| Special #74 - October 29, 2020 |
| | This series is designed for HR Professionals New to the Field & Experienced HR Professionals |
| | Register Now for our Strategic HR Leadership Series (Spaces are still available)
HR leaders make a significant impact on their organizations’ success. But in our rapidly changing business environment – whether you’re new to human resources or an HR veteran – it’s important to be up to date with best practices, innovative strategies and proven techniques....Read More>>
This Workshop Series will: - Introduce multiple HR ‘best practice’ initiatives within the six core disciplines of HR
- Provide you with employment law updates
- Allow you to interact with and learn from other HR professionals
- Place an emphasis on and assist you in developing a personal follow through action plan that you can apply on the job
Schedule (Dates confirmed) Spots are still available for all workshops register today! - Functioning as a Human Resource Strategic Business Partner
October 30, 2020 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (This Friday)
- Practical Techniques to Enhance Your Training
& Facilitation Skills
November 17, 2020 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Positively Impacting Employee Behavior through Performance Appraisals, Coaching & Counseling
Date Changed! December 04, 2020 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Utilizing HR Metrics to Illustrate & Improve HR's
December 15, 2020 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Employment Law Essentials with Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete Attorneys
Date TBD 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Visit our website to view the overview of workshops
Location of Workshops, unless otherwise noted, to be conducted at:
Cherry Blossom Room (16th Floor)
Fickling & Company Building
577 Mulberry St , Macon, GA 31201
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| HR and Employment Law News |
| - Constangy.com: OFCCP seeks information about diversity training 10.22.20- HRDive.com BRIEF: Confusion over FMLA call-out process gets Walmart employee's suit revived PUBLISHED Oct. 21, 2020
- HRDive.com Article: Employers may need to adjust hiring practices to protect talent pipelines PUBLISHED Oct. 20, 2020
- ¶47,370 EEOC should systematically analyze retaliation charge data associated with protected activities, GAO says — FEDERAL NEWS,
Oct. 21, 2020- CDC guidelines: Interim Operational Considerations for Public Health Management of Healthcare Workers Exposed to or with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19: non-U.S. Healthcare Settings Updated Oct. 21, 2020, 12:00 AM- CDC guidelines: 10 Things Healthcare Professionals Need to Know about U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Plans Updated Oct. 14, 2020- Georgia Department of Public Health COVID-19 Daily Status Report
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Constangy.com: OFCCP seeks information about diversity training
BY CARA CROTTY ON 10.22.20
POSTED IN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
Contractors who participate may get a reward.
The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program issued a Request for Information asking for comments, information, and materials from contractors and employees relating to workplace training that might violate Executive Order 13950.
As we previously reported, President Trump recently issued Executive Order 13950, Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, which prohibits federal contractors from “inculcating” in their employees certain “divisive concepts” that involve race or sex stereotyping or scapegoating. The Executive Order directed the OFCCP to post a notice in the Federal Register requesting information about contractors’ training and workshops. This Request for Information complies with that directive.
The Request for Information asks for information and materials relating to workplace training programs that promote, or could reasonably be interpreted to promote, stereotyping or scapegoating based on race or sex, as well as the duration, frequency, or cost of such training. Suggested submissions include Power Point shows, photographs, videos, handwritten notes, or printed handouts from training programs that have been used “in recent years” or that may be used soon, whether the training is mandatory or voluntary.
The OFCCP also poses five questions:
- Have there been complaints concerning this workplace training? Have you or other employees been disciplined for complaining or otherwise questioning this workplace training?
- Who develops your company’s diversity training? Is it developed by individuals from your company, or an outside company?
- Is diversity training mandatory at your company? If only certain trainings are mandatory, which ones are mandatory and which ones are optional?
- Approximately what portion of your company’s annual mandatory training relates to diversity?
- Approximately what portion of your company’s annual optional training relates to diversity?
The OFCCP states that the information provided will help the agency design programming and compliance assistance for contractors.
Although submission of information by contractors is entirely voluntary, the OFCCP offers a carrot for entities concerned that they may not be in compliance with either Executive Order 11246 or Executive Order 13950.
