Click here for the full Coronavirus section of our website
(Resources and Updates from ABC Keystone and ABC National, Virtual Training & More)
We’re Here for You!
This is an unprecedented and confusing time for business owners. In an effort to provide you with valuable resources* that you can use, below is a listing of links that we will continue to update and add to in the weeks ahead. Please check back often for updates. For specific questions that you might have, please feel free to reach out to dave@abckeystone.org.
*The information contained in the Coronavirus Update and Resources webpages is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or opinion, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney. We encourage you to reach out to your attorneys, accountants, insurers and other parties for advice. For your convenience, you can access a listing of ABC Keystone member associates here.
The Latest from ABC:
Updated COVID-19 Vaccination Guidance Issued for Federal Contractors – 11/17/21
The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force recently issued updated guidance on when covered contractor employees must be vaccinated, as well as new FAQS on vaccination and safety protocols in workplaces. Read more.
Learn About COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Federal Contractors – 10/13/21
ABC’s Coronavirus Update webpage now has a new section for federal contractors that are subject to President Biden’s recent executive order mandating their covered employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8 unless the covered federal contractor is legally required to provide an accommodation for medical or religious reasons. Learn the details and read about ABC’s advocacy on the issue at abc.org/coronavirus.
ABC Updates COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit With Latest Resources – 9/20/21
In light of changing guidance regarding vaccine policies, ABC has updated resources on the COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit as part of the Coronavirus Update webpage to help inform and educate members about the latest available resources and information on the COVID-19 vaccine.
The webpage, which includes information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, is organized in seven different categories so that members can easily navigate through the available resources:
- COVID-19 Vaccines – Important Things to Know
- COVID-19 Vaccination for Workplaces
- EEOC Guidance on EEO Law and COVID-19 Vaccination
- COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates
- Common Questions Regarding COVID-19 Vaccines
- Additional Resources
- ABC National Webinars
Disclaimer: Issues related to COVID-19 vaccination in the workplace are governed by various laws and regulations. The resources available on the COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit webpage do not convey or constitute legal advice, nor are they intended to be acted upon as such. Employers should consult with counsel for guidance on legal questions related to COVID-19 vaccinations in the workplace.
The Latest from the DOL (4/27/21):
DOL Launches COVID-19 Worker Protections Resource Page
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division launched its Essential Workers – Essential Protections initiative to provide resources and offer information on common issues that employers and employees face during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the DOL website, WHD’s initiative offers information on the federal laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act, that provide critical worker protections regarding wages and hours worked and job-protected leave during the pandemic, including the following resources:
- COVID-19 and the Fair Labor Standards Act: Questions and Answers
- COVID-19 and the Family and Medical Leave Act: Questions and Answers
- U.S. Department of Labor Coronavirus Resources
- IRS Paid Sick Leave Tax Credit
Additionally, WHD is offering various training opportunities for workers and employers on these workplace protections through the Essential Workers – Essential Protections initiative.
More information on these protections and other COVID-19 resources can be found on the DOL website and at abc.org/coronavirus
COVID-19 Safety Guidance for the Construction Industry:
- CISC releases updated COVID-19 prevention, preparedness and response plan (11/6/20). Learn more at http://ow.ly/Glub50CbOmQ
- Guidance for Businesses in the Construction Industry Permitted to Operate During the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency
- Construction Guidance During COVID-19 FAQs recently provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.Download a pdf of the FAQs here.
- For Philadelphia construction please see additional requirements here. Philadelphia training requirement for Pandemic Safety Officers can be found here.
- Lancaster City Council has adopted additional construction industry safety policies at their recent meeting – find those requirements here.
View the Construction Safety Task Force Report Developed by ABC Pennsylvania
Note: In anticipation of construction reopening on May 8, and to assist members that are in need of resources, ABC Pennsylvania (ABC PA) created a COVID-19 Construction Safety Task Force to provide guidance, best practices, and standards for the construction industry to incorporate into their required plans. ABC PA has extended an open invitation to partner with Governor Wolf, the legislature, and industry partners on ways to implement these strong, reasonable, and practical safety standards. While we do not yet have information as to what Governor Wolf’s final guidelines will be, we encourage you to read the report prepared by the Task Force and to start making your preparations now for reopening.
