QUESTION: Mary travelled to another country before the pandemic took place. When she came back, the company already had a pandemic preparedness plan in place. Should HR wait for Mary to report sick before deciding if she’s fit to work?
ANSWER: No. The company shouldn’t allow Mary to go back to work until she follows the guidelines from CDC. In case an employee comes back from travelling, the CDC recommends Mary take a 14-day self-quarantine with strict guidelines. CDC also allow employees to return to work in less than 14 days if they meet the criteria needed to end self-quarantine. This is usually determined by following both the CDC guidelines and Mary’s local healthcare provider. Of course, it’s important for Mary’s company to be updated with Mary’s status once or before the 14 days are over.
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In times like these, I believe in doing whatever we can to help each other out. So, I’ve created these Covid-19 EZ HR Emergency Response Packages to help organizations in complying for FMLA and sick leaves.
Let’s help each other be prepared!