- "OFCCP will, consistent with law, exercise its enforcement discretion and not take enforcement action against Federal contractors . . . that voluntarily submit information or materials in response to this request for information, . . . provided that such contractor . . . promptly comes into compliance with the Executive Orders as directed by OFCCP. If a Federal contractor . . . who voluntarily submits information or materials in response to this request for information is determined by OFCCP to have non-compliant materials, and the contractor or subcontractor refuses to correct the issue after compliance assistance is provided, OFCCP may take enforcement action against the contractor or subcontractor if OFCCP later receives the contractor [sic] or subcontractor’s materials through a separate source, such as a neutrally scheduled audit, in connection with a complaint, or if submitted by an employee in response to this RFI."
Significantly, a contractor can take advantage of this “safe harbor” only if information is submitted to the OFCCP by an executive, owner, or legal representative of the contractor.
The OFCCP reminds contractors and employees that workplace training that “is designed to inform workers, or foster discussion, about pre-conceptions, opinions, or stereotypes that people – regardless of their race or sex – may have regarding people who are different” is not prohibited by Executive Orders 11246 or 13950. However, it provides examples of impermissible topics, such as teaching that
- "concepts like ‘[o]bjective, rational linear thinking,’ ‘[h]ard work’ being ‘the key to success,’ the ‘nuclear family,’ and belief in a single god are not values that unite Americans of all races but are instead ‘aspects and assumptions of whiteness.’
OFCCP Director Craig Leen also held a call with stakeholders to address the Request for Information and to respond to questions that have been raised. He stated that the agency wants as much relevant information as possible to help it develop compliance assistance materials and that the OFCCP is hoping for “a significant response.” |
| | | HRDive.com BRIEF: Confusion over FMLA call-out process gets Walmart employee's suit revived
AUTHOR Lisa Burden & Kate Tornone@KateTornone
PUBLISHED Oct. 21, 2020
Read online>>
Dive Brief:
- A Walmart employee may continue with her Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) interference claim because, among other things, she was confused about the employer's call-out process, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held Oct. 6 (Hazelett v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., No. 19-16628 (9th Cir., Oct. 6, 2020)).
- The plaintiff was injured on the job and requested workers' compensation and a leave of absence. She called out each day and was in communication with the outside administrator that handled Walmart's workers' compensation claims and leave requests. She was eventually fired for her absences, not realizing that she had to communicate with two separate departments at the outside administrator, according to court documents.
- The employee sued, alleging FMLA interference. A federal district court granted summary judgment for Walmart, finding that the employee failed to establish an interference claim, as she did not comply with the employer's policies and procedures. On appeal, the 9th Circuit reversed, citing evidence that she called out every day, provided a doctor's note supporting her need for leave and that "confusion existed about having to notify one company of her workers’ compensation claim and her request for leave by having to contact two different departments within the same company." Question remain, the court said, "regarding whether [she] failed to comply with the policy and procedures for requesting leave, and whether such policies were ambiguous. The attempts she made to comply created issues of material facts to be decided at trial."
Dive Insight:
Employers are generally free to require that employees follow certain call-out procedures. "One of the most employer-friendly changes to the FMLA regulations over the years is the requirement that an employee is obligated to follow the employer’s usual and customary call-in procedures for reporting an FMLA absence," Jeff Nowak, now a shareholder at Litter, previously told HR Dive.
Notably, however, at least one court has held that an employer cannot deny FMLA leave based on FMLA-specific notice requirements that exceed what the employer requires for other types of leave. A federal district court reached that conclusion last year, approving a lawsuit against a Burger King operator for trial (Moore v. GPS Hospitality Partners IV, LLC, No. 17-0500 (S.D. Ala. Jun. 3, 2019)). Ultimately, the parties settled and Nowak, on his FMLA Insights blog, cautioned employers against putting too much weight on the Moore court's decision.
HR may need to design and communicate call-out policies carefully, however, as recent research revealed that employers are increasingly outsourcing leave administration. It's imperative to remember that outsourcing doesn't absolve employers of liability for violations: In 2018, a federal district court determined that an employer had interfered with an employee's FMLA rights when its third-party administrator delayed his return to work for a month (Eagle v. SMG Salt Palace, No. 2:17-cv-1132 (D. Utah, Nov. 30, 2018)).
HR also can train managers to enforce call-out policies consistently. If an employee who is being terminated for excessive absences tells you he has been texting his supervisor about FMLA absences, you may have a problem on your hands, Matt Morris, VP of FMLASource, ComPsych Corporation, told attendees at a 2018 conference. Managers shouldn't be undermining policies, he said.