View the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Plan for Construction developed by The Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC)
FREE PPE: Are you a Lancaster business with 100 employees or fewer? You can now sign up for a free kit that includes a mix of personal protective equipment, as well as some cleaning and disinfecting materials. GET YOUR KIT
FDA advises consumers not to use hand sanitizer products manufactured by Eskbiochem
Supplemental Health and Safety Plan to Address Novel Coronavirus/COVID-19 – CLICK to Download
Note: The above is provided as a supplement for your company’s Safety Plans and Procedures. Please consult with your insurance providers and attorneys for advice.
Download the HR Toolkit – An Employer’s Guide to COVID-19 from ABC Insurance Trust
ABC National Information Resources:
- ABC National’s COVID-19 Updates & Resources
- ABC National Webinars: ABC National is providing webinars to help you navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Please see the latest offerings here.
- ABC Emergency Preparedness and Response Resources
- COVID-19 Planning Project Shutdown
- Recommended Best Practices by ABC National Safety & Health Committee
- Coronavirus and the Construction Industry: How to Handle an Inevitable Delay
- Federal Updates
- ABC Newsline
- ABC Twitter
- ABC Facebook
City, State Government and Healthcare Industry Information Resources:
- Watch Live Stream Press Conferences from Governor Tom Wolf
- Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) – Includes link for applying for a waiver (UPDATED: This process closed 4/3)
- Life-sustaining Businesses FAQs from DCED
- Wolf’s Clarification of Essential & Non-essential Businesses
- CLICK HERE for the Most Current List of Exempt Industries
- COVID-19 Resources for Businesses, Communities, and Local Governments from DCED
- PA Department of Health
- Penn Medicine Coronavirus Updates
- Lancaster Chamber Resource Links
- Emergency Planning COVID-19 Pennsylvania Department of Education
- Pennsylvania 811 Information
- Lancaster Chamber Webinars
Federal Government and Healthcare Information Resources:
- DOL Issues Q&A About Face Coverings, Surgical Masks and Respirators in the Workplace
- EPA, CDC Release Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Spaces Where Americans Live, Work, and Play
Guidance helps facilities and families implement Opening Up American Again guidelines - EPA List of Disinfectant Products
- Center for Disease Control Information – COVID-19
- CDC’s COVID-19 Webpage
- COVID-19 Employer Information for Office Buildings – NEW as of 5/28/20
- Evaluating and Testing Persons for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) from the CDC
- Department of Labor Posters – Families First Coronavirus Response Act:
- Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Health & Safety Institute COVID-19 Resources
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- World Health Organization
- Quick COVID-19 Tips from the Department of Labor – Short, Shareable Motion Graphics highlighting healthy and safety tips in English and Spanish
- Watch Live Stream Press Conferences from the White House
OSHA Resources:
- OSHA’s COVID-19 Webpage
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Recent OSHA Updates:
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OSHA Releases Updated COVID-19 Guide – Wednesday, July 14, 2021 9:22 AM
On July 12, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Alliance program released an updated guide containing COVID-19 guidance and resources for employers from a variety of agencies including the DOL, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, the guide includes input from industry groups on best practices for COVID-19 safety in the workplace.
OSHA has included a list of general COVID-19 resources grouped by agency, including those on the OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard and updated enforcement policies, and sections on reopening workplaces, cloth face coverings and respiratory protection, vaccines, and additional industry-specific COVID-19 resources grouped by industry, such as the construction sector. As with previous versions, it is intended as a resource and is not comprehensive.
The Alliance COVID-19 resource guide can be accessed here.
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- Guidance (1/29/21): The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued stronger guidance on identifying coronavirus exposure risks and implementing a COVID-19 Prevention Program at work.
- Guidance: OSHA issued guidance on keeping cleaning staff safe. (OSHA 4097-2020)
- Guidance: OSHA issued guidance on keeping in-home repair service workers safe. (OSHA 4101)
- Guidance: OSHA issued guidance on keeping dine-in restaurant staff safe. (OSHA 4099)
- Updated: frequently asked questions and answers (FAQs) regarding the need to report employees’ in-patient hospitalizations and fatalities resulting from work-related cases of the coronavirus.OSHA’s new FAQs provide information to help employers apply the agency’s existing injury and illness recording and reporting requirements to the coronavirus. In particular, the FAQs provide guidance on how to calculate reporting deadlines for in-patient hospitalizations and fatalities, and clarify the meaning of the term “incident” as it relates to work-related coronavirus in-patient hospitalizations and fatalities. These FAQs are the latest effort by OSHA to provide employers and employees with more information about how it will enforce its standards and regulations during the pandemic.
