Question: Several of our employees have talked about having Thanksgiving with large groups of extended family. What can we do to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading into our workplace? Assuming you don’t want to make everyone quarantine or argue with employees about their Thanksgiving dinner plans, I’d follow the guidelines used for exposed healthcare […]
Category: COVID-19
HR Advisor: ADA, Voting Leave, FFCRA Rule Updates
Key Definitions to Help You Understand the ADA If you hadn’t engaged with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) before the pandemic, you probably have by now. The ADA comes up a lot these days, both with respect to confidentiality of medical information (like employee temperatures) as well as with reasonable accommodation for those who […]
Q&A: Can I Delay An Older New Hire’s Start Date to Protect Them?
Question: We recently hired an older individual whose start date is next Monday, but I would like to push back their start date because we’ve just had an employee test positive for COVID-19. Would this be allowed? We will be testing everyone in the workplace, but I know older employees may be at higher risk. […]
HR Q&A: Suggestions for Exit Interviews During the Pandemic
We’ve had a lot of turnover since the pandemic started and are thinking about doing exit interviews to see if we can find out why. Do you have any suggestions? Exit interviews can be a very useful tool — if you’re prepared to act on what you learn — so it’s great that you’re thinking […]
Q&A: What if an employee has used up their FFCRA leave?
Can we terminate an employee who is unable to work because they need to care for a child but has used up their leave under the FFCRA? Assuming that no other leave laws apply, termination is an option. That said, you may instead want to consider offering the employee an unpaid personal leave of absence […]
HR Advisor: Reducing Stress and Handling Anonymous Reports
Six Tips for Managing Stress in the Workplace We’re all supposed to feel stress from time to time. It’s the way the body responds to demands and dangers. A stressful event triggers the release of hormones. These hormones, according to Psychology Today, “increase heartbeat and the circulation of blood to support quick action, mobilize fat […]
HR Q&A: For leave requests under the FFCRA, can we require proof that the school or place of care is closed?
No. However, you can and should (for IRS documentation) require the following items: • The names and ages of the child or children being cared for.• The name of the school, place of care, or caregiver that is closed or unavailable due to COVID-19.• A statement from the employee that no other suitable person will […]
Q&A: Do we need to investigate safety violations even if no one has made an official complaint?
We’ve heard that some employees aren’t sanitizing their workstations and wearing masks when required. Do we need to investigate safety violations even if no one has made an official complaint? Yes, I recommend you investigate the matter and take appropriate enforcement or disciplinary action. As an employer, you have an obligation under the OSHA general […]
Q&A: What do we do if an employee is diagnosed with COVID-19?
First, notify other employees of potential exposure, if any, in the workplace. You should tell them that someone was diagnosed with the illness, but you should not identify which employee is sick, even if employees ask so they can gauge their own risk. Medical information, such as a diagnosis, must be kept confidential. It’s okay […]
HR Advisor: Tips, Trends and HR Practices
Thank you for reading the HR Advisor Newsletter. In this month’s edition, we cover the importance of documenting all of your employment decisions, the types of harassment that can occur when people are working remotely, and considerations you should make before hiring unpaid interns. Don’t Forget to Document, Document, Document With all of the changes […]