First, on Wednesday the CDC published sweeping recommendations for reopening office buildings. According to the CDC, employers should, among other COVID-19 changes, take employee temperatures and check their symptoms upon arrival, space desks six feet apart or install shields between them, bar seating in common areas, and mandate face coverings. The CDC is also recommending updates to HVAC systems and abolishing communal perks like coffee pots and bulk snacks.
While the CDC's guidance is long on recommendations it's short on details. Which is why I'm also recommending you check out the Road Map for Return published by global design firm Perkins & Will. This 90-page document details everything your business needs to know about how to safety reopen your office. Amazingly, Perkins & Will has made this road map free to download on its website.
I cannot overstate enough just how good this guide is. As just one example, the CDC tells you to modify or adjust seats, furniture, and workstations to maintain social distancing of 6 feet between employees; Perkins & Will shows you how to do this.
Did I mention just how good this guide is? It's as good as you'll find anywhere for reopening your office during this pandemic.
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Secondly, on June 11, from 1 - 2:15 p.m. ET, I'm presenting a webinar entitled, The Coming Wave of Coronavirus Lawsuits: How to Stay out of Court. I'll be discussing the seven most likely areas of litigation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the concrete, practical steps your organization should take NOW to prevent liability:
- Wage-and-hour risks from employees, including those working remotely
- Failing to accommodate employees who are at a higher risk for contracting COVID-19
- The hidden risks of layoffs and failing to reinstate employees after leave
- Lawsuits relating to age and underlying medical issues
- Failing to provide the correct amount of leave under the new FFCRA
- The tricky handling of working parents
- How OSHA and the NLRA protect employees who raise safety concerns
Register here to discover your organization's coronavirus vulnerability and learn the practical steps to avoid and manage this new legal risk.
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Finally, yesterday my friend Suzanne Lucas (aka the Evil HR Lady) shared on her blog a playlist of her favorite 25 songs. I took her post as a challenge to build my own playlist of 25 songs I love. The only rules: no Christmas music, only one song per artist, and it shouldn’t take more than five to ten minutes to complile. Here's what I came up with:
Have a great socially distant weekend, be well, and stay healthy.