HEALTH AND SAFETY TIPS: 

• Develop an infectious disease preparedness plan 
• Identify risks and exposure within the workplace
• Encourage frequent hand-washing and social distancing 
• Actively encourage sick employees to stay home 
• Follow CDC, OSHA, and state law guidance

BUSINESS OPERATION TIPS:  

• Develop, distribute, and implement a return to work policy that addresses workplace safety such as testing, telecommuting, and altered schedules
• Develop, distribute, and implement a cleaning operation plan
• Address employees that are unable or unwilling to return to work 
  • Be aware of potential implications with the ADA 
• Decide whether to test your employees 
  • If you decide to test, be aware of medical confidentiality requirements 
• Comply with paid sick leave laws such as the FFCA 
• Be mindful of wage and hour issues for non-exempt employees
• Avoid Discrimination Claims
  • When recalling laid off or furloughed workers, be careful to review selections for a disparate impact in order to avoid claims of discrimination
  • When applying any medical test criteria in a decision to send an employee home, or when making a decision to ask an employee to not return to work, it is important to do it uniformly
  • Resist the urge to send home, or keep home, older employees, employees with underlying health conditions, and employees who are pregnant, due to safety reasons
• Prepare for future closures

LAWS PERTAINING TO COVID-19 AND RELATED ISSUES: 

• Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA):
  • Provides aid and paid sick leave for employees 
  • Expands FMLA leave time for COVID-19 related issues
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
  • Protection from workplace discrimination based on disability
• Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN):
  • Provides direction and guidance with respect to layoffs and furloughs
  • WARN requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide 60-days advanced written notice to displaced workers
• Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Act (CARES): Unemployment Compensation
  • Temporary expansion of unemployment compensation for individuals effected as a result of COVID-19
• CARES Act: Tax 
  • CARES Act provides eligible employers with up to three favorable tax provisions: 
    • employee retention tax credit
    • deferring social security taxes owed as payroll taxes
    • payments of student loans by employers can be excluded from gross income
• Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA): 
  • General duty on employers to provide a safe workplace free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious harm
  • Obligated to provide personal protective equipment to employees 

HELPFUL RESOURCES: 

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html

• http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/DOLCOVIDFAQ.PDF

• https://www.cbia.com/ct-coronavirus-resources/

• https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Coronavirus/COVID-19-FAQs.pdf%E2%80%A6

• https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/Information-For/Business-Resources

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