What do I do when I suspect or have confirmed, an employee has COVID-19?

  • Send the employee home (or ask them to stay home if they are calling in)
  • FAQ Suspected or Confirmed Cases of COVID -19 in the Workplace  The CDC has guidance on this page for many common questions like – What should I do if an employee –  comes to work with COVID-19 symptoms? is suspected/confirmed to have COVID-19?  has been exposed but isn’t showing symptoms, should I let them work? What if I find out several days after an employee worked that they were diagnosed with COVID-19? 

Are your other employees impacted?

  • In accordance with CDC guidelines:
    • Employees who have symptoms when they arrive at work or become sick during the day should immediately be separated from other employees, customers, and visitors and sent home. Employees who develop symptoms outside of work should notify their supervisor and stay home.
    • Employees may have been exposed if they are a “close contact” of someone who infected, which is defined as being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a person with COVID-19 for a prolonged period of time:
      • Potentially exposed employees who have symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate and follow CDC recommended steps.
      • Potentially exposed employees who do not have symptoms should remain at home or in a comparable setting and practice social distancing for 14 days.
    • All other employees should self-monitor for symptoms such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath. If they develop symptoms, they should notify their supervisor and stay home.

Cleaning & Disinfecting Your Facility:

  • CDC Guidelines – Employer Guidance on Cleaning and Disinfection (full article)
  • CDC Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility (poster)
  • Specific CDC Guidance on Cleaning & Disinfecting your facility if someone is sick:
    • Close off areas used by the person who is sick.
      • Companies do not necessarily need to close operations if they can close off affected areas.
    • Open outside doors and windows to increase air circulation in the area.
    • Wait 24 hours before you clean or disinfect. If 24 hours is not feasible, wait as long as possible.
    • Clean and disinfect all areas used by the person who is sick, such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, shared electronic equipment like tablets, touch screens, keyboards, remote controls, and ATM machines.
    • Vacuum the space if needed. Use vacuum equipped with high-efficiency particular air (HEPA) filter, if available.
      • Do not vacuum a room or space that has people in it. Wait until the room or space is empty to vacuum, such as at night, for common spaces, or during the day for private rooms.
      • Consider temporarily turning off room fans and the central HVAC system that services the room or space, so that particles that escape from vacuuming will not circulate throughout the facility.
    • Once the area has been appropriately disinfected, it can be opened for use.
      • Workers without close contact with the person who is sick can return to work immediately after disinfection.
    • If more than 7 days since the person who is sick visited or used the facility, additional cleaning and disinfection are not necessary.
      • Continue routine cleaning and disinfection. This includes everyday practices that businesses and communities normally use to maintain a healthy environment.
  • Consider hiring a certified cleaning expert to disinfect your facilities

How to welcome your customers back:

  • How your business responds during crisis sets the tone for future engagement with customers
  • Be transparent with what you are doing currently to protect employees & customers and how you plan to proceed (what safety features are you implementing/or have you been implementing moving forward)
  • Check out our gallery for example business posts and templates

Additional Resources:

Coronavirus Resource Center for Employers
CONSTANGY BROOKS, SMITH, PROPHETE LLP 

This webpage contains useful summaries of recent guidance, links to helpful resources, a coronavirus attorney task force, and a FAQ section. Please be aware that substantial changes in the governmental guidance and even in the underlying laws are occurring on almost a daily basis, which will impact the analysis of the legal issues related to COVID-19. It is critical that you check the Center often for the most recent information and stay in continual contact with the employment lawyer of your choice.

COVID-19 Crisis Response Center:  Essential Resources for Employers
THINKHR

Free webpage for all employers in response to COVID-19. ThinkHR created this webpage for all employers who may be feeling isolated and want to ensure everyone that they’re not alone. ThinkHR and Mammoth have been fielding thousands of coronavirus-related questions from business owners and are jointly making these essential COVID-19 resources available for free to all employers in need.

The information provided on the Robins Strong Resource Pages and RobinsRegion.com is not intended to constitute legal advice or provide specific direction. Maintaining a safe workplace and the preparation/implementation of workplace policies and procedures should be undertaken with the advice and direction of appropriate specialists and personnel, in consideration of the unique circumstances impacting each organization. Third-party websites or material linked to or referenced in the Robins Strong Resource Pages and RobinsRegion.com are for informational purposes only and do not constitute a recommendation of Robins Regional CHamber of that material or its authors.

Sponsored by ServPro of Houston County