When COVID-19 made its way to the states in March this year, employers had to revolutionize the way their employees worked. Many companies began offering work from home options and utilized video conferencing for face-to-face interaction. Some other workers had to stop working completely when working remotely wasn’t an option for their position. As the months pass it’s become clear that COVID-19 isn’t going anywhere any time soon and workplaces have to adapt to a new normal to protect their employees, while allowing people to continue making an income. Returning to work is something that will be happening across the country in the coming weeks and months, but does your employer know how to do so safely?
Is it Safe to Return to Work?
Some employees are nervous to return to work because they’re concerned about their personal safety. While you should be cautious, there are things that can be done to make your workplace a safe environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each employee should decide for themselves if they feel comfortable returning to work. If you’ve been working remotely and have the ability to continue doing so, that’s ideal. If not, talk with your employer to ensure they’re following CDC and OSHA guidelines before returning to work.
Employer Safety Guidelines
The exact employer guidelines will vary depending on your state and local policies. This is because not every region of the country is experiencing the same number of cases at the same time, so those that are in the midst of a spike will need to use more caution than those that aren’t. A few guidelines that should be followed by every employer, regardless of location, include:
- All employees should wear face masks or other OSHA approved facial coverings
- Social distancing should be utilized as much as possible. Separate workspaces with dividers when social distancing is not possible.
- Common areas should be avoided such as break rooms, lunchrooms, and meeting rooms. If these spaces are available for employees to use, the number of people allowed at one time should be limited.
- High-touch surfaces should be sanitized regularly
- Employees should be encouraged to stay home if they have reason to believe they’re sick or have been exposed to COVID-19
- Employees who have symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home until 10 days since the onset of symptoms has passed. They should also wait until a 24 hour period with no fever, without taking any fever reducing medication.
How Urgent Care Can Help
Managing all of the new health guidelines as an employer can be challenging. Luckily, urgent care is here to help! If you need assistance organizing testing, antibody testing, temperature checks, or other COVID-19 screening options for your employees, the highly trained staff at your local urgent care will be able to help provide those services.
Contact the urgent care center closest to you to get the latest info on COVID-19 and discuss the best ways to keep your employees safe.
