Some of the must-knows for employers in light of the COVID-19 pandemic

In Avengers: Endgame, Iron Man stands up to an alien invader with the humorous line, “I'm sorry, Earth is closed today.” The line elicited chuckles because of how incredible it was. The entire planet shutting down was a veritable impossibility. Or so we thought. Less than a year after the movie was released, the line doesn't seem like such an incredible concept. Enter COVID-19—a previously unknown coronavirus that spreads easily from person to person. In a very short time, the illness has spread around the globe. The World Health Organization has officially declared it a pandemic, and as of mid-March there were 5,000 confirmed cases in the United States. Questions abound on how much more this sickness will spread and how many lives it will affect.

This article aims to provide answers to a handful of questions employers have asked in recent days and to offer advice as you prepare for the emergency legislation that is to come.

Confusion and concern