- Revised enforcement guidance detailing how OSHA will enforce the recordkeeping requirements of 29 CFR 1904 for employee coronavirus illnesses for all employers.
- Frequently asked questions and answers regarding the use of masks in the workplace
- OSHA Alert: COVID-19 Guidance for the Construction Workforce – PDF
- On May 26, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the OSHA Alliance Program issued an updated list of COVID-19 resources from various federal and state agencies and nongovernment organizations.The document includes both a list of general COVID-19 resources grouped by agency and additional, industry-specific COVID-19 resources, including the following materials for the construction industry:
- OSHA/State Plan:
- CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training
- The General Building Contractors Association
- OSHA Guidance on COVID-19
- Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Memorandum on Discretion in Enforcement when Considering an Employer’s Good Faith Efforts During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
- OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements
- PA OSHA Consultation Resources
- Guidance for the Package Delivery Workforce (Spanish)
- Guidance for the Manufacturing Industry Workforce (Spanish)
- Release: OSHA Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of COVID-19
OSHA has several Industry-Specific Alerts. The latest release is for the construction workforce. See list below:
- COVID-19 Guidance for the Construction Workforce (Spanish)
- COVID-19 Guidance for the Manufacturing Industry Workforce (Spanish)
- COVID-19 Guidance for the Package Delivery Workforce (Spanish)
- COVID-19 Guidance for Retail Workers (Spanish)
- Prevent Worker Exposure to Coronavirus (COVID-19) (Spanish)
- Ten Steps All Workplaces Can Take to Reduce Risk of Exposure to Coronavirus” poster – now available in 13 languages
Unemployment Compensation (UC), Worker’s Compensation Information, and Notices:
- Update on Unemployment Pin Access Complications
- PA Office of Unemployment Compensation – Information for Pennsylvania Employees Impacted by COVID-19
- Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation Filing Materials Checklist for Employees
- Unemployment Compensation Benefits & COVID-19 FAQs for Employees
- Employers & Unemployment Compensation – COVID-19 FAQs for Employers
- Unemployment Compensation Chart from the PA Department of Labor & Industry – provides clarity on frequently asked questions
- Workers’ Compensation & COVID-19 FAQs
- DOL Guidance Regarding the Paid Sick and Family Leave Requirements Under the Family First Coronavirus Response Act
- Families First Coronavirus Response Act Notice (FFCRA) – Frequently Asked Questions
- Download the FFCRA Notice Poster
- Layoff Checklist for Employees and Employers
- Health Insurance Options for Laid Off Workers
- Click here for a PA Chamber summary of both Pennsylvania and Federal changes to the unemployment compensation system
Financial Resources:
- Beginning June 30, eligible businesses may begin applying for the COVID-19 Relief Statewide Small Business Assistance program here. The first application window will remain open for ten days.
- Gov. Wolf Announces $225 Million Grant Program for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 – 6/8
- Coronavirus Tax Relief for Businesses and Tax-Exempt Entities
- PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOANS – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) as of May 3, 2020
- SBA and Treasury Issue New PPP Documents:
- Interim Final Rule on Nondiscrimination and Additional Eligibility Criteria
- An updated Frequently Asked Questions Document (Questions 44 & 45 – Released May 6, 2020).
- Summary of PPP2 loan data as of 5pm EDT – Wednesday, May 6, 2020
- Requirements for loan forgiveness.
- Lenders’ responsibilities in the forgiveness process and SBA’s procedures for reviewing loans to determine borrower eligibility
- Paycheck Protection Program FAQs for Small Businesses
- New EZ version of the forgiveness application
- Important Updates Related to the Lancaster County Economic Recovery Plan – PPE for Small Business & Small Business Recovery & Sustainability Fund
- Congress Extends Paycheck Protection Program With New Guidance From Federal Agencies – Bill verbiage, FAQs and more
- Guidance Regarding Small Business Association Loans
- Three Loan Opportunities that Could Help Small Businesses Survive COVID-19 – Lehigh Valley Business Journal
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources
- SBA Loans & Cash Help For Contractors Getting Crushed By Coronavirus
- $100,000 Low Interest Loans Available for Small Businesses
- Click here for information and to apply for a federal Economic Injury Disaster Loan of up to $2 million, including a grant of up to $10,000 available within three days of a successful application.
