Tag Archives: Resume Operations

After a global pandemic like COVID-19 that forced millions of small businesses to close the workplace, a return-to-work program seems harder than on paper. Resuming operations can be difficult but with proper planing and timing, it may make the job a little easier.

HR Challenges, Risk Management

Returning To The Office During COVID-19

Returning to the office has proven to be challenging for employers. Organizations of all sizes are struggling to determine which employee health screenings they can execute without infringing on their employees’ rights. From scheduled questionnaires to employee temperature checks, employers are working hard to adapt to this new normal.

Employee health screenings need to be voluntary. Hourly employees should be considered on the clock if they are waiting in line for testing and while the test is being administered. If an employee is sent home because they are ill they should be paid for the time out of work, if possible. If the employee refuses to take the test or respond to the survey, it is within your rights as an employer to send them home without pay. 


Temperature Checks

Before COVID-19, temperature checks were considered to be a part of a medical exam. Employers need to follow the following rules to ensure that employee health screenings are minimally invasive and confidential. 

Health screenings are voluntary but a necessary way for employers to best protect the entire workforce. Reassure your employees that these screenings are completely private and confidential.  If your business does not have an on-site nurse, determine which employee will be responsible for taking the other employees’ temperatures. 

Employees should be considered on the clock while waiting in line for and while the test is being administered. If an employee is sent home ill they should be paid for the time out of work if possible. If the employee refuses to take the test, it is within your rights as an employer to send them home without pay. 

Additional Safety Measures 

Cloth-Face Masks 

Cloth Face masks are not appropriate substitutes for workers who must wear N94 respiratory masks or medical/surgical face masks. A cloth face mask should cover the nose and mouth to contain the wearer’s potentially infectious respiratory droplets. Cloth face masks will not protect the wearer from airborne transmissible infectious agents due to their lack of seal or inadequate filtration.  (Click here to view the CDC Recommendations for Masks and Cloth Face Coverings) 

Provide employees with guidelines of when they can and cannot take off their masks. For example, some office employees may not be required to wear their mask at their desks, but do need to wear them in common areas while food service employees  may be required to wear their masks their entire shifts. Make sure to express these guidelines and requirements to your employees. Address any concerns they may have regarding the new policy. Post these new guidelines and rules throughout the business in places where employees can see them. 

 

Keeping a minimum 6-ft distance between workers

Employees should keep a minimum of 6 ft away (two arms lengths away) from each other. Workspaces should allow employees to sit a comfortable distance away from other employees. If needed, consider rearranging the workspace and adding additional protective barriers for employees. Businesses considering to reopen should consult the “Reopening the workplace during a pandemic” decision chart released by the CDC. 

 

Keep Common Areas and Surfaces Clean 

While returning to your office space, be aware of how often you’re cleaning. You might be questioning if you’re cleaning enough. Wiping down shared areas multiple times a day with the proper cleaning products is one way to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

  • Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes common areas, tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
  • If these surfaces appear to be dirty, wash them with soap and water before using chemical disinfectants. The EPA released this list of common household disinfectants that will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 

 

Still want more info on how to carefully reopen your business in a Post-COVID19 world? Contact A Risk Advisor at 914-357-8444.

HR Challenges, Risk Management

Resuming Business Operations During Covid-19

Foremost on most organization’s agenda is how do we resume operations in a COVID-19 world? Candidly it’s a bit complicated contingent on a great many factors. Here’s a very short list of some contingencies.

What does your operation look like; what do you do?  What does your service plant or office look like? How is it structured. Lastly, what’s your workflow & staffing levels to execute? Can you stagger staffing locations to create separation?   This shortlist of considerations to take to maximize the safety of your employees and customers.

At Metropolitan Risk part of our business model is to engage and vet high-quality partners that bring a risk mitigation skill set that our clients can leverage. Purchasing insurance is just another way to finance risk. The real magic and cost reductions happen when you marry the science & art of risk management with risk financing. Through the years we found our risk management recommendations weren’t always followed through because our clients lacked a network of these highly skilled individuals and firms by discipline.  Thus we thought we would make it easier for our clients to engage the necessary resources.

For purposes of today’s article, we partnered with Rich Landau of Jackson & Lewis. One of the preeminent employee law firms in the country. Rich was kind enough to share a LIST of things to consider as we begin to emerge from our COVID-19 induced stasis. Understand that this list is long and does not apply universally to every business. Think of this list as a general idea of what to consider as you make your own list to re-open.

 

Click here to download the list of suggestions to resume the operations of your organization in a COVID-19 world. 


For those of you who are Metropolitan Risk clients, we encourage you to speak to your Risk Advisor for assistance on how to build your own list. 

HR Challenges, Risk Management

Reopening Your Business Safely During COVID-19

You had to close down your business from a full office of employees to a remote workforce for several weeks. With states slowly starting to lift social distancing restrictions, you are considering what comes next in terms of safely reopening your business. Reopening your business is going to be more than walking in, turning on the lights, and flipping the “Sorry We’re Closed” sign back to “Yes, We’re Open”. Your organization needs a strategy that everyone from management to line workers can agree is a safe plan to reopen.

While creating a strategy to reopen, consider what goals you need to reach to reopen safely. Your first priority should be the safety and health of your front line staff. Remember, that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is still a threat to your organization and your employees can still catch the virus. Employees should not gain entrance to the physical job location until:

  • New policies are in place regarding safety and  illness in the workplace
  • More information is available to whether or not employees with immunities can transmit the virus to nonimmune employees
  • More information on how the virus spreads is available

 

Creating distance at the workplace

You may need to rearrange your office space to keep employees 6ft away from each other. This includes common areas like shared kitchens and shared lunchrooms.  Cubicles that were once shared by 2 people will need to be one person per cubicle to ensure social distancing measures. Commonly shared areas will also need to be redesigned to minimize contact between employees.  If common areas cannot be redesigned to accommodate the 6ft. distancing needs of employees, consider staggering lunch shifts. Or having employees eat lunch at their desks to minimize the risk of transmission of the virus.

Protecting your “at-risk” employees

Discussion of an employee’s medical information in a public forum is prohibited under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), you may want to have a private conversation with these employees about options they have to lessen their risks. Current information on Covid-19 suggests that those who are immunocompromised or those who have significant underlying medical conditions may be more susceptible to catching Covid-19.

During this discussion ask employees to consider their own health and potentially ask them to work remotely, take time off or other options if they feel their situation warrants additional measures.

Currently, the CARES Act exempts small businesses with less than 50 employees from providing the 2 weeks paid leave that the act requires.

Use some common sense

Everyone is eager to return to normal routines, but safely. Changes in procedures can include purchasing items to help protect everyone in your workplace. This list is an example of some of the items you might want to procure before bringing employees back to the workplace:

  • Skin Thermometers
  • A Log To Keep Temperature Information In
  • Face Masks
  • UV disinfection Light
  • Disinfectant cleaners
  • Rubber Gloves

Ask yourself these questions about your employees’ safety before reopening your doors:

  • What are the goals for the safe return of all of our employees?
  • Do we have enough space to have everyone return at once, if not how do we create an alternating schedule to accommodate everyone?
  • Are my employees working at a safe distance away from each other?
  • Does our office have enough space to keep employees 6ft away from each other?
  • How often will the office be professionally cleaned?
  • Who will be responsible for managing wiping the surfaces in the office down?

Remember, the return to the office needs to be a strategic plan that every employee needs to be on board with. If your employee is refusing to comply with these new rules, have you considered how your employee handbook will also reflect these new office changes?

 

Still need more information on creating a strategic plan for reopening your business? Contact a risk advisor at 914-357-8444.