There has been an increase in concern about the spreading coronavirus COVID-19.

Businesses should consider implementing safeguards to reduce exposure to illness. Steps should include but are not limited to:

-        Encourage sick employees to stay home. Suspend requirements for notes from healthcare providers – those offices are likely to be extremely busy, and it’s better to keep those with the virus away from others. Employees should not return to work unless they are free of a fever (100.4 degrees) for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing medications. Extend sick leave even to employees who aren’t ordinarily entitled to it, so that employees do not feel compelled to come to work.

-        Consider encouraging employees who are able to do so to work remotely. If remote work isn’t possible, allow employees to stagger shifts. Test remote work policies and staggered shift options now, before you are in an emergency situation.

-        Test remote work capabilities, including remote access to agency server, management system, phone, voicemail, and email.

-        Develop a communication plan to keep employees updated on the status of the virus. Ensure employees know what the communication plan is.

-        Develop an activation plan and ensure all employees know what to expect.

-        Provide alcohol-based hand sanitizers around the office and encourage their use. Place in open areas, conference rooms, kitchens, and break rooms.

-        Consider whether business operations can be conducted at alternate locations if the current location is quarantined.

-        If employees are not cross-trained for key tasks, begin cross-training now to avoid gaps in production.

This full pandemic checklist available from FC&S Coverage Interpretations can be found by clicking here.