[82 Card]

OSHA has prepared a handy guidance document (really, they are just echoing the CDC).  It looks like your firm may be in the lower exposure risk category, unless you have frequent client meetings in the office, which I suspect will be another casualty of the COVID era.  It sounds like OSHA recommends that firms in the low exposure risk category do... nothing special.

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf

That's not exactly right, as there is a fairly long section on steps all employers can take.

BC

My wife works for an organization that is thinking of re-opening to the public soon, and she's been looking for some sort of official guidance, too.  This OSHA document is weak tea.  Everything is suggested, and the document doesn't seem to even consider asymptomatic transmission.  E.g.,  for medium risk jobs, they say, "consider offering masks to ill employees and customers" [emphasis mine].  So only sick people get masks, and even then it's at the whim of the employer?  They even talk about international travelers as being a high-risk group.  Was this written in February?  It's not helpful. Employers will use this sort of thing to justify doing the bare minimum or nothing.

Feels like this was written to appeal to the lowest common denominator of people concerned about the virus.

Based on news reports, it is my understanding that CDC all of a sudden watered down it's advice some time in February. Things that were requirements became suggestions to consider. If the intent is to act in good faith and protect the people in the firm, you need to consider CDC suggestions as at least strong recommendations or requirements. That's how they would have been written two months ago.

[82 Card]

OSHA has prepared a handy guidance document (really, they are just echoing the CDC).  It looks like your firm may be in the lower exposure risk category, unless you have frequent client meetings in the office, which I suspect will be another casualty of the COVID era.  It sounds like OSHA recommends that firms in the low exposure risk category do... nothing special.

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf

That's not exactly right, as there is a fairly long section on steps all employers can take.

BC

My wife works for an organization that is thinking of re-opening to the public soon, and she's been looking for some sort of official guidance, too.  This OSHA document is weak tea.  Everything is suggested, and the document doesn't seem to even consider asymptomatic transmission.  E.g.,  for medium risk jobs, they say, "consider offering masks to ill employees and customers" [emphasis mine].  So only sick people get masks, and even then it's at the whim of the employer?  They even talk about international travelers as being a high-risk group.  Was this written in February?  It's not helpful. Employers will use this sort of thing to justify doing the bare minimum or nothing.

Feels like this was written to appeal to the lowest common denominator of people concerned about the virus.

Based on news reports, it is my understanding that CDC all of a sudden watered down it's advice some time in February. Things that were requirements became suggestions to consider. If the intent is to act in good faith and protect the people in the firm, you need to consider CDC suggestions as at least strong recommendations or requirements. That's how they would have been written two months ago.