When I raised the issue of her immunosuppression, the secretary said that she didn't see it as a problem. I think we have some duty of care to the student and if it is possible to place her in a smaller office (it is), we should do so. I haven't broached this with the student yet, I want to get all the background info I can first. It is possible I am over reacting.

My question: are there any defined legal responsibilities that employers have towards immunocompromised staff?

Do you have an occupational health department?
I'd suggest getting the student to sit down with them, and come up with a plan to assist her in ways that are seen to be benificial to all.

Otherwise, I think she needs to make the call. She obviously feels capable of doing the PhD, so maybe justa line to her about any considerations she beleive will help prevent her becomming ill - I'm sure she knows better than you what will make life easier.

Good on you for considering it up front tho.

Thanks for your reply.

She is definitely capable of the academic work needed for a PhD, but as her supervisor I will also have some duty of pastoral care. From this and the other thread, it appears I am over thinking this though. I will talk to the student before taking any of this further.