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| | | | HRDive.com Article: Employers may need to adjust hiring practices to protect talent pipelines
Among other things, sources told HR Dive that employers can revisit expectations for younger candidates coping with the pandemic.Employers may need to adjust hiring practices to protect talent pipelines
Among other things, sources told HR Dive that employers can revisit expectations for younger candidates coping with the pandemic.
Read online>>PUBLISHED Oct. 20, 2020
From restaurants to vacation spots to movie theater chains, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a notable impact on businesses that often supply entry-level and early-career jobs to younger U.S. workers.
Headlines describing such closures have continued now more than six months into the pandemic. Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that the owner of Regal Cinemas, the second-largest chain of cinemas in the country, was suspending operations at all of its U.S. locations amid a lack of new releases and financial strain. Though some Regal locations were later reported as having decided to stay open, according to entertainment news outlet Deadline, the Journal said thousands of workers could be impacted by the announcement.
Those hoping for entry-level work in other fields face similar challenges. A May study of job listings on Glassdoor found that the number of available technology industry positions that included the phrases "entry level" or "new grad" in the job title declined 68% year-over-year. Overall, unemployment remains higher for younger workers; while the national employment rate sat at 7.9% in September, the same figure stood at 15.9% for workers ages 16 to 19 and at 12.5% for those ages 20 to 24, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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While the current situation may seem grim for younger workers, sources who spoke to HR Dive said there are still plenty of opportunities for such workers to build career skills and fill their resumes. And as the job market shifts in favor of employers, recruiters may not see much negative impact on their talent pipelines in the short-term — if they can adjust hiring practices accordingly.
Seasonal opportunities provide a boost
"We're seeing a glimmer of hope," said Vicki Salemi, career expert at job site Monster. Salemi noted that Monster has seen entry-level job listings return to a level comparable to before the pandemic, largely thanks to seasonal opportunities.
Retailers, for example, are adapting seasonal hiring strategies to accommodate for the growth of e-commerce ahead of this year's holiday shopping season. Amazon announced last month that it would hire some 100,000 full- and part-time workers across its fulfillment and logistics network in the U.S. and Canada. Target said in September it would "double" the number of store workers who operate the company's "Drive Up" and on-site pick up programs to handle increased demand, and it said it would hire more workers to handle store safety initiatives.
Seasonal positions may only offer a temporary step in the career journey of younger workers, but they "may perhaps be leveraged into a full-time opportunity," Salemi said. Candidates will likely look to roles that allow them to network internally and that generally provide a good cultural fit, she added.
But younger workers are adjusting their search in other ways, according to Casey Welch, founder, president and CEO of Tallo, a networking platform that connects students and employers. For example, many are deciding to apply for remote positions, Welch said. Tallo's August survey of Generation Z members found that 39% of respondents considered geographic location to be "very important" in considering a job opportunity, compared to 51% who said the same in the company's December 2019 survey.
Still, many are postponing long-term plans. "More and more Gen Zers are taking gap years before committing to long-term educational or employment plans, which in turn creates openings for employers looking to fill part-time or entry-level jobs," Welch said. "As young workers are re-evaluating their next steps, companies can help them turn that gap year into a 'leap year' by emphasizing benefits like tuition assistance and professional development programs."
Employers can still make adjustments
Employers shouldn't be worried about COVID-19's long-term impact on entry-level positions as far as their talent pipelines are concerned, Salemi said. Younger workers can still learn valuable soft skills in areas like communication and leadership that can boost their careers, and employers can train future employees on more technical aspects of their jobs in the long run, she added.
But even for those not concerned about hiring entry-level talent in the short term, it may be advisable to connect with younger workers anyway, according to Welch; "When it comes to keeping a full pipeline, the key is finding ways to connect with talent earlier. The good news is that the vast majority of Gen Z wants to connect with future employers regardless of whether they have an immediate job opening."
The current talent market may mean recruiters have more applicants to consider, but "quantity does not replace quality," Salemi said. Employers should also "dig deeper" beyond resumes when evaluating younger candidates, looking for quality internship experience and other activities such as campus leadership and study abroad experience. Employers can also ask what candidates have done during the pandemic to better their skill sets, such as taking online classes.
Companies should consider rethinking their expectations of younger candidates as well, Welch said, particularly as educational institutions shift to online learning. "For young workers, helping younger siblings with at-home learning or starting a virtual volunteering group may be the future of displaying responsibility and leadership, rather than a commitment to a school sports teams or summer job," he noted.
