Dear Madam,
In the US, both the diagnosis and treatment of TB are strictly regulated by law. There are very specific protocols governing how we manage patients with this condition.
Since the culture from the bronchoscopy sample came back positive, we aren't talking about latent TB here. In cases of latent TB—where the individual isn't infectious to those around them—you won't find Mycobacterium present in respiratory samples*.
Furthermore, according to the CDC Tuberculosis Guidelines, a confirmed case is defined as a patient
where the causative agent of TB is isolated via microbiological culture from any clinical specimen.
Based on that, this person does have TB.
It appears to be pulmonary TB that is microscopically negative (positive results usually arrive within 1 to 2 days, so you likely would have known immediately if that were the case and mentioned it in your inquiry). Given your description, they likely fall into category III under standard treatment regimens.
As for treatment, the rule of thumb is that it begins in a hospital setting. However, per the legal guidelines, there are exceptions. To quote:
newly diagnosed patients whose sputum is smear-negative, who are not in severe general health or suffering from major comorbidities, and who are willing to cooperate with their physician, live in stable social conditions, and do not reside in a household with individuals at high risk of contracting TB.
If the person you are asking about meets all these criteria, outpatient treatment outside of a hospital is an option.
Regarding work: under no circumstances should this person be working right now. Temporary disability lasts, as defined by the aforementioned regulations, until the sputum tests return negative and the patient stabilizes.
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*Note that some TB specialists might debate this point if the sample was taken directly from dormant granulomatous foci within the lung parenchyma.