HR Application

You are an external contract HR generalist serving a small nonprofit community organization in a small, rural town in a mountainous county in North Carolina. This organization is one of many for which you provide services in the area. The organization performs critical social support functions for underprivileged children, the elderly, and poor families in the region. The membership of the organization works hard to contribute badly needed services to needy sectors of the population.
Recently, a new employee joined the programs office, and not long afterward, she began to have absentee events that eventually impacted her ability to be effective in her role as program assistant. The program assistant shared with her first-line supervisor, the program manager, that she suffers from MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus). This is a form of staphylococcus bacteria, commonly known as staph, which is resistant to a wide range of antibiotics. MRSA is a highly contagious infection, which may lead to life-threatening conditions. The program manager first went to the director, who took no action, and now the program manager has called you for advice.

Respond to the following:

• What actions would you take and why?
• What actions would you recommend to the program manager?
• Are there any actions related to public safety in this case that you should take?
• To whom or what is your principal responsibility as a contract HR professional to a nonprofit organization?