Such shifts could also inform how employers reach out to and recruit entry-level candidates, Salemi said. Research published earlier in the pandemic by recruiting platform iCIMS found that 95% of U.S. college seniors expected to hear back from an employer in less than two weeks. That could bode well for employers who have opted for quicker, virtually-integrated hiring processes in recent months.
"This is the only normal that they know," Salemi said of younger candidates' adaptation to the online nature of hiring during COVID-19. "Understand that these candidates are digital natives and are adept at this."
Follow Ryan Golden on Twitter
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| | | | ¶47,370 EEOC should systematically analyze retaliation charge data associated with protected activities, GAO says — FEDERAL NEWS,
Oct. 21, 2020 from GEA HR Answers Now Written by Pamela Wolf, J.D.
The Government Accountability Office has recommended that as the EEOC plans to implement a new data system, the Commission Chair should assess the feasibility of systematically analyzing its data on retaliation charges and the associated protected activities, including those related to sexual harassment. The EEOC has not said whether it concurs with the recommendation, according to the report, but the GAO, after considering the agency’s comments about the report, continues to believe that this recommendation is appropriate.
Workplace harassment problem. The GAO explained that limited nationwide data hinder a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence and costs of workplace sexual harassment. The GAO’s analysis of federal data and literature review found that the few reliable nationwide estimates of sexual harassment’s prevalence vary substantially due to differences in methodology, including the question structure and time period the survey used.
Further, the likelihood of experiencing workplace sexual harassment can vary based on an individual’s demographic characteristics, such as gender, race, and age, and whether the workplace is male- or female-dominated. Women, younger workers, and women in male-dominated workplaces were more likely to say they experienced harassment.
Data on cost of harassment. The GAO was not able to find any recent cost estimates of workplace sexual harassment, but identified four broad categories of costs: health, productivity, career, and reporting and legal costs.
- Health costs include:
- Mental health symptoms;
- Physical health symptoms; and
- Employer healthcare costs.
- Productivity costs include:
- Absenteeism;
- Reduced performance; and
- Decreased job satisfaction.
- Career costs include:
- Employee’s costs associated with changing jobs; and
- Employer’s costs to replace the employee.
- Reporting and legal costs include:
- Legal fees;
- Time cost of filing and processing reports;
- Expense of settlements or litigation awards; and
- Damage to employer and employee’s reputation if the report is made public.
EEOC data. As part of its mission to prevent and remedy unlawful employment discrimination, the EEOC maintains data on sexual harassment and retaliation charges filed against employers. However, the Commission cannot systematically analyze the relationship between the two for all charges filed nationwide, the GAO observed. After filing sexual harassment charges or engaging in other protected activity, employees may experience retaliation, such as firing or demotion. EEOC data show that retaliation charges are a growing portion of its workload.
The EEOC's planning documents highlight its intention to address retaliation and use charge data to inform its outreach to employers. However, even though the EEOC can review electronic copies of individual charges for details, such as whether a previously filed sexual harassment charge led to a retaliation charge, its data system cannot aggregate this information across all charges.
"Without the capacity to fully analyze trends in the relationship between sexual harassment and retaliation charges, EEOC may miss opportunities to refine its work with employers to prevent and address retaliation," according to the GAO.
Nation surveys. As part of its study, the GAO convened a two-day roundtable of experts, with assistance from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and conducted a literature review. According to those experts, nationally representative surveys would help to improve available information on workplace sexual harassment. Expert recommendations focused on three main areas:
1. Survey administration and resources, including advantages and disadvantages to various federal roles;
2. Methods to collect data, such as using stand-alone surveys or adding questions to existing surveys; and
3. Content of data to be collected, including employee and employer characteristics and specific costs.
More about the report. The GAO noted that while many workers in the United States experience workplace sexual harassment, the extent of sexual harassment and the magnitude of its effects are not fully understood. The GAO was asked to examine the extent to which reliable information is available on the prevalence and costs of workplace sexual harassment. The GAO examined what is known about the prevalence and costs of U.S. workplace sexual harassment, including the federal workforce; the extent to which EEOC collects sexual harassment data; and data collection approaches that experts recommend to improve available information.
To address these objectives, the GAO analyzed EEOC data and survey data from other federal agencies, interviewed officials and reviewed documentation from multiple federal agencies, and interviewed experts on sexual harassment. The GAO also convened roundtable of experts and conducted a literature review.
