During this holiday season, let’s show our team that we care for them by getting ahead of the COVID curve. I know that we are all suffering from COVID-fatigue, but now is NOT the time to get lackadaisical in our protocols.
We at HR Synergy encourage you to go beyond the law and CDC guidelines as pertains to workplace safety and COVID-19 to maintain a safe workplace and avoid more shutdowns.
The country-wide 7-day moving average of COVID-19 cases is at its highest since the beginning of October. (Prior to the emergence of the Delta variant, the country-wide 7-day moving average of COVID-19 cases had not been this high since early February.) (In the CDC graph, the blue bars show daily cases. The red line is the 7-day moving average of cases.)
In addition to the rise of COVID-19 rates, we are in the cold and flu season. Be aware that your employees might be tempted to come to work sick as there the Federal Employee Paid Sick Leave has ended. Currently, 25 States have added paid sick leave for COVID pay, requiring employers to pay employees absent for COVID related reasons and receive credit through their state tax filing. Unsure if this applies to the state you’re operating in, check here.
Let’s be mindful and conscientious, implementing the standards we were more diligently using at the start of the pandemic. Employers have a responsibility to help keep employees healthy and prevent the spread in your workplace by mitigation risks, regardless of vaccination status.
Suggestions:
-Implement testing protocols that conserve employee privacy
-Require masks
-Encourage social distancing
-Clean and disinfect all hard surfaces
-Encourage regular hand-washing
-Make hand sanitizer readily available
–Continue to allow remote/on-site employees (hybrid model)
As an individual you can do your part to mitigate spread as well. If you haven’t already, receive your vaccine and/or booster shot. When indoors, wear your mask. Outdoor gatherings with social distancing are still a safer choice when available. Let’s do our part to stay healthy and reduce the spread this winter.
If you are unsure how to navigate these decisions and communicate with your team the how and why, HR Synergy is happy to help you. Click here to contact us.
Check-out our 2021 Year-end checklist and states with minimum wage increases.