In Scotland, the advice remains that CEV individuals should work from home if they can. Where this isn't possible, they can attend work in Tiers 1, 2 and 3. ... CEV individuals should work from home if they can, but if they can't, they can attend the workplace provided it is COVID-secure.

Can I be forced to work during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Generally, your employer may require you to come to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some government emergency orders may affect which businesses can remain open during the pandemic. Under federal law, you are entitled to a safe workplace. Your employer must provide a safe and healthful workplace.

What are some recommendations for employers during the COVID-19 pandemic?

• Make a visual inspection of the employee for signs of illness, which could include flushed cheeks, sweating inappropriately for ambient temperature, or difficulty with ordinary tasks.
• Conduct temperature and symptom screening

Can an employer require an employee to provide a note from their healthcare provider due to COVID-19 concerns?

Employers should not require sick employees to provide a COVID-19 test result or a healthcare provider’s note to validate their illness, qualify for sick leave, or to return to work. Healthcare provider offices and medical facilities may be extremely busy and not able to provide such documentation in a timely manner.

What are some ways employees who travel for work be protected from COVID-19?

•Disinfect surfaces of rental cars or fleet vehicles (e.g., steering wheel, shifter, arm rests, etc.) between each use, using products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2.

•Make sure employees are provided with the necessary supplies and understand protective measures they can take while traveling. These measures include:

- Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from other people (social distancing) as much as possible during travel.

- Wear cloth face coverings when a distance of 6 feet is difficult to maintain, such as in airports, airplanes, and public transportation.

- Use disinfecting wipes to clean commonly touched surfaces inside vehicles and airplanes.

- Consider ordering food for pickup or delivery rather than eating out at restaurants.

- Wash hands or use hand sanitizer regularly.

System Design: What is 3 tier architecture?

What can be done to protect employees who cannot maintain social distancing from other employees or customers?

Evaluate your workplace to identify situations where employees cannot maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from each other and/or customers. Use appropriate combinations of controls following the hierarchy of controls to addresses these situations to limit the spread of COVID-19. A committee of both employees and management may be the most effective way to recognize all of these scenarios.

It is important to note that control recommendations or interventions assigned to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 must be compatible with any safety programs and personal protective equipment (PPE) normally required for the job task.

How can an employer protect employees from COVID-19 in regards to hand washing?

• Remind employees to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, they should use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Provide hand sanitizer, tissues and no touch waste baskets at the cash registers and in the restrooms.

Should I require employees to provide a doctor’s note or positive coronavirus disease test result?

Employers should not require sick employees to provide a COVID-19 test result or a healthcare provider’s note to validate their illness, qualify for sick leave, or to return to work. Healthcare provider offices and medical facilities may be extremely busy and not able to provide such documentation in a timely manner.

What if an employee refuses to come to work for fear of infection?

• Your policies, that have been clearly communicated, should address this.
• Educating your workforce is a critical part of your responsibility.
• Local and state regulations may address what you have to do and you should align with them.

What is an attestation in the context of COVID-19?

An attestation is a statement, writing, entry, or other representation under 18 U.S.C. § 1001 that confirms that the information provided is true.

What are the CDC guidelines for healthy business operations during the COVID-19 pandemic?

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Implement flexible worksites (e.g., telework).

Implement flexible work hours (e.g., rotate or stagger shifts to limit the number of employees in the workplace at the same time).

Increase physical space between employees at the worksite by modifying the workspace.

What are the best practices to prevent COVID-19 for manufacturing workers and employers?

Designate workers to monitor and facilitate distancing on production or assembly line floors. For some monitoring activities, it may be possible to leverage closed-circuit television (camera systems) to remotely view facilities as opposed to physically visiting the location.

Stagger break times or provide temporary break areas and restrooms to avoid groups of workers during breaks. Workers should maintain at least 6 feet of distance from others at all times, including on breaks.

Stagger workers' arrival and departure times to avoid congregations of workers in parking areas, locker rooms, and near time clocks. Provide visual cues (e.g., floor markings, signs) as a reminder to workers to maintain social distancing. Encourage workers to avoid carpooling to and from work, if possible.

