As the coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread throughout the United States, health officials have developed plans to respond, with the intent of containing the virus as much as possible. COVID-19’s impact on employers has already been significant, and employers need to know what their responsibilities are in this fast-changing situation.
To offer some timely answers to the question as to what EHS leaders need to be doing, EHS Today has produced a webinar featuring Travis Vance, partner with Fisher Phillips, a legal firm specializing in labor and employment, and Brett Armstrong, global director of business development with Avetta, a provider of supply chain risk management services.
In the webinar, Vance offered what he calls Practical Steps to Protect Employees and Limit the Spread of COVID-19:
- Increase availability of hand cleaner, screen and keyboard wipes and tissues.
- Evaluate jobs for improving social distancing.
- Evaluate remote work opportunities.
- Encourage season flu shots.
- Emphasize wellness program efforts to maintain general health.
- Provide eldercare assistance.
- Provide PPE as appropriate and document training.
Vance and Armstrong also provided insight into what the federal and state governments are doing to manage the viral outbreak, and addressed an employer's legal obligations related to the virus and its impact on employees.
The presentation was capped by a spirited Q&A session where attendees were able to gain even more clarity into what is, by all accounts, an unprecedented workplace disruption.
The webinar is available on-demand at the EHS Today web site.