Published: 3/17/20

This is a difficult, unprecedented time for all of us. We need to learn from what's happening across the world to minimize the spread of Coronavirus as much as possible.

We've collected a few tips for employers:

You (and those around you) could be infected and contagious but not showing symptoms yet. For this reason, treat everyone as though they are potentially infected - maintain a 6 foot distance, wash hands frequently, avoid touching face, and ramp up cleaning practices in the workplace. Visit www.cdc.gov for the most current and accurate information on the virus.
Require employees to work remotely (if possible). Send employees home immediately if they report to work showing symptoms consistent with coronavirus. Temperature monitoring can be enacted - review the OSHA guidance below.
Leverage the amazing technology that's available to us to conduct internal and customer meetings online rather than in-person. We suggest Zoom or Google Hangouts as an easy and affordable solutions. If you must meet, keep it short and do it in an open space where you can maintain distance from one another.
A government-mandated quarantine is likely imminent in some cities. Think about how this would impact your business and come up with a plan. For example, many businesses are taking advantage of eCommerce, booking in future months, and adjusting their go-to-market strategy to meet a newly created demand in the "social distancing" economy.
Communicate expectations, business status and plans to employees. If their jobs are at risk, be transparent and act quickly. Consider partnering with another business that is experiencing a demand surge so that you can rehire employees once things return to normal.
Identify ways to cut costs and use the savings to take care of your employees who are negatively impacted. For example, you could use the travel budget to provide some additional paid time off to employees in need.

Review these resources to stay apprised of the situation and ensure compliance with evolving employment law:

CDC - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
State-specific health departments (Wisconsin: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm)
NLRB - https://www.nlrb.gov/rights-we-protect/rights/employer-union-rights-andobligations
DOL - https://www.dol.gov/ ; https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus
OSHA - https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/region/03092020
FMLA – https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla/pandemic
Department of Workforce Development (Wisconsin: https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/covid19/public/ui.htm )
WI WARN - https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dislocatedworker/warn/
WBCML - https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dislocatedworker/employer/tools/notice/wbcmloverview.htm
Families First Act - https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6201
Wisconsin Unemployment Benefits - https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/publications/ui/ucd-18771-p.pdf
Society of Human Resource Management – www.shrm.org

We're here to help. You can schedule a free 30 minute consultation with Bravent here: http://www.bebravent.com/free-consultation

Stay safe!

--Amy