The COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis continues to show no signs of slowing down and as we proceed toward year-end, businesses continue to be tasked with the seemingly impossible task of maintaining the safety of their employees and customers, while ensuring that the business stays operational. Renee West, HR consultant at Rea & Associates and regional expert in the areas of COVID-19 protocols, human resources compliance, and local, state, and federal safety guidelines will once again share critical insight to help your organization persevere throughout the month of December and beyond. Join us for this free hour-long on-demand webinar to hear: - COVID-19 protocol updates and continued compliance resources for employers and employees as cases continue to spike. - FFCRA leaves and discussion about whether they will be left to expire or will they be extended. - CDC updates and state mandates pertaining to COVID-19. #HRBestPractices #COVID19 #ReaCPA

2. Agenda
• Review Existing FFCRA Leaves
• Timeline – ending date
• EPSLA & EFMLA
• Documentation
• Leave Requests & Recent DOL Updates
• Covid-19 Employer Best Practices
• Updated CDC Guidelines & Protocols
• Employee Illness - Covid Scenarios
• Employer Steps

3. Agenda
• Compliance
• Covid EEOC & Civil Rights Lawsuits
• Employer Compliance Best Practices
• Mitigate risk
• Pandemic Case scenarios – Lessons Learned
• Policies and Compliance
• Employee Handbooks

4. Agenda
• To Be Determined –
• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PAU)
• Stimulus Relief Package
• FFCRA Benefit Extensions
• Vaccine Availability

5. Families First Coronavirus Response Act
• Employers need to document and retain
FFCRA leave request forms for at least 4 years from
date of leave.
• Does your organization have a FFCRA leave request
forms?
• Has your organization provided employees with notice
regarding the new FFCRA regulations?

6. Families First Coronavirus Response Act

7. Families First Coronavirus Response Act

8. FFCRA – Caring for School Aged Children
• Many schools are using various in-person and
distance learning formats and schedules during
the pandemic.
• The new DOL guidance explains when
employees may be eligible for related paid
leave.

9. Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA)
• When is an employee entitled to Emergency Paid
Sick Leave?
• Employee cannot work or telework because of one of the following:
• Employee is subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine or isolation order;
• Employee has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine;
• Employee is experiencing symptoms of coronavirus and is seeking a medical
diagnosis;
• Employee is caring for a person subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine
or isolation order or who has been advised by a health care provider to self-
quarantine;
• Employee is caring for a son or daughter of the employee whose school or
day care is closed

10. Poll Question #1
Does your workplace currently have the mandated
Covid-19 Workplace information posted?
Yes
No
I am not aware of the posting

11. COVID
Workplace
Poster

12. Documentation – Leave Requests
• What records do employers need to keep when
an employee takes paid sick leave or expanded
family and medical leave?
• Regardless of whether you grant or deny a request
for paid sick leave or expanded family and medical
leave, the following must be documented:
• The name of your employee requesting leave;
• The date(s) for which leave is requested;
• The reason for leave; and
• A statement from the employee that he or she is unable
to work because of the reason.

13. Updated CDC Guidelines
• What is definition of “Close Contact”?
• Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected
person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more
over a 24-hour period* starting from 2 days before
illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days
prior to test specimen collection) until the time the
patient is isolated.

14. Updated CDC Guidelines -
Quarantine
• CDC reduced the recommended days a person must
quarantine after exposure to COVID-19 from 14 days
to 7 or 10 days.
• The new guidelines announced Wednesday say
individuals who have close contact with an infected
person can end their quarantine after 7 days if they
receive a negative test, or after 10 days without a test.
• CDC defines close contact as exposures adding up to
a total of 15 minutes spent 6 feet or closer to an
infected person.

15. CDC Best Practices – Updated
What steps should an employer take if an
employee becomes ill?
• Employees who have symptoms when they arrive
at work or become sick during the day should
immediately be separated from other employees,
customers, and visitors and sent home.
• Sick employees should follow CDC-recommended
steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Employees should not return to work until they
have met the criteria to discontinue home isolation
and have consulted with a healthcare provider.

16. Best Practices
• What steps should an employer take if an
employee tests positive for Covid?
• In most cases, you do not need to shut down your facility.
• Utilize local Health Department as resource.
• Do close off any areas used for prolonged periods of time by
the sick person.
• Follow the CDC cleaning and disinfection recommendations.
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-
ncov/community/organizations/cleaning-disinfection.html

17. Best Practices
• If an employee has been exposed but not showing
symptoms, should they be permitted to work?
• Employees may have been exposed if they are a “close contact”
of someone who is infected, which is defined as being within
about 6 feet of a person with COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes
or more.
• Potentially exposed employees who have symptoms of COVID-
19 should self-isolate and follow CDC recommended steps.
• Potentially exposed employees who do not have symptoms
should remain at home or in a comparable setting and practice
social distancing for 14 days.
• All other employees should self-monitor for symptoms and wear
cloth face coverings when in public. If they develop symptoms,
they should notify their supervisor and stay home.

19. Pandemic Scenarios – Employer Risk
• Inconsistency in administration of remote work
procedures.
• Laid off or furloughed workers – inconsistency in
recalling workers. i.e. recalling young vs. older workers.
(Age)
• Denial of flex schedules as reasonable
accommodations under ADA. (Disability)

20. Pandemic Scenarios – Employer Risk
• Laid off employees re-hired in different roles and
earning less. (Age)
• Reduction of work hours – not consistent
• Task Force Team – ensure diversity of team
• FFCRA Leave – employer’s not offering to employees
as regulated.

21. Employee Handbook Policies
• Updated policies should include:
• FFCRA
• EFMLA & EPSLA
• FMLA – How do the above work together?
• Travel
• Is your business opening up travel or continuing
to keep minimal?
• What does your current travel policy state?

22. Employee Handbook – Policies
Lawsuits
• Pandemic & Emergency Preparedness
• Attendance
• Paid Time Off – definition of utilizing in conjunction
with leaves
• Remote Work Policies
• Workplace Violence – Safety

23. Poll Question
What is currently the top Covid employment related
lawsuit being filed by employees?
1) Safety – Covid
2) Retaliation
3) Whistle Blowing
4) Leave of Absences – administration of leaves

24. Covid Related – Employment
Lawsuits
• Updated policies should include:
• FLSA – Fair Labor Standards
• Overtime Pay
• Job Classifications
• Department of Labor
• Reduction in Workforce
• Furloghs vs. Layoffs

25. Poll Question #3
Has your employee handbook been updated?
Yes
No
Not Sure

26. To Be Determined
• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PAU)
• Stimulus Relief Package
• FFCRA Benefit Extensions – Dec. 31, 2020
• Vaccine Availability

27. Employer Resources
• Rea & Associates- https://www.reacpa.com/service/covid-19-
resource-center/
• Gov. DeWine, Lt. Gov. Husted – http://www.ohiochannel.org/
Daily video briefing and Executive Orders
• https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/responsible-
restart-ohio/Posters-and-Signs/Posters-and-Signs
• ODH – https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-
19/homew
• CDC – https://www.cdc.gov/
• SHRM – https://www.shrm.org/

28. Employer Resources
• OSHA – https://www.osha.gov
• Unemployment: http://www.jfs.ohio.gov/
• USDOL – www.dol.gov

29. Questions?
Renee West, SHRM-SCP
senior manager
HR consulting services
Rea & Associates
330.308.6818
renee.west@reacpa.com