Arizona Laws 23-1043.02. Human immunodeficiency virus; establishing exposure; definition
A. A claim for a condition, infection, disease or disability involving or related to the human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome shall include the occurrence of a significant exposure as defined in this section and, except as provided in subsection B of this section, shall be processed and determined under the provisions of this chapter and applicable principles of law.
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 23-1043.02
- Commission: means the industrial commission of Arizona. See Arizona Laws 23-901
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Insurance carrier: means every insurance carrier duly authorized by the director of the department of insurance and financial institutions to write workers' compensation or occupational disease compensation insurance in this state. See Arizona Laws 23-901
- Order: means and includes any rule, direction, requirement, standard, determination or decision other than an award or a directive by the commission or an administrative law judge relative to any entitlement to compensation benefits, or to the amount of compensation benefits, and any procedural ruling relative to the processing or adjudicating of a compensation matter. See Arizona Laws 23-901
- Person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association or society, as well as a natural person. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- service: means either:
(a) Mailing to the last known address of the receiving party. See Arizona Laws 23-901
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
- United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Writing: includes printing. See Arizona Laws 1-215
B. Notwithstanding any other law, an employee who satisfies the following conditions presents a prima facie claim for a condition, infection, disease or disability involving or related to the human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome if the medical evidence shows to a reasonable degree of medical probability that the employee sustained a significant exposure within the meaning of this section:
1. The employee’s regular course of employment involves handling or exposure to blood or body fluids, other than tears, saliva or perspiration, including health care providers as defined in Title 36, Chapter 6, Article 4, forensic laboratory workers, fire fighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and correctional officers.
2. Within ten calendar days after a possible significant exposure which arises out of and in the course of his employment, the employee reports in writing to the employer the details of the exposure. The employer shall notify its insurance carrier or claims processor of the report. Failure of the employer to notify the insurance carrier is not a defense to a claim by the employee.
3. The employee has blood drawn within ten days after the possible significant exposure, the blood is tested for the human immunodeficiency virus by antibody testing within thirty days after the exposure and the test results are negative.
4. The employee is tested or diagnosed, according to clinical standards established by the centers for disease control of the United States public health service, as positive for the presence of the human immunodeficiency virus within eighteen months after the date of the possible significant exposure.
C. On presentation or showing of a prima facie claim under this section, the employer may produce specific, relevant and probative evidence to dispute the underlying facts, to contest whether the exposure was significant as defined in this section, or to establish an alternative significant exposure involving the presence of the human immunodeficiency virus.
D. A person alleged to be a source of a significant exposure shall not be compelled by subpoena or other court order to release confidential human immunodeficiency virus related information either by document or by oral testimony. Evidence of the alleged source’s human immunodeficiency virus status may be introduced by either party if the alleged source knowingly and willingly consents to the release of that information.
E. Notwithstanding Title 36, Chapter 6, Article 4, medical information regarding the employee obtained by a physician or surgeon is subject to the provisions of section 23-908, subsection D.
F. The commission by rule shall prescribe requirements and forms regarding employee notification of the requirements of this section and the proper documentation of a significant exposure.
G. For the purposes of this section, "significant exposure" means contact of an employee’s ruptured or broken skin or mucous membrane with a person’s blood or body fluids, other than tears, saliva or perspiration, of a magnitude that the centers for disease control have epidemiologically demonstrated can result in transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus. For purposes of filing a claim under this section, significant exposure does not include sexual activity or illegal drug use.