At a press conference given today, Ohio Governor DeWine asked all businesses to immediately implement the following measures:

• All employers should check the temperature of all employees reporting to work every day before entering the work location. While a temperature check is not perfect, it is one method that can be used to assist in screening employees for signs of the virus.

• If an employee’s temperature is elevated or they are exhibiting other signs of infection, such a dry cough or shortness of breath, they should be sent home immediately. Employers must be vigilant in sending employees home to protect other employees and customers from potential exposure. Employers must emphasize that sick employees must stay home. 

In addition, employers are still expected to observe the following:

• Employees who can work from home should be working from home already. If you have not already implemented work-from-home measures, you should do so immediately.

• Workplaces must be arranged in a manner that maintains 6-10 feet of separation between all persons at all times.

• Observe social distancing recommendations- groups of 10 people or more should not congregate. If employees must report to work as essential personnel, distancing measured must be observed.

• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds thoroughly and frequently throughout the day. Implement aggressive cleaning and sanitation measures and ensure ample hand sanitizer, soap and water are available.

• Employees who may have been exposed to coronavirus or have a family member or live with someone else who may have been exposed should self-quarantine immediately.

• All non-essential meetings or social engagements should be canceled.

• Employers should be flexible with their attendance policies- anyone with symptoms, even if mild, are directed to stay home and self-isolate for at least 14 days; employees caring for family members or who otherwise may have been exposed must stay home and self-isolate for at least 14 days.

• Employees laid off due to loss of production, closure of the business, or home due to potential exposure, infection, or caring for a family member as ordered by a healthcare provider, health department, or at the employer’s discretion, may be eligible for unemployment benefits. For more information, see our blog post on the emergency changes made to Ohio unemployment compensation in response to this crisis. [Link]

In response to questions about reports of employers who’ve refused to allow employees to work from home or are not observing social distancing measures, Governor DeWine stated that if companies refuse to comply with the above guidelines voluntarily per the State’s recommendations, the State may be forced to take additional action, which may include an order to close all non-essential businesses. Employers are obligated to provide a safe work environment for all employees, which requires aggressive sanitation practices, social distancing, work from home, implementation of daily temperature checks, and other protective measures communicated.

Additional announcements today:

• Foreclosures and evictions have been suspended for 60 days. Contact your financial institution for details specific to your case, if applicable.

• Franklin County confirmed a positive test result for a 2-year-old toddler.

• 78,000 requests for unemployment in the first 3 days of this week; last week, there were 6,500.

• Hair, nail, tattoo, and spa-related businesses are ordered close by the end of today. Ohio is currently working with the federal government to expand eligibility for unemployment to those 1099 workers affected who would not otherwise be eligible as employees under current law. Ohio is additionally reviewing the eligibility requirements for unemployment compensation to expand access to more affected employees. However, these changes are only in discussion at this point.

• A request for a designation as a “disaster state” has been filed with the SBA; once designated, SBA resources applications will be open for small businesses in Ohio.

• Italy and France report high rates of infection and intensive care needs amongst millennials and younger generations. This is presumed to be due to the increased amount of social activity among younger persons as compared with older persons and the high rate of younger persons ignoring social isolation guidelines and continuing to congregate in groups, leading to increased exposure to potential infection. All generations, including young Americans, are asked to comply with government recommendations to stop socializing, stop congregating in groups of 10 or more- in public and in private settings, and to immediately self-isolate as advised by health experts and the federal and state government. Stay home.