A Guide To Reopening During COVID-19
Many states despite the scientific community's concerns about COVID levels are allowing businesses to reopen. So how can you reopen your doors while still protecting your employees, customers, and yourself? Here's what we know:
There's so much speculation on how the rollout of opening up the states stands to affect not only individuals but businesses. Numerous - well-founded - concerns swarm around the notion of reopening despite limited testing, and a high existing number of cases in the U.S. Though there is a lot of doubt, speculation, bad advice, and panic running amok - there is a levelheaded approach to bringing back your brick and mortar while keeping you and everyone your company cares for - safe.
If you've been to the grocery store recently - namely Aldi - you'll have noted the large plastic shields protecting the entire register, the masked employees, the cart greeters, useful social distancing signage, and the large bottles of sanitizer at each checkout station. Though these efforts may seem excessive - no measure can really go overboard with over 500,000 confirmed cases in the U.S. to date of coronavirus. For some other businesses - the right to exercise precautions against the virus extending to include requiring patrons to wear masks and gloves provided by the establishment - as one disgruntled shopper reported about Whole Foods. Because every business model is drastically different - there's really no one size fits all solution to safety, and use of PPE.
You should do your best to keep up with local government regulations in your state and county regarding closures and what businesses are allowed to reopen. In those states still under a shelter in place order - your grocery business, gas station, health care clinic or pharmacy, shelter, insurance office, or any other essential businesses are allowed to remain open. Here's a map of all of the closures in different states. Most employers are wondering if they're required to follow certain guidelines. Your employees will be eligible for unemployment insurance if your business has fully or partially closed down due to the virus. You do not, however, have an obligation to provide federal paid leave for laid-off employees. You're also allowed to encourage your employees to work from home and provide the ability to do so, as well as ask about the COVID status of, test, and send employees home that are displaying symptoms. This includes any employee who's come into contact with an infected person.
More importantly, regarding pay, employers need to know that the Family First Coronavirus Response Act may require SBOs to pay out 10 days of emergency paid sick leave to their employees, and may also require FMLA leave for parents. Salaried employees must still be paid their normal hourly rate if any work was submitted. The only exemptions are self-imposed self-quarantine in which case that employee may quality for emergency sick leave. That being said - OSHA has no standing regulations in place regarding at-home work so employers are not expected to inspect and verify the safety of a home office.
So what can your business do to ensure the safety of your employees, patrons, and yourself?
Purchase PPE (personal protective equipment) for the employees you have working for your establishment. Items like gloves, masks, hand sanitizer, and ample amounts of antibacterial hand soap should be readily available for your entire workforce. Your employees require their jobs but also require their employers to care about their safety.
Ensure and (gently) enforce social distancing inside and outside of your establishment. Some companies have opted to do this with signs, stickers, and other temporary structures, others have built more permanent barriers - some with automatic sensing functions to keep patrons at a distance and separate incoming and outgoing traffic.
Wipe and sanitize baskets, carts, keypads, and metal railings. The Coronavirus spreads easily and stays alive on metal surfaces for extended periods of time. Because of this ever-present risk, any establishment reopening and utilizing hand baskets, carts, or any other structures or vehicles containing metal - they should be quickly and frequently sanitized between customer use and touch.
Provide a barrier for physical contact at checkpoints such as registers for employees in closer proximity to incoming customers. Some people may have varying levels of awareness when it regards social-distancing. stickers, signage, and other imagery can remind shoppers to keep their distance.
Offer alternative business hours or appointment-only service. For those businesses requiring a physical service desiring to reopen may establish appointment windows in which professionals can still meet with physical clients while limiting their risk of exposure and other client's risk of exposure.
Require PPE and provide it to incoming customers. Though the inconvenience may deter some customers - others will realize you are doing everything you can to keep them safe.
Offer curbside pick-up, extended delivery options, online shopping, and remote customer service. Your brick and mortar may be seeing less business but the internet is 24/7 and as such, you can provide many of your services remotely. It sometimes requires a bit of creativity.
Got any more ideas on how to reopen during COVID? Let us know. Interested in reading more on how to protect yourself and your business?