Source: Written by Pamela Wolf, J.D.
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| | | | CDC guidelines: Interim Operational Considerations for Public Health Management of Healthcare Workers Exposed to or with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19: non-U.S. Healthcare Settings
Read on CDC Website>>
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working closely with international partners to respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. CDC provides technical assistance to help other countries increase their ability to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats, including COVID-19.
This document is provided by CDC and is intended for use in non-US healthcare settings.
Updated Oct. 21, 2020, 12:00 AM
1. Background
While new discoveries continue to be made about COVID-19, early reports indicate that person-to-person transmission most often occurs during close contact with an individual infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are not only at higher risk of infection but can also amplify outbreaks within healthcare facilities if they become ill. Identifying and managing HCWs who have been exposed to a patient with COVID-19 is of great importance in preventing healthcare transmission and protecting staff and vulnerable patients in healthcare settings.
2. Target Audience
These operational considerations are intended to be used by healthcare facilities and public health authorities in non-U.S. healthcare settings, particularly focusing on low- and middle-income countries, assisting with the management of HCWs exposed to a person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
This includes but is not limited to:
- Healthcare facility leadership
- Infection prevention and control (IPC) staff
- Occupational health and worker safety staff
- Public health staff at the national and sub-national level
3. Objectives
The goals of HCW risk assessment, work restriction, and monitoring are to:
- Allow for early identification of HCWs at high risk of exposure to COVID-19;
- Reinforce the need for HCWs to self-monitor for fever and other symptoms, and avoid work when ill;
- Limit introduction and spread of COVID-19 within healthcare facilities by healthcare personnel;
- This document is only intended to advise on the management of HCWs regarding their work within healthcare facilities. Guidance on management of exposed HCWs outside of healthcare facilities (e.g., quarantine, travel-restriction) is beyond the scope of this document. Recommendations are made based on currently available data and subject to change when new information becomes available.
4. Definitions
Healthcare worker – all paid and unpaid persons serving in healthcare settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or their infectious secretions and materials (e.g., doctors, nurses, laboratory workers, facility or maintenance workers, clinical trainees, volunteers).
High risk exposure –
- Close contact (being within 2 meters for a total of 15 minutes or more with a person with COVID-19 ) with a person with COVID-19 in the community[1]; OR
- Providing direct patient care for a patient with COVID-19 (e.g., physical exam, nursing care, performing aerosol-generating procedures, specimen collection, radiologic testing) without using proper personal protective equipment (PPE)[2] or not performing appropriate hand hygiene after these interactions; OR
- Having contact with the infectious secretions from a patient with COVID-19 or contaminated patient care environment, without using proper personal protective equipment (PPE) or not performing appropriate hand hygiene
Low risk exposure – contact with a person with COVID-19 having not met criteria for high-risk exposure (e.g., brief interactions with COVID-19 patients in the hospital or in the community).
Active monitoring – healthcare facility or public health authority establishes a minimum of daily communication with exposed HCWs to assess for the presence of fever or symptoms consistent with COVID-19[3]. Monitoring could involve in-person temperature and symptom checks or remote contact (e.g., telephone or electronic-based communication).
Self-monitoring – HCWs monitor themselves for fever by taking their temperature twice a day and remaining alert for respiratory and other symptoms that may be compatible with COVID-19. HCWs are provided a plan for whom to contact if they develop fever or even mild symptoms during the self-monitoring period to determine whether medical evaluation and testing is needed.
5. Considerations when Managing HCWs Exposed to Individuals with COVID-19
Healthcare facilities may choose to manage exposed HCWs in a variety of ways and may consider multiple factors when deciding on a management strategy for exposed HCWs, including:
- Epidemiology of COVID-19 in the surrounding community;
- Ability to maintain staffing levels to provide adequate care to all patients in the facility;
- Availability of IPC, employee/occupational health, or other chosen personnel to carry out HCW risk assessment and monitoring activities;
- Access to resources that can limit the burden of HCW active monitoring (e.g., electronic tools)
- All healthcare facilities should have an established communication plan for notifying appropriate public health authorities of any HCW who requires testing for COVID-19 during the monitoring period. Staff should be aware of the established procedures for HCWs who have been exposed to a person with COVID-19, and facilities should develop paid sick leave policies and contract extensions that support the ability for staff to avoid work when ill.
