OSHA’s guidance for Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace advises employers to provide workers with face coverings (i.e. cloth face coverings, surgical masks), unless their work task requires a respirator. OSHA’s PPE standards do not require employers to provide them.
What are the guidelines for wearing a mask at the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic?
CDC recommends wearing a cloth face covering as a measure to contain the wearer’s respiratory droplets and help protect others. Employees should not wear a cloth face covering if they have trouble breathing, cannot tolerate wearing it, or can’t remove it without help.Cloth face coverings are not considered personal protective equipment and may not protect the wearers from exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. However, cloth face coverings may prevent workers, including those who don’t know they have the virus, from spreading it to others.
What if an employee refuses to come to work for fear of infection?
Your policies, that have been clearly communicated, should address this.
Educating your workforce is a critical part of your responsibility.
Local and state regulations may address what you have to do and you should align with them.
What is CDC stance on face coverings in workplace?
CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings as a protective measure in addition to social distancing (i.e., staying at least 6 feet away from others). Cloth face coverings may be especially important when social distancing is not possible or feasible based on working conditions. A cloth face covering may reduce the amount of large respiratory droplets that a person spreads when talking, sneezing, or coughing.
Who do I do if my employer refuses to provide me sick leave during the COVID-19 pandemic?
If you believe that your employer is covered and is improperly refusing you paid sick leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act, the Department encourages you to raise and try to resolve your concerns with your employer. Regardless of whether you discuss your concerns with your employer, if you believe your employer is improperly refusing you paid sick leave, you may call 1-866-4US-WAGE (1-866-487-9243).
What should I do if I don’t provide paid sick leave to my employees?
Employers that do not currently offer sick leave to some or all of their employees may want to draft non-punitive “emergency sick leave” policies. Ensure that sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance and that employees are aware of and understand these policies.
Who is a covered employer that must provide paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave under the FFCRA?
Generally, if you employ fewer than 500 employees you are a covered employer that must provide paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave. For additional information on the 500 employee threshold, see Question 2. Certain employers with fewer than 50 employees may be exempt from the Act’s requirements to provide certain paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave. For additional information regarding this small business exemption, see Question 4 and Questions 58 and 59 below.Certain public employers are also covered under the Act and must provide paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave.
Should employees wear cloth face coverings at work during the COVID-19 pandemic?
CDC recommends wearing a cloth face covering as a measure to contain the wearer’s respiratory droplets and help protect others. Employees should not wear a cloth face covering if they have trouble breathing, cannot tolerate wearing it, or can’t remove it without help.Cloth face coverings are not considered personal protective equipment and may not protect the wearers from exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. However, cloth face coverings may prevent workers, including those who don’t know they have the virus, from spreading it to others.Remind employees and clients that CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are hard to maintain, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. Wearing a cloth face covering, however, does not replace the need to practice social distancing.
When is a cloth face covering not appropriate while at work?
Cloth face coverings can prevent the wearer from spreading COVID-19 to others, but they may not always be appropriate. Employees should consider using an alternative under certain conditions at work, including:• If they have trouble breathing.• If they are unable to remove it without help.• If it interferes with vision, glasses, or eye protection.• If straps, strings, or other parts of the covering could get caught in equipment.• If other work hazards associated with wearing the covering are identified and cannot be addressed without removal of the face covering.Cloth face coverings should not be worn if their use creates a new risk (e.g., interferes with driving or vision, contributes to heat-related illness) that exceeds their benefit of slowing the spread of the virus.
Under which circumstances are people not required to wear a face mask during the COVID-19 pandemic?
• while eating, drinking, or taking medication for brief periods of time;• while communicating, for brief periods of time, with a person who is hearing impaired when the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication;• if, on an aircraft, wearing of oxygen masks is needed because of loss of cabin pressure or other event affecting aircraft ventilation;• if unconscious (for reasons other than sleeping), incapacitated, unable to be awakened, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance; or• when necessary to temporarily remove the mask to verify one’s identity such as during Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening or when asked to do so by the ticket or gate agent or any law enforcement official.
Can I be forced to work during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Generally, your employer may require you to come to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some government emergency orders may affect which businesses can remain open during the pandemic. Under federal law, you are entitled to a safe workplace. Your employer must provide a safe and healthful workplace.
Under what health conditions should an employee not enter the workspace during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Consider encouraging individuals planning to enter the workplace to self-screen prior to coming onsite and not to attempt to enter the workplace if any of the following are present:
Symptoms of COVID-19
Fever equal to or higher than 100.4°F*
Are under evaluation for COVID-19 (for example, waiting for the results of a viral test to confirm infection)
Have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and not yet cleared to discontinue isolation
*A lower temperature threshold (e.g., 100.0°F) may be used, especially in healthcare settings.
Am I eligible for PUA benefits if I quit my job because of COVID-19?
There are multiple qualifying circumstances related to COVID-19 that can make an individual eligible for PUA, including if the individual quits his or her job as a direct result of COVID-19. Quitting to access unemployment benefits is not one of them.
What should workers know about cloth face coverings and the protection they provide?
• Cloth face coverings, whether provided by the employer or brought from home by the worker, are not respirators or disposable facemasks and do not protect the worker wearing them from exposures. • Cloth face coverings are only intended to help contain the wearer’s respiratory droplets from being spread.• Used in this way, CDC has recommended cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Wearing them may help people who unknowingly have the virus from spreading it to others. • Workers can wear a cloth face covering if the employer has determined that a respirator or a disposable facemask is NOT required based on the workplace hazard assessment.
What happens if I don’t wear a mask in an indoor area or a public transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic?
On conveyances with no outdoor spaces, operators of public transportation conveyances must refuse to board anyone not wearing a mask that completely covers the mouth and nose. On conveyances with outdoor areas, operators must refuse to allow entry to indoor areas to anyone not wearing a mask.
What information must be provided to employees regarding COVID-19 testing in workplaces?
• The manufacturer and name of the test• The test’s purpose• The type of test• How the test will be performed• Known and potential risks of harm, discomforts, and benefits of the test• What it means to have a positive or negative test result, including: – Test reliability and limitations – Public health guidance to isolate or quarantine at home, if applicable
When is a cloth face covering not appropriate while at work, and what can employees wear instead?
Cloth face coverings can prevent the wearer from spreading COVID-19 to others, but they may not always be appropriate. Employees should consider using an alternative under certain conditions at work, including:
If they have trouble breathing.
If they are unable to remove it without help.
If it interferes with vision, glasses, or eye protection.
If straps, strings, or other parts of the covering could get caught in equipment.
If other work hazards associated with wearing the covering are identified and cannot be addressed without removal of the face covering.
Cloth face coverings should not be worn if their use creates a new risk (e.g., interferes with driving or vision, contributes to heat-related illness) that exceeds their benefit of slowing the spread of the virus.
What are the guidelines for the use of cloth masks in salons or barbershops during COVID-19?
○ Require the use of cloth masks in the salon or barbershop, as appropriate. ▪ Cloth masks are intended to protect other people—not the wearer. They are not considered to be personal protective equipment. ▪ The spread of COVID-19 can be reduced when cloth masks are used along with other preventive measures, including social distancing. A universal face covering policy can be effective in preventing the transmission of the virus in close-contact interactions, including within a salon. ▪ Emphasize that care must be taken when putting on and taking off cloth masks to ensure that the worker or the cloth mask does not become contaminated. Be careful not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth when removing the mask and wash hands immediately after. ▪ Cloth masks should be routinely laundered.
What are the risks of wearing an extra mask during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Adding an extra layer or mask could block vision. Reduced vision could lead to trips, falls, or other injuries.
Can face shields help in preventing the spread of COVID-19?
Face shields are not as effective at protecting you or the people around you from respiratory droplets. Face shields have large gaps below and alongside the face, where your respiratory droplets may escape and reach others around you and will not protect you from respiratory droplets from others.
How can employees and customers in workplaces protect themselves from COVID-19?
• Follow the policies and procedures of the employer related to illness, use of cloth masks, social distancing, cleaning and disinfecting, and work meetings and travel.• Stay home if sick, except to get medical care. • Practice social distancing by keeping at least 6 feet away from fellow employees or co-workers, customers, and visitors when possible.• Wear cloth face coverings, especially when social distancing is not possible.• Employees should inform their supervisor if they or their colleagues develop symptoms at work. No one with COVID-19 symptoms should be present at the workplace.• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing noses, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place. – Use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available. Avoid touch• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth.
What are some steps my employer should take to maintain a healthy work environment during the COVID-19 pandemic?
⁃ Move the electronic payment terminal/credit card reader farther away from the cashier in order to increase the distance between the customer and the cashier, if possible.⁃ Use verbal announcements on the loudspeaker and place signage throughout the establishment, at entrances, in restrooms, and in breakrooms to remind employees and customers to maintain distances of 6 feet from others.⁃ Place visual cues such as floor decals, colored tape, or signs to indicate to customers where they should stand during check out.⁃ Shift primary stocking activities to off-peak or after hours when possible to reduce contact with customers.⁃ Remove or rearrange chairs and tables or add visual cue marks in employee break rooms to support social distancing practices between employees. Identify alternative areas such as closed customer seating spaces to accommodate overflow volume.
Can employees take paid leave concurrently with expanded family and medical leave?
Yes. After the first two workweeks (usually 10 workdays) of expanded family and medical leave under the EFMLEA, you may require that your employee take concurrently for the same hours expanded family and medical leave and existing leave that, under your policies, would be available to the employee in that circumstance. This would likely include personal leave or paid time off, but not medical or sick leave if your employee (or a covered family member) is not ill.
How much will I be paid while taking paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave under the FFCRA?
It depends on your normal schedule as well as why you are taking leave.If you are taking paid sick leave because you are unable to work or telework due to a need for leave because you (1) are subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19; (2) have been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19; or (3) are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and are seeking medical diagnosis, you will receive for each applicable hour the greater of:
your regular rate of pay,
the federal minimum wage in effect under the FLSA, or
the applicable State or local minimum wage.
In these circumstances, you are entitled to a maximum of $511 per day, or $5,110 total over the entire paid sick leave period.
What is the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)?
On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which provided additional flexibility for state unemployment insurance agencies and additional administrative funding to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27. It expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment benefits. For more information, please refer to the resources available below.