As with the creation of any employee policy, there are pros and cons. If you elect to create a formal policy addressing AIDS, it should contain:

• a commitment to protect the health of all employees and provide a safe work environment
• a commitment to treat AIDS like any other life-threatening illness; if medically fit and able to perform job duties, affected employees should be permitted to work
• a provision of reasonable accommodation and job modification for AIDS victims when appropriate
• an outline of your business's position on AIDS testing, if any
• procedures for any supervisors to fairly handle AIDS cases and encouragement to treat persons with AIDS with compassion and understanding
• a commitment to maintain confidentiality of medical information
• a commitment to keep your policy medically updated and provide employee education on AIDS and your policy
• an overview of benefit plans for AIDS, including provisions for case management, hospice/home health care, and experimental treatment when applicable
• a provision for referrals to community resources/experts for consultation and treatment.

The Business Tools area contains a sample policy addressing AIDS in the workplace. You can edit it to fit your business's needs.