Risk Assessment, Work Restriction, and Monitoring
The accompanying flowchart [see Figure] describes possible scenarios for risk assessment of exposed HCWs. Any HCW exposed to a person with COVID-19 in a healthcare facility or in the community should be quickly identified and assessed for fever or symptoms of COVID-19. If found to be symptomatic, they should be immediately restricted from work until a medical evaluation can be completed and testing for COVID-19 considered. If the exposed worker is not symptomatic, an assessment can be done to determine the risk category of exposure, necessary work restriction, and monitoring for 14 days [see Appendix 1pdf icon].
Ideally, HCWs who had a high-risk exposure should be restricted from work and remain quarantined with active monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days after the date of last exposure. If at any time the worker develops fever or symptoms, they should undergo medical evaluation and COVID-19 testing, if indicated. Those who test negative should continue to be restricted from work, actively monitored, and may return to work at the end of the monitoring period if symptoms are resolved. Those HCWs who remain asymptomatic over the monitoring period may likewise return to work after 14 days. See below Considerations When Resources are Limited for alternative strategies if staffing shortages prevent the ability to restrict HCWs from work.
HCWs who had a low-risk exposure and are considered essential staff may continue to work during the 14 days after their last exposure to a patient with COVID-19. These HCWs should preferably be assigned to care for patients with COVID-19 and should perform self-monitoring twice a day. If the worker is scheduled for a shift, they should take their temperature and self-evaluate for symptoms before reporting to work. Healthcare facilities can consider establishing protocols in which HCWs under self-monitoring report their temperature and symptom status to IPC staff, employee/occupational health, or a designated supervisor prior to beginning a shift. If the HCW develops fever or symptoms, they should:
- Not report to work (or should immediately stop patient care if symptoms begin during a work shift);
- Alert their designated point of contact (POC);
- Be restricted from work until medical evaluation and COVID-19 testing can be performed.
If testing is negative and symptoms are resolved, they may return to work while observing standard precautions and continuing to self-monitor for the remainder of the 14 days. Some facilities have instructed any exposed staff that continue working during the 14 days post-exposure (e.g., asymptomatic low-risk exposure or staff who had symptoms, tested negative and returned to work within the exposure period) to wear a medical mask at all times in the facility to reduce the risk of asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic transmission.
Any HCW who tests positive for COVID-19, either in the course of monitoring after an exposure or otherwise, should be immediately restricted from work and public health notified for further case management.
Considerations When Resources are Limited
There may be situations in which healthcare facilities are unable to perform contact tracing of all HCWs exposed to a patient with confirmed COVID-19 or to carry out an individual risk assessment for all exposed HCWs. Some of these scenarios include:
- Inability to perform contact tracing: Healthcare delivery and traffic flow in a healthcare facility can be dynamic, and documentation of staffing assignments may not be routine practice. This has made it challenging for some healthcare facilities to identify all HCWs who had contact with a case. In situations where identifying all exposed HCWs is not possible, facilities have sent a general communication to all facility staff informing them of:
- Exposure risk;
- Associated facility location(s);
- Date(s) and time(s) for potential exposure;
- Instructions for staff to self-identify any known exposures and to notify the designated POC so that risk assessment and public health recommendations can be made;
- Instructions for staff to self-monitor for fever or respiratory symptoms for a chosen period of time and to notify the POC if they become ill.
- Inability to perform individual HCW risk assessments: If many HCWs were exposed to a case or there are limited IPC, employee/occupational health, or public health staff available to assist with public health management, some facilities have found it impractical or impossible to perform individual risk assessments on all exposed HCWs. Efforts have instead focused on identifying staff at highest risk of exposure to COVID-19, including those who were exposed in the setting of an aerosol-generating procedure[4] without the use of appropriate PPE, since this would pose the highest risk of transmission to the HCW. These staff have been designated as potential high-risk exposures, with the remaining exposed staff as potentially exposed. Facilities and public health authorities then determined whether they will manage these staff as low-risk or high-risk while weighing the risks and benefits of each strategy (e.g., available resources, ability to work restrict HCWs, etc.).
