A Checklist For Reopening Offices Amid COVID-19
Attorneys provide guidance for the new normal
If you own or manage a business in Wisconsin and you’re contemplating how to reopen your company, you may feel as though you are operating in a vacuum.
Because for the most part, you are.
President Trump punted the public policy responsibilities in the COVID-19 pandemic to the governors, ignoring his administration’s own Center for Disease Control recommendations.
In Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers’ “Safer At Home” executive order was challenged by the State Legislature and then overturned by the State Supreme Court.
That put the oversight responsibilities in the hands of the counties and the cities, creating a patchwork of rules and regulations throughout the state.
So, here we are in the private sector, pretty much left to our own devices and imaginations.
“Just a month ago we were perfecting the art of tech and getting to grips with working, learning and socializing safer at home, to tackle the health crisis and flatten the curve. Just weeks later (it feels a lot longer I know) leaders – governments, business, education – are digesting the data, sourcing the science and laying out plans for not just when to restart, but how. We are in the throes of reimagining a new future for work and for workers,” ManpowerGroup President and CEO Jonas Prising wrote in a recent white paper.
Milwaukee law firm Michael Best & Friedrich LLP recently produced a client alert titled, “Your Stay-at-Home Order is Lifted: Now What? Returning to Work during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” It was designed to provide guidance as businesses consider reopening. What was once a routine office setting will likely look different amid this pandemic.
“There is no one size fits all approach,” said attorney Kirk Pelikan, a partner at Michael Best and one of the authors of the client alert. “A lot will depend upon the type of industry and location for multiple reasons: the interaction with the public, interaction between workers, and governmental requirements will vary not just by municipality or state, but even the CDC’s guidance varies between industries like health care and meatpacking. Businesses need to … set strategy on reopening, but also to set expectations for the staff to learn and follow. What your neighbor (and) frankly what your competitor is doing, may not work for you.”
Businesses need to … set strategy on reopening, but also to set expectations for the staff to learn and follow.
Kirk Pelikan, Partner, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
Below are some of the recommended guidelines for reopening office settings amid the COVID-19 pandemic, taken from the Michael Best team’s client alert.
Continue to enforce social distancing.For offices with separated workspaces, such as cubicles or individual offices, this recommendation should be easily accommodated. “However, for offices with large co-working spaces, efforts need to be taken to designate workstations at least six feet apart. This may be done by taping off workstations, assigning specific areas for each employee, or placing signs noting where workspaces start and stop. For open workspaces, businesses also may consider installing walls (plexiglass or similar material) between workstations as an additional effort to mitigate inter-office exposure,” the law firm stated.
Hire a professional cleaning service.Prior to reopening, consider hiring a professional cleaning service to do a preliminary deep clean prior to inviting employees back to the office. “Businesses should then consider bi-weekly or weekly cleanings where all surfaces and objects are adequately sanitized per CDC recommendations. Shared surfaces and objects, such as doorknobs and keypads, should be cleaned and sanitized daily with an EPA-recommended cleaning solution,” the law firm said. For businesses leasing spaces, make sure the landlords have hired professional cleaners to sanitize the offices and common areas.
Have sanitation supplies available for use by employees.“Make sure prior to opening that each office location is well-stocked with sanitation supplies, such as antibacterial soap, antibacterial cleaners/wipes, and hand sanitizer. All such supplies should be readily available to employees at all times,” the law firm said.
Consider temperature checks and face coverings.“Consider requiring employees to have their temperature taken prior to each shift. Any employee registering a temperature at or above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit should be immediately sent home and CDC-recommended sanitation protocols for potential COVID-19 exposure should be immediately followed. For offices where employees are often interacting with one another, consider requiring the use of face masks or face coverings while in the office,” the law firm said.
Require (and encourage) sick employees to stay home.“Employees reporting symptoms of COVID-19 or related illness or who have suffered known exposure to COVID-19 should be required to stay home until the CDC’s guidance for returning to work post-exposure or illness is met. Encourage remote working to the extent possible and revisit your company’s sick leave policies to the extent necessary. Make sure employees are aware of any sick leave or PTO policies and how to access these benefits,” the law firm said.
Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.“As you adopt new rules, know these may be subject to change as the COVID-19 pandemic develops. Similarly, be prepared to revert to remote working if ‘Stay-in-Place’ orders are re-issued by your state or local government. Recognize that this is new territory for businesses and employees so be patient, welcome questions and concerns, and communicate the rules to employees well in advance of their first day back in the office. Make sure you have designated someone to receive and respond to employee questions, concerns and requests for leave due to illness or suspected illness. Also, don’t forget about complying with the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which remains in effect until Dec. 31, 2020,” the law firm said.
Steve Jagler is the director of executive communications at Kane Communications Group.
