How To Prevent COVID-19 Panic Among Your Employees
So, we have all heard about COVID-19, this virus has been sweeping the world both literally and through the media. We are hearing more and more about it each day as health officials and public officials alike warn the public to take precautions.
It is too early to tell just how big a problem COVID-19 will become, but it is always best to be prepared. If the spread of this virus continues, your employees will become more concerned and they will look towards you, the business owner and your human resources department to offer them guidance. It is up to you to have a plan.
The experts at ACAwise have some advice to help prepare you and your HR department.
Get Informed
Your human resources department must be equipped with the most up to date information to be able to answer your employees’ questions. They will look to this department for answers when it comes to staying healthy in the workplace. Currently, this is what is known about Covid-19…
The origin of this virus is actually pretty mysterious. Scientists theorize that it most likely originated in small animals and worked its way up to humans.
According to the CDC, these are the symptoms that you need to watch out for. One of the most interesting aspects of this virus is that the symptoms can present in a major way or a very minor way and cases can vary widely in intensity.
Overall, the main symptoms are cough, fever, and shortness of breath. These symptoms can present themselves in as early as 2 days or as late as 2 weeks following exposure.
Communicate With Your Health Insurance Provider
The employees of your company may have questions about their health insurance coverage. They will probably want to know what kind of COVID-19 precautions are covered under the plan that you offer them.
It is a great idea to get ahead of the panic and anxiety. Ask your insurance provider these questions now. Find out if they have a response plan for COVID-19 that you can relay to your employees. Do they cover COVID-19 testing? Hopefully none of your employees will ever need this coverage, but at least they will know if it is available.
Make A Plan
Have a plan, even if you never have to set it in motion. How will you address the spread of this virus? Will telecommuting be an option for your employees? Do you need to update your current PTO policies? These are the questions that you should bring to your human resources department so that together you can devise a complete plan.
Stay Ahead Of The Buzz
There is more information released by the media everyday pertaining to COVID-19. It may be a good idea to appoint one of the employees in your human resources department to keep up with the daily “buzz”. This way they can weed out what your employees actually need to know for their own safety.
It will be important to monitor what your state and local government are recommending to large employers like yourself. The best way to tackle COVID-19 is to stay ahead of the buzz and be prepared rather than anxious.
ACAwise is all about solutions, especially when it comes to your ACA reporting. Do you need a full-service solution to ensure that your business is able to meet the March 31, 2020 reporting deadline? Reach out to our team of experts today, we can help you maintain your IRS compliance and avoid any unwanted penalties!