- Staff shortages that limit the ability to implement work restrictions: Imposing work restrictions for exposed HCWs may result in staff shortages and potential detriment to patient care for facilities that frequently function over patient capacity or small facilities that maintain only essential staff. In this case, facilities should still perform contact tracing and risk assessment, if possible, with recommended active or self-monitoring depending on the exposure risk level. To avoid critical staffing shortages, some facilities have allowed asymptomatic exposed staff, including those with high-risk exposures, to continue working while wearing a medical mask to reduce the risk of asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic transmission. However, PPE shortages may not allow this strategy to work for many facilities.
- Widespread community transmission: In the setting of community transmission, all HCWs are at some risk for exposure to COVID-19, whether in the workplace or in the community. Devoting resources to contact tracing and retrospective risk assessment could divert valuable public health resources away from other important IPC activities. Facilities have instead focused efforts on strengthening routine IPC practices, including:
- Reinforce the need for standard precautions for all patient encounters;
- Stress the importance of hand hygiene, cough etiquette, and respiratory hygiene;
- Enforce social distancing between HCWs and patients when not involved in direct patient care;
- Instruct all HCWs at the facility to report recognized exposures;
- Have staff regularly self-monitor for fever and symptoms;
- Remind staff to avoid reporting to work when ill;
- When resources are available, instruct staff to wear a medical mask at all times when in the facility as an additional protective measure to limit potential spread among staff and to patients.
Some facilities have developed a plan for all HCWs to report absence of fever and symptoms to a chosen POC before starting work each day for accountability purposes.
Limited Testing Availability
When overall testing capacity has been limited and must be rationed, facilities and public health authorities have prioritized symptomatic HCWs for testing over low-risk groups in the community (e.g., young healthy individuals). If no testing is available, for the purposes of returning to work, these HCWs have been managed as if potentially infected with SARS-CoV-2 and can return to work based on the strategies described below.
6. Management Considerations of HCWs with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19
Previous U.S. CDC and WHO recommendations included a symptom-based strategy and a test-based strategy for returning HCWs with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 to work or discontinue isolation. As described in a Decision Memo, U.S. CDC no longer recommends a test-based strategy based on current evidence. This is consistent with a WHO Scientific Briefexternal icon on discontinuation of isolation for COVID-19. Replication-competent virus has not been recovered after 10 days following symptom onset among individuals with mild to moderate COVID-19 illness. In severely or critically ill patients, including some with severely immunocompromising conditions, an estimated 95% no longer have replication-competent virus 15 days after onset of symptoms. While individuals may continue to shed detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA beyond these time points, a test-based strategy is no longer recommended, with rare exception, because in the majority of cases it results in excluding from work HCWs who continue to shed virus but are no longer infectious.
U.S. CDC recommendations for a symptom-based strategy to determine when HCWs can return to work:
HCWs with mild to moderate illness [5] who are not severely immunocompromised [6]:
- At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and
- At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
- Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved
Note: HCWs who are not severely immunocompromised and were asymptomatic throughout their infection may return to work when at least 10 days have passed since the date of their first positive viral diagnostic test.
HCW with severe to critical illness5 or who are severely immunocompromised:
- At least 10 days and up to 20 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and
- At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
- Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved
- Consider consultation with infection control experts
Note: HCWs who are severely immunocompromised but who were asymptomatic throughout their infection may return to work when at least 10 days and up to 20 days have passed since the date of their first positive viral diagnostic test.
The exact criteria that determine which HCWs will shed replication-competent virus for longer periods are not known. Disease severity factors and the presence of immunocompromising conditions should be considered in determining the appropriate duration of isolation (see footnotes 5 and 6). Consultation with infection control experts should be considered to determine the optimal time for an individual HCW to return to work.
Per the WHO Scientific Briefexternal icon, countries can choose to continue to use a laboratory testing algorithm as part of the criteria for releasing infected individuals from isolation. Countries that decide to adopt a test-based strategy for returning HCWs to work should take into consideration the limitations of this approach, including HCWs who continue to shed virus but are no longer infectious and strain on testing resources.
CDC and WHO recommend all HCWs wear a medical mask for universal source control if there is SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the community. For countries that are not using medical masks for universal source control, HCWs returning to work after SARS-CoV-2 infection should wear a medical mask at all times while in the healthcare facility until all symptoms are completely resolved or at baseline. After returning to work, HCWs should continue to adhere to hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and cough etiquette at all times, and continue to self-monitor for symptoms, seeking medical evaluation if fever or respiratory symptoms worsen or recur.