- Click here for guidance on key business programs in the recently-passed federal financial recovery bill.
- Click here for an explanation of the Paycheck Protection Program to provide loans for small businesses.
- Click here for information on Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 Working Capital Access Program to provide working capital financing to impacted small businesses.
Coronavirus Emergency Relief Legislation:
- Click here to learn about the Senate CARES bill tax provisions.
- Click here to learn about the Senate CARES bill unemployment provisions.
- Click here to learn about the Senate CARES bill small business provisions.
- Click here to learn about the Senate CARES bill distressed industries provisions.
Please consult with your legal/accounting/insurance team for advice. There are restrictions to which you are subject as a result of the acceptance of a mid-sized business loan under the CARES Act.
Department of Labor Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Resources:
- Fact Sheet for Employers
- Fact Sheet for Employees
- FAQs
- DOL Press Release on Guidance Materials
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ABC general counsel Littler Mendelson’s analysis of DOL’s guidance.
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Additional DOL resources can be found on ABC’s Coronavirus Update webpage.
- Fact Sheet for Employers (Spanish pdf)
- Fact Sheet for Employees (Spanish pdf)
- FAQs
- Poster—Employee Rights
- Posting Requirements—FAQs
- Field Assistance Bulletin—Enforcement Guidance
- March 26 DOL Press Release
- DOL’s WHD COVID-19 and the American Workplace
COVID-19 Toolbox Talks from ABC National:
- COVID19 Overview
- COVID19-Control and Prevention
- CDC Coronavirus Posters for Workplace
- CDC Coronavirus Print Resources
- Supplemental Toolbox Talks COVID-19
- Coronavirus Toolbox Talk
- COVID-19 in Construction Workplace
- COVID-19 Safety Meeting Outlines
- COVID-19 Toolbox Talks for Subs
- Fact Sheet for Pandemics
- Marek Brother Toolbox Talk
- COVID-19 Action Plan
- Pandemic Preparedness – Coronavirus
- Coronavirus – Workplace, School and Home Guidance
- COVID-19 Tool Cleaning Protocols
Mental Health Resources:
- Download the Mental Health Toolkit from Mental Health America – May is Mental Health Month!
- Implement a Suicide Prevention Program in the Workplace
- Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention COVID-19 Resources
- Free LivingWorks Start online suicide prevention training available through the Construction Alliance for Suicide Prevention
- Recommended COVID-19 Response Plan for Construction Employers from the Construction Industry Alliance:
- Engaging your EAP
- How to Help Your Employees Cope with the Stress if COVID-19
- ToolBox Talk – Mental Health
If you have not already taken the pledge to STAND up for Suicide Prevention, there is no better time than now to declare your commitment to full worker safety. Taking the pledge not only demonstrates your support but ensures you will continue to receive updates and resources as a CIASP stakeholder.
Additional Resources:
- Lorman Online COVID-19 Webinars – ABC Keystone Members: Mention Priority code 16007 and discount code T7434343 at time of registration purchase
- 65 Free Tools to Help You Through the Coronavirus Pandemic
Donations:
- How to Donate Respirators & Other Items to Lancaster-area Hospitals
- From the PA Chamber: “A complete list of in-demand supplies that are needed can be found here. If you are able to assist in this crucial request, please email opportunities@hapevolve.com. Any questions may be directed to Joe Tibbs, President of HAPEvolve, who is coordinating the effort on behalf of HAP. We are urging all businesses that believe they are able to turn their existing supply chain into the PPE output that the health care industry so desperately needs to please contact PA Chamber Government Affairs Director Kevin Sunday at 717 645-2071 or ksunday@pachamber.org.”
Food Banks are in dire need of donations right now. To discover how to provide assistance during this time as many locations can not currently accept in-person drop offs, please see the links below or visit the website of the location nearest you. If you’d like your local food bank website added to this list, please email kristi@abckeystone.org.