The Arvada Chamber, along with our partners on the Arvada Resiliency Taskforce, is dedicated to providing the latest resources and guidance to help all Arvada businesses stay healthy through the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on frequently asked questions from Arvada businesses, this toolkit is a living, updated resource for employers and employees to navigate these difficult times. Below, find the latest local case information, testing locations, return-to-work guidance, and communication samples to use in the event of a reported case at your place of business.
Please contact Ryan Hecht (ryan@arvadachamber.org) with additional questions or resources to add to this toolkit.
FOR EMPLOYERS
STAYING SAFE BEFORE A CASE
As a manager or supervisor, you are not to give a medical diagnosis but are permitted to ask questions of an employee to determine their ability to perform their work and the potential impact on the environment. Questions you may ask include:
If an employee suffered from a fever and cough, was not positively diagnosed for COVID-19 and has recovered, they can return to work under the following conditions (according to the CDC):
Clean the work spaces using CDPHE’s cleaning guidance. Consider allowing employees to work from home, if possible, while the cleaning takes place. In many work situations, it will not be feasible to have employees work from home; in that situation, encourage employees to use good hygiene practices to lower immediate exposure risk and ask employees to monitor themselves for signs of symptoms. Employees should then be informed of any mitigating strategies that will be employed to ensure the safety of the work area. Mitigation strategies could include alternate work location or rotating shifts to reduce the number of employees in a certain area.
IF A CONFIRMED CASE IS REPORTED AT YOUR LOCATION
If your place of business has been in close contact with someone with COVID-19, an employee from JCPH (contact tracer) might call to inform you that you’ve been exposed. Learn more about contact tracing at the state level here.
Please follow these steps:
Current recommendations by the CDC and CDPHE state that individuals should isolate for a minimum of 10 days since the symptoms first appeared (if asymptomatic, since the test date), and at least 24 hours have passed without a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medications), and other respiratory symptoms have improved. Closure may not be necessary (see above). Please follow the steps:
Workplaces/facilities that suspect an outbreak (knowledge of 2 or more employees with confirmed COVID-19 within a 14-day period) should immediately take the following actions:
If an employee or customer that was at your establishment positive for COVID-19, a public notification of exposure from the Health Department may be required. As a business owner, you may wish to alert the public as well. Businesses are not required to disclose to the public if an employee tests positive for COVID-19, but they can choose to do so. Businesses and the Health Department are not allowed to release the name of individuals or employees who test positive to the public or co-workers. Click here for sample communications for internal (emails) and external (emails, social media).
If an employee has tested positive for COVID-19 but has not presented symptoms or become ill, they must remain in isolation following their diagnosis. Based on the CDC guidelines, they can return to work after meeting the following conditions:
If an employee has tested positive for COVID-19 and has become mildly or moderately ill due to the virus but did not require hospitalization, they can return to work after meeting the following conditions:
These individuals pose the highest risk of spreading infection across your workforce. The CDC recommends that any employee who has received a positive test and has been hospitalized receive rigorous testing before returning to work because they may experience longer periods of viral detection compared to those with mild or moderate symptoms.
FOR EMPLOYEES
If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, it is important for you to know that worker protections are in place to ensure that you can isolate yourself, both for your own health and recovery and for the safety of everyone around you. Federal law requires up to two weeks paid leave for those who work for employers with fewer than 500 employees (though some employers with 50 or fewer employees may be exempt). The Colorado Health Emergency Leave with Pay Rules (“Colorado HELP Rules”) adds coverage for workers as well. Read more in this FAQ. An employee (case investigator) from JCPH might call you to check-in on your health, discuss who you’ve been in contact with and ask you to stay at home to self-isolate. Unless you give permission, your name will not be revealed to those you came in contact with, even if they ask. This infographic explains Jeffco’s exposure notification process. You must thentake the following actions: An employee from JCPH (contact tracer) might call to inform you that you’ve been exposed. They will ask you to stay at home and self-quarantine. Per Safer at Home Executive Order D 2020 044, no vulnerable individuals can be compelled by their employer to return to work if their work requires in person work near others. Employers must accommodate vulnerable individuals with remote work options, if the work can be done remotely. If you refuse to return to work due to unsatisfactory or hazardous working conditions based on your status as a member of a vulnerable group, you may continue to be eligible for benefits based on the risk to your health.If you refuse to return to work due to unsatisfactory or hazardous working conditions because you reside with a person who is a member of a vulnerable group, you may continue to be eligible for benefits based on the risk to the health of your co-inhabitant. More information here. Per Safer at Home Executive Order D 2020 044, employers must make accommodations to the greatest extent possible for workers who are experiencing a lack of childcare due to school closures such accommodations include but are not limited to remote work options and or flexible scheduling.Federal law now provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave for childcare needs due to a coronavirus-related closure of a school or childcare establishment. The CARES Act also provides unemployment benefits under Pandemic Unemployment Assistance to those unable to work due to COVID-19.
