Client Resources

If you suspect an employee has contracted the Coronavirus. What should we do?

Recommendations from the CDC:

Actively encourage sick employees to stay home:

• Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever (100.4° F [38.0° C] or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g. cough suppressants). Employees should notify their supervisor and stay home if they are sick.
• Ensure that your sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance and that employees are aware of these policies.
• Talk with companies that provide your business with contract or temporary employees about the importance of sick employees staying home and encourage them to develop non-punitive leave policies.
• Do not require a healthcare provider’s note for employees who are sick with acute respiratory illness to validate their illness or to return to work, as healthcare provider offices and medical facilities may be extremely busy and not able to provide such documentation in a timely way.
• Employers should maintain flexible policies that permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family member. Employers should be aware that more employees may need to stay at home to care for sick children or other sick family members than is usual.

 

Can I take an employee’s temperature at work to determine whether they might be infected?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) places restrictions on the inquiries that an employer can make into an employee’s medical status, and the EEOC considers taking an employee’s temperature to be a “medical examination” under the ADA.

 

What steps can we take to limit transmission?

Based on what is currently known about the virus, spread from person-to-person happens most frequently among close contacts (within about 6 feet). This type of transmission occurs via respiratory droplets. Transmission of novel coronavirus to persons from surfaces contaminated with the virus has not been documented. Transmission of coronavirus in general occurs much more commonly through respiratory droplets than through fomites. Current evidence suggests that novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in community settings. The CDC offers additional information here.

 

Is COVID-19 a recordable illness for purposes of OSHA Logs?

Please refer to OSHA for guidance on this issue. OSHA recordkeeping requirements mandate covered employers record certain work-related injuries and illnesses on their OSHA 300 log. You must record instances of workers contracting COVID-19 if the worker contracts the virus while on the job. The illness is not recordable if worker was exposed to the virus while off the clock. You are responsible for recording cases of COVID-19 if:

1. The case is a confirmed case of COVID-19;
2. The case is work-related, as defined by 29 CFR 1904.5; and
3. The case involves one or more of the general recording criteria set forth in 29 CFR 1904.7 (e.g. medical treatment beyond first-aid, days away from work).

Why is the situation so dangerous?

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Will there be indirect costs to my health plan?

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What are other employers doing to mitigate risks?

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How will this affect my premiums and renewal?

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What else is on the horizon?

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What costs will this have to my health plan?

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How many poeple will get sick?

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How do I know what information I can trust?

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How Quickly could this overwhelm the healthcare system?

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How long will the pandemic last?

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How much is the test?

While costs vary, the general range for the COVID-19 test is falling between $80 and $200.

 

Will our plan cover the test?

Federal legislation has required all plans subject to ERISA to cover the COVID-19 test with zero member cost-sharing.  While plans not subject to ERISA technically have the option of not covering the test either in full or at all, it is not an advisable practice.

 

Can I make changes to my plans and policies mid-year?

This will vary significantly depending on the type of plan, the funding and the carrier.  Speak with your consultants and carriers to get definitive answers0.

 

Who can get the test?

Doctors are ordering tests for individuals who may have been exposed to the virus or people showing symptoms of the virus.  It is likely that testing capacity and volumes will increase as this has proven to be an effective way to identify and quarantine carriers of the virus.

 

Which of my employees are most vulnerable?

Older adults have a higher risk of serious illness, increasing with age.  People with serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease are also most vulnerable.  Other populations may also be more vulnerable, such as pregnant women, but there is not enough information yet to be sure.