Date: March 13th, 2020
To: All Employees
From: Tasha Ervin-Gillespie, Employee Relations Manager
RE: Coronavirus and Flu Prevention
The world health community continues to monitor closely the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, named “coronavirus disease 2019” (COVID-19). At this time, no one knows how severe this outbreak will be. Given this uncertainty, and the fact that the seasonal influenza (flu) virus is also widespread, we are taking proactive steps to address a number of business concerns. First and foremost, we want to maintain a safe workplace and encourage and/or adopt practices protecting the health of employees, customers, visitors or others. We also want to ensure the continuity of business operations in the event of a pandemic.
In regards to BCforward’s employees working at client sites, BCforward’s intent is to defer to the protocols established by our clients and their individual sites. As BCforward receives more specific direction from each of its clients, this information will be promptly communicated to BCforward employees at the respective client sites.
Should you have any specific questions regarding how your specific client and/or client is responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, please reach out to your on-site client manager and/or BCforward Employee Relations.
Nonetheless, we ask all employees to cooperate in taking steps to reduce the transmission of communicable diseases in the workplace. Employees are reminded of the following:
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Wash your hands frequently with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds.
- Cover your mouth with tissues whenever you sneeze, and discard used tissues in the trash.
- Avoid people who are sick with respiratory symptoms.
- Clean frequently touched surfaces.
It is critical that employees do not report to work while they are experiencing respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills or fatigue. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that employees remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C) or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. Many times, with the best of intentions, employees report to work even though they feel ill. Employees who report to work ill will be sent home in accordance with these health guidelines.
Please contact Employee Relations with any questions or concerns.
