HR & Employee Benefits Insights

 

As Workers Return, Coronavirus Testing Raises Questions

Across America, coronavirus cases are surging. The number of new daily cases has risen exponentially since the middle of June. Still, many workers have been authorized to return to their offices on either a full- or part-time basis. In Washington, the Pentagon has authorized up to 80 percent of its workforce to return.

While many private-sector employers remain cautious about bringing workers back, a Gallup News poll reported increased numbers of workers on-site at workplaces over a seven-week period. The poll also discovered that 46 percent of U.S. workers are concerned about being exposed to coronavirus at work.

Resources are available from the CDC and OSHA that outline standards and directives for employers on how to maximize workplace and worker safety amidst the ongoing pandemic. OSHA also recently released guidance on developing a strategy for employers considering testing employees for coronavirus.

The strategy allows testing to be incorporated as part of a comprehensive approach to reducing transmission in non-healthcare workplaces. Specifically, it recommends testing be conducted in five scenarios:

1.  Testing employees displaying coronavirus symptoms.
2.  Testing workers who were within six feet of an infected employee for 15 minutes or longer.
3.  Testing individuals who are asymptomatic and have had no known exposure to the virus, including an initial screening before returning to the workplace and/or at regular intervals.
4.  Testing to determine when an employee may discontinue home isolation.
5.  Testing to detect transmission hot spots. 

The guidance also recommends that employees undergoing testing receive clear information on the manufacturer, name, type, purpose, reliability and any limitations associated with the test, as well as who will pay for it.