COVID-19: Employer Recommendations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidelines as of April 8, 2020 for employers to use when considering whether employees who have been exposed to COVID-19 should return to the workplace. It is important to note that the CDC has abandoned its previous recommendation that employees stay at home for 14 days after exposure.

Below is a checklist of items the CDC recommends employers should follow when determining whether an employee should come to work after potential exposure to COVID-19. “Potential exposure” means a household contact or contact within 6 feet of an individual that has confirmed or suspected COVID-19 up to 48 hours before they became symptomatic.

Pre-screening:
• Employees should have their temperature taken before entering the workplace, whether at home or by the employer.
• The CDC recommends that anyone with a fever of 100.4 F or other symptoms should stay home and avoid all contact with others.
• Employees who have been exposed should be encouraged to keep a personal log of their temperature and any possible symptoms for 14 days after possible exposure.

Masks and PPE:
• Employers should provide employees with masks whenever possible.
• Masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) should not be shared.
• Masks and PPE should be disposed of after use, or if reused, cleaned or otherwise stored safely.
• If an employee has been potentially exposed to COVID-19, they should wear a mask for 14 days following contact.

Social Distancing:
• An employee who has been in contact with an infected person should maintain a six-foot distance from all other employees.
• Employees should refrain from touching their faces.

Cleaning and Disinfecting:
• Dirt or debris should be removed from hard surfaces before disinfecting with an EPA-registered cleaner or a diluted bleach solution.
• Electronics should be cleaned with an alcohol-based wipe or spray.
• Employees should wash hands regularly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

Reducing Shared Items:
• Wherever possible, employees should not be asked to share items like headphones, personal electronic equipment, etc.

We understand that the new CDC recommendations will likely impose a significant burden on your business, therefore, for best practices for implementing the CDC recommendations in a cost-effective way contact the attorneys at Rock Fusco & Connelly, LLC. We can be reached via email at info@rfclaw.com, or by telephone at (312) 494-1000.