CDC ISSUES NEW GUIDANCE ON REOPENING OFFICES
As local businesses await the “green light” from their respective Governors to reopen their offices, many have begun to diligently prepare detailed return-to-work plans. In order to offer some guidance to employers in this area, the CDC has now issued its own checklist for the reopening of office buildings, which can be found: HERE
Employers are encouraged to review the CDC’s checklist, and incorporate such points into its planning. The CDC reminds employers that they are responsible for providing a “safe and healthy workplace” for their employees. The guidelines cover various considerations such as building checks ( e.g., proper ventilation), engineering controls ( e.g., modification of the physical workspace), administrative controls (including health screening of employees, staggered shifts of workers, policies that prohibit handshaking), and training employees on these new workplace protocols.
While these checklists are helpful, employers should keep in mind that the return-to-work plans will vary from employer to employer based on unique workspaces and workforces. The NFC COVID-19 Team has been partnering with employers to help design appropriate return-to-work plans. Please do not hesitate to reach out if need assistance in this area.
If you have any questions relating to this eAlert, or any other COVID-19 issue, please contact NFC’s COVID-19 Response Team as we are closely monitoring the rapidly changing legal landscape relating to this global pandemic. Please feel free to reach out to the NFC Attorney you typically work with or call us directly.
