Resources for American Business in the Time of Covid-19 Pandemic
Department of Commerce Office of Business Liaison
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Resources for Businesses and Employers: Plan, prepare, and respond to coronavirus disease 2019
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/businesses-employers.html
Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
OSHA and Workforce Issus
OSHA’s Landing Page for COVID-19
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/
OSHA standards and directives (instructions for compliance officers) and other related information
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/standards.html
Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 (Booklet)
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf
Guidance from 03/23/20 Call with Dr. Christopher Brown, OSHA:
COVID-19 can be a recordable illness if a worker is infected as a result of performing their work-related duties. However, employers are only responsible for recording cases of COVID-19 if all the following are met:
- The case is a confirmed case of COVID-19 (see CDC information on persons under investigation and presumptive positive and laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19);
- The case is work-related, as defined by 29 CFR 1904.5; and
- The case involves one or more of the general recording criteria set forth in 29 CFR 1904.7 (e.g. medical treatment beyond first-aid, days away from work).
Temporary Enforcement Guidance – Healthcare Respiratory Protection Annual Fit-Testing for N95 Filtering Facepieces During the COVID-19 Outbreak. OSHA Memorandum (March 14, 2020). Note: This guidance is effective as of March 14, 2020, and will remain in effect until further notice. Please check this webpage for updates.
Essential Operations
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Guidance for State & Local Government -“Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers” (Industries and Sectors Thought to Be Essential)
https://www.cisa.gov/publication/guidance-essential-critical-infrastructure-workforce
Immigration, Border and Visa Issues:
Fact Sheet: DHS Measures on the Border to Limit the Further Spread of Coronavirus
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/03/23/fact-sheet-dhs-measures-border-limit-further-spread-coronavirus
Joint Statement on US-Canada Joint Initiative: Temporary Restriction of Travelers Crossing the US-Canada Land Border for Non-Essential Purposes
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/03/20/joint-statement-us-canada-joint-initiative-temporary-restriction-travelers-crossing
“The United States and Canada recognize it is critical we preserve supply chains between both countries. These supply chains ensure that food, fuel, and life-saving medicines reach people on both sides of the border. Supply chains, including trucking, will not be impacted by this new measure. Americans and Canadians also cross the land border every day to do essential work or for other urgent or essential reasons, and that travel will not be impacted.”
Joint Statement on US-Mexico Joint Initiative to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/03/20/joint-statement-us-mexico-joint-initiative-combat-covid-19-pandemic
Emails for Questions:
FEMA’s National Business Emergency Operations Center – NBEOC@max.gov
Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and FEMA’s Office of Business, Industry, Infrastructure and Integration (OB3I)
CISA.CAT@CISA.dhs.gov
Business and Infrastructure partners are also invited to access the FEMA NBEOC Operations Dashboard
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/nbeoc