Critical Steps to Take When an Employee Tests Positive, Report Symptoms, or Report Exposure to COVID-19

Sutton Hague staff Sandra Lepson and Evelin Bailey have some updated information as to what California and Nevada employers should do if one of their staff has tested positive for COVID-19 or has been exposed to COVID-19 by a family member. Everything from how you ask them for the COVID-19 tests, what type of sick leave does this fall under, and how to conduct proper contact tracing are outlined in this week’s episode.

 

Highlights:

• Sandra and Evelin have been getting a lot of questions about how to navigate COVID-19 issues.
• What kinds of questions are employers allowed to ask employees?
• What should you do if an employee tests positive for COVID-19?
• How do you keep third-party (contractors) safe from an outbreak?
• Reach out to your health department and work closely with each other.
• The rules are constantly changing.
• What are the current reopening protocols for California?
• If an employee tests positive, what’s the first thing an employer should do?
• What leave does the employee qualify under if they are COVID-19 positive?
• What do Nevada employers have to consider?
• What documentation do employers need to request from their employees?
• When can a sick employee return to work?
• It’s important to do a contact trace and reach out to your employees privately to let them know about a potential exposure.
• What happens if an employee has symptoms but has not yet tested positive for COVID-19? 
• What do employees need to be aware of if they test positive for COVID-19? 
• If someone is out sick and capable of working, and if the job allows them to work remotely, then it would not be considered sick leave.
• You need to reach out to your county health department if you have three or more infected employees.
• What happens if an employee tells you their spouse tested positive or they were in contact with an infected person?
• What is defined as an outbreak and how is ‘close contact’ defined?
• Be very careful in what you ask an employee when it comes to their medical history.
• Use your health department as your ally. Hiring a certified safety professional can save you tons of cash in the long run.

 

Resources:

Suttonhague.com

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