New employment guidelines every employer must know: Your WellSky COVID-19 Briefing
As states open for business across the U.S., COVID-19 case counts are increasing. More than ever, you need a resource that provides the timely information you need to be successful. The WellSky COVID-19 Weekly Briefing is published every Tuesday and covers the top news and guidance for home health, hospice, and personal care providers. This week’s edition by renowned healthcare policy consultant Sharon Harder, president of C3 Advisors, LLC, is out now. Click here to download. (It’s free.)
Editor’s pick from this week’s briefing
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published new guidelines last week that are intended to help employers navigate the challenges of COVID-19 in the workplace. This week’s briefing includes an eye-opening interview with renowned healthcare attorney Robert Markette of Hall, Render, Killian, Health & Lyman, PC. Based on the EEOC guidance, Mr. Markette addresses challenging questions that pertain to common, real-world scenarios that you might face at your agency, such as:
- If we have an employee who indicates, even casually, that he/she has respