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Los Angeles County has been the epicenter of COVID-19 in California, and it is only getting worse. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LA Department of Public Health) recently announced that daily hospitalizations have been significantly higher than in past weeks. Accordingly, LA County released new and updated guidance to help stop the spread of COVID-19 within the workplace. The guidance includes more stringent employee screenings, requirements to report a cluster of confirmed COVID-19 cases, updates to LA County Reopening Protocols, and requirements that all employees who have regular contact with others wear a face covering or an alternative, regardless of medical conditions.
More Stringent Employee Screenings
LA Department of Public Health has released an Employee Screening form. The form requires employees who have experienced COVID-19 symptoms (defined as fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing) within the past 10 days to be sent home immediately. The form otherwise follows CDC guidance in that employees should also be sent home immediately if they: (1) have an elevated body temperature greater than or equal to 100.4ºF or 38ºC or (2) have had any contact with a person with COVID-19 in the previous 14 days.
Employers Required to Report Clusters of Confirmed Cases
LA Department of Public Health has also updated the Protocol for Social Distancing. In the event that three or more COVID-19 cases are identified within the workplace within a span of 14 days, the employer should report the cluster to the LA Department of Public Health at (888) 397-3993 or (213) 240-7821. A case manager will then be assigned to guide the facility response and provide technical support, implement infection control guidances, and provide site-specific control measures. LA Department of Public Health has released a poster containing this information.
LA County Protocols Updated
LA County Reopening Protocols have also been updated to reflect the changes in the Protocol for Social Distancing. For example, the Office Workspaces guidance addresses the more stringent health screenings, the reporting of clusters of COVID-19 cases and information of face coverings, including that employees be instructed to wear their face coverings daily.
Please keep in mind that the changes in LA County protocols directly impact businesses located in the City of Los Angeles as Mayor Eric Garcetti’s “Safer L.A.” Emergency Order relies upon LA County protocols. Thus, it is very important that businesses located in LA County and the City of Los Angeles continue to monitor LA County Reopening Protocols as they are continuously updated. For example, cardrooms, satellite wagering facilities, and racetracks with onsite wagering are prohibited from allowing the consumption of food and/or beverages at gaming tables, and beaches are closed from July 3 – July 6, 2020.
Face Coverings and Medical Conditions
LA Department of Public Health also has released guidance for individuals with medical conditions who are unable to wear a face covering. In the Guidance for Cloth Face Covering, it was explained that “[i]ndividuals who are exempt from wearing a face covering due to a medical condition and who are employed in a job involving regular contact with others must wear an alternative such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge.”
What Employers Should Know Now
Many California localities have released guidance and provisions with the intention to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Currently, the risk of spreading the disease is exemplified in Los Angeles County and more stringent standards have been put into place. Contact Payne & Fears LLP if you have any questions.
