BULLETIN
June 02, 2020 (UPDATE)
On Friday, May 29, 2020, Governor Pritzker signed an Executive Order that directs Illinois employers to follow the new Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Phase 3 guidelines as part of their reopening process. Although the wording of the order could be interpreted to require companies follow all of the guidelines, we are awaiting additional guidance to determine which aspects are required or recommended.
The guidelines are separated by industry. Click the following links to access each industry’s guidelines:
Summary of Key Minimum Guidelines for Offices to Reopen
- All employees should complete health and safety training related to COVID-19 when initially returning to work. Resources to design a training are posted on the DCEO Restore Illinois guidelines website.
- Employers should make temperature checks available for employees and encourage their use. Employers should post information about the symptoms of COVID-19 in order to allow employees to self-assess whether they have any symptoms and should consider going home.
- All employers should have a wellness screening program. Resources outlining screening program best practices are posted on the DCEO Restore Illinois website.
- Employer should conduct in-person screening of employees upon entry into workplace to verify no presence of COVID-19 symptoms
- Employer should also conduct mid-shift screening to verify presence of COVID-19 symptoms (in person preferred, though virtually is permitted)
- All employees who can work from home should continue to do so.
- Employees should wear face coverings over their nose and mouth when within 6-ft. of others (cloth masks preferred). Exceptions may be made where accommodations are appropriate – see IDHR’s guidance.
- Display signage at office entrances with face covering requirements, social distancing guidelines, and cleaning protocols, in multiple languages as needed.
- Before allowing external supplier or visitor to enter, or while requiring them to wait in a designated area, tenant should ask whether external supplier or visitor is currently exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.
- If practical, tenant should take external supplier or visitor temperature using thermometer (infrared/thermal cameras preferred, touchless thermometers permitted)
- If multi-tenant building, landlord is responsible for screening at loading dock
- Tenant should keep a log of all external suppliers and any visitors who enter the office.
- Suppliers and visitors should wear face coverings over their nose and mouth when entering premises (exceptions can be made for people with medical conditions or disabilities that prevent them from safely wearing a face covering).
Stay up-to-date with the latest material on our coronavirus web page – dedicated to sharing information about COVID-19 and how it relates to the workplace: https://www.employco.com/coronavirus
Please contact us if you have any questions.
