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Covid-19 and Employer Responsibility

COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus, has caused illness among thousands, palpable uncertainty, drastic economic problems and sweeping societal changes.  The last few weeks have taken our country down an unprecedented path as we painfully discover how to confront, endure, and recover from a pandemic. 

It is critical that employers take a focused, logical approach before taking pandemic-related measures to ensure the health and safety of their employees, especially during this crisis.

The U.S. Department of Labor together with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC) has taken steps to help employers manage their businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak through a published a report titled Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19[1].  The CDC website [2] outlines important information on maintaining a healthy work environment.  You can access more CDC information here.  Finally, guidance specifically for healthcare workers and employers can be found here[3].

Very basic recommendations include promoting thorough and regular hand washing, encouraging all employees who are sick to stay home, providing flexible schedule options that allow employees to work from home, cleaning and disinfecting all equipment frequently, and encouraging distance between employees.  

Employers are charged with creating policies, procedures and controls to help identify and isolate sick individuals as well as to manage the overall plan to address COVID-19.  According to the guide, employers should take steps to reduce the exposure to COVID-19 depending on the level of employee risk which can be categorized as very high, high, medium, or low.  For higher risk employees, employers are required to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect employees from COVID-19 when they are working.  Additionally, employees such as healthcare workers, physicians, nurses, and aides who need to work within 6 feet of known COVID-19 patients must use gloves, a gown, respirators or other equipment that provides similar levels of protection.

Employers are obligated to provide adequate protection for their employees.  When hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, restaurants and other businesses don’t provide sufficient protection for employees, employers may be at risk for malpractice lawsuits. 

If you or a loved one had or currently has COVID-19 and believe that you were exposed on the job and your employer did not provide adequate personal protection equipment, we may be able to help.  Our experienced attorneys can be reached at 561-447-4500.

ECanter Lawyers

When you are dealing with the chaos and pain of accidents and personal injuries, the last thing you need is technical, confusing legal language.  ECanter Lawyers breaks down the complexities and provides clear, informative answers so that you understand your legal options. 

For over two decades, ECanter Lawyers has remained committed to honest, straightforward answers.  Named one of AVVO’s Clients’ Choice, ECanter Lawyers has helped clients receive multi-million-dollar verdicts, and millions of dollars in settlements.  ECanter Lawyers specializes in personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, premises and product liability, and healthcare law.

With offices conveniently located throughout South Florida and 24/7 services, ECanter Lawyers personal injury law firm offers you the personalized attention that you need in order to maximize your compensation. 

ECanter Lawyers

561-447-4500

Boca Raton | West Palm Beach | Coral Springs | Ft. Lauderdale | Sunrise

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[1] Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf

[2] CDC Website https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-re…

[3] CDC Recommendations for Healthcare Professionals https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/index.html