What topics should employers consider for educating their employees on how to protect themselves from COVID-19 at work?

Topics should include signs and symptoms of infection, staying home when ill, social distancing, cloth face coverings, hand hygiene practices, and identifying and minimizing potential routes of transmission at work, at home, and in the community.

Am I eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits if I quite my job during COVID-19 pandemic?

No, typically that employee would not be eligible for regular unemployment compensation or PUA. Eligibility for regular unemployment compensation varies by state but generally does not include those who voluntarily leave employment.

Am I eligible for PUA benefits if I quit my job because of COVID-19?

There are multiple qualifying circumstances related to COVID-19 that can make an individual eligible for PUA, including if the individual quits his or her job as a direct result of COVID-19. Quitting to access unemployment benefits is not one of them.

Are asthma patients at higher risk for developing severe illness from COVID-19?

People with moderate-to-severe or uncontrolled asthma are more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19. Take steps to protect yourself.

Under what health conditions should an employee not enter the workspace during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Consider encouraging individuals planning to enter the workplace to self-screen prior to coming onsite and not to attempt to enter the workplace if any of the following are present:

• Symptoms of COVID-19
  
• Fever equal to or higher than 100.4°F*
  
• Are under evaluation for COVID-19 (for example, waiting for the results of a viral test to confirm infection)
  
• Have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and not yet cleared to discontinue isolation

*A lower temperature threshold (e.g., 100.0°F) may be used, especially in healthcare settings.

Which groups of people are at increased risks of severe illness from COVID-19?

Among adults, the risk for severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults at highest risk. Severe illness means that the person with COVID-19 may require hospitalization, intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe, or they may even die. People of any age with certain underlying medical conditions are also at increased risk for severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Who do I do if my employer refuses to provide me sick leave during the COVID-19 pandemic?

If you believe that your employer is covered and is improperly refusing you paid sick leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act, the Department encourages you to raise and try to resolve your concerns with your employer. Regardless of whether you discuss your concerns with your employer, if you believe your employer is improperly refusing you paid sick leave, you may call 1-866-4US-WAGE (1-866-487-9243).

What should employers know about COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing?

COVID-19 is a nationally notifiable disease, and when diagnosed or identified, must be reported by healthcare providers and laboratories to STLT health departments. Health departments are responsible for leading case investigations, contact tracing, and outbreak investigations. Case investigation is the identification and investigation of individuals with confirmed and probable diagnoses of a reportable communicable disease, such as COVID-19. Contact tracing follows case investigation and is a process to identify, monitor, and support individuals who may have been exposed to a person with a communicable disease, such as COVID-19. Health departments also administer communicable disease control measures within their jurisdictions to protect public health.

Who is a covered employer that must provide paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave under the FFCRA?

Generally, if you employ fewer than 500 employees you are a covered employer that must provide paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave. For additional information on the 500 employee threshold, see Question 2. Certain employers with fewer than 50 employees may be exempt from the Act’s requirements to provide certain paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave. For additional information regarding this small business exemption, see Question 4 and Questions 58 and 59 below.

Certain public employers are also covered under the Act and must provide paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave.

When should an employee suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 return to work?

Employees should not return to work until they meet the criteria to discontinue home isolation and have consulted with a healthcare provider. Employers should not require a sick employee to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or healthcare provider's note to return to work.

What are the CDC guidelines for hand washing during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Remove and discard gloves, and wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds between each employee. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

How should you wash your hands to prevent the spread of COVID-19?

Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is essential, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing one's nose.

If soap and water are not readily available, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends consumers use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol (also referred to as ethanol or ethyl alcohol).

How often should my employees wash their hands while at work?

CDC recommends employees protect themselves from respiratory illness with everyday preventive actions, including good hand hygiene. Employees should wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not readily available, especially during key times when persons are likely to be infected by or spread germs:

• After blowing one’s nose, coughing, or sneezing
• Before, during, and after preparing food
• After using the toilet
• After touching garbage
• Before and after the work shift
• Before and after work breaks
• After touching objects that have been handled by customers