OSHA has issued guidance to assist employers in reopening non-essential businesses and their employees returning to work during the evolving coronavirus pandemic.
The guidance supplements the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ previously developed Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 and the White House’s Guidelines for Opening up America Again. The guidelines provide general principles for updating the restrictions initially put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus. During each phase of the reopening process, employers should continue to focus on strategies for basic hygiene, social distancing, identification and isolation of sick employees, workplace controls and flexibilities, and employee training.
OSHA recommends that employers continually monitor federal, state, and local government guidelines for updated information about ongoing community transmission and mitigation measures, as well as for evolving guidance on disinfection and other best practices for worker protection.
Visit OSHA’s coronavirus webpage frequently for updates. For further information about the coronavirus, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released consolidated recommendations for COVID-19 testing, including interim testing guidelines for nursing home residents and healthcare personnel, as well as testing strategy options for high-density critical infrastructure workplaces after a COVID-19 case is identified. These recommendations compile and update previous testing guidance.
On June 11 and June 17, the EEOC updated their technical assistance guide What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws. Click here to view the updated document.
One of the updates is regarding antibody tests (Q&A A.7. on the updated document). Per the CDC’s updated guidance that antibody test results should not be used to make decisions about returning persons to the workplace, the EEOC noted that antibody tests are not allowed under the ADA. An antibody test is different from a test to determine if someone has an active case of COVID-19 (i.e., a viral test which is permissible). The EEOC said they will continue to closely monitor CDC recommendations and could update in response to changes in CDC guidance.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has provided examples of how to remotely inspect documents and then subsequently perform physical inspection. You are not required to update your Form I-9 based on these examples if there are differences. Read more here.
At FrankCrum, we’re dedicated to providing our clients with accurate, timely insights on COVID-19 that are relevant to their businesses. Although we send out news alerts via email regularly, you can visit and bookmark the FrankCrum Coronavirus Resource Center to see our latest publications and links to trusted sources.