CDC testing and return to work guidance is based upon currently available evidence and is subject to change as more information becomes available. Please see CDC Criteria for Return to Work for Healthcare Personnel with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 (Interim Guidance) for further updates to these recommendations.
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| | | CDC guidelines: 10 Things Healthcare Professionals Need to Know about U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Plans
Read on CDC Website>>
Updated Oct. 14, 2020
In the United States, there is currently no authorized or approved vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Operation Warp Speedexternal icon has been working since the pandemic started to make a COVID-19 vaccine(s) available as soon as possible. CDC is focused on vaccine planning, working closely with health departments and partners to get ready for when a vaccine(s) is available. CDC does not have a role in developing COVID-19 vaccines.
With the possibility of one or more COVID-19 vaccines becoming available before the end of the year, here are 10 things healthcare professionals need to know about where those plans currently stand.
- Many COVID-19 vaccine candidates are in development, and clinical trials are being conducted simultaneously with large-scale manufacturing. It is not known which vaccines will be authorized or approved—CDC is planning for many possibilities.
CDC is working with partners at all levels, including healthcare associations, on flexible COVID-19 vaccination programs that can accommodate different vaccines and multiple scenarios. CDC is in contact with your state public health department and immunization program manager, and we will continue to stay in contact throughout this entire process.
- The safety of COVID-19 vaccines is a top priority.
The current vaccine safety system is strong and robust, with the capacity to effectively monitor COVID-19 vaccine safety. Existing data systems have validated analytic methods that can rapidly detect statistical signals for possible vaccine safety problems. These systems are being scaled up to fully meet the needs of the nation. Additional systems and data sources are also being developed to further enhance safety monitoring capabilities. CDC is committed to ensuring that COVID-19 vaccines are safe. Learn more about how CDC works to ensure the safety of vaccines in the United States.
- As a patient’s most trusted source of information about vaccines, you will play a critical role in helping build confidence in COVID-19 vaccination.
As you talk with patients, acknowledge the disruption COVID-19 has had on all our lives. This allows you to establish common concerns that can be addressed by vaccination. It’s understandable that patients will have questions and CDC is developing resources to help you address these concerns.
- At least at first, COVID-19 vaccines may be used under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Learn more about FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization authorityexternal icon and watch a video on what an EUA is.
- Once FDA authorizes or approves use of COVID-19 vaccine(s), limited quantities will become available very quickly because of advance planning by the U.S. government and other entities.
Typically, it can take months for a vaccine to become available after it receives FDA authorization or approval, but in the case of COVID-19 vaccine(s), it could be a matter of days. CDC is already planning, in collaboration with many partners, for delivering vaccines. With funding from the federal government, manufacturing capacity for selected vaccine candidates is being advanced while they are still in development rather than waiting to scale up after approval or authorization.
- Limited COVID-19 vaccine doses may be available this year, but supply will increase substantially in 2021.
The goal is for everyone to be able to easily get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as large quantities are available. The federal government began investing in select vaccine manufacturersexternal icon to help them increase their ability to quickly make and distribute a large amount of COVID-19 vaccine.
- If there is limited supply, some groups may be recommended to get a COVID-19 vaccine first.
Experts are working on figuring out how to give these limited vaccines in a fair, ethical, and transparent way. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) gave inputexternal icon to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). ACIP will issue recommendations to CDC once a vaccine(s) is authorized or approved for use.
- All interested vaccination providers may not receive vaccines immediately.
If there is a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines, doses will likely be distributed to providers that serve groups identified to get vaccinated first. There will be an application and onboarding process for those interested in providing COVID-19 vaccines. There are specific logistical requirements, including requirements for vaccine storage and handling, product tracking, administration, and reporting. It will be important to work with your state and local health department to get the latest information on vaccine distribution and availability in your community.
- At first, COVID-19 vaccines may not be authorized, approved, or recommended for children.
Only non-pregnant adults participated in early clinical trialsexternal icon for various COVID-19 vaccines. However, clinical trials continue to expand who is recruited to participate. The groups recommended to receive the vaccines could change in the future.
- COVID-19 vaccine planning is being updated as new information becomes available.
CDC will continue to update this website as plans develop.
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Update from 10/26/2020 (State of Georgia)
Confirmed Cases 351,881
Deaths 7,827
Hospitalizations 31,087
ICU Admissions 5,829
Visit Georgia Department of Health website for more information:
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Georgia Employers' Association |
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