COVID-19 ― practical and fast facts for employer planning
As employers work on strategic plans for handling employment- related issues involving COVID-19such as facility closings, telecommuting, and employee leave/compensation issuesyou should keep in mind the following fast facts.
Stay informed
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is expected to release new guidance on COVID-19 that will help employers navigate their compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in light of possible medical inquiries to be made of employees. 2009 guidance on pandemics remains relevant. It discusses permissible medical inquiries and accommodations during a pandemic. You can access it at https://www.eeoc.gov/facts/pandemic_flu.html.
You should also follow instructions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which publishes up-to-date guidance for employers on dealing with the spread of the virus, workplace prevention, and how employers should manage employees suspected of having the virus or other illnesses. You can find the CDC guidance at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-business-response.html. It will change in response to the spread of the virus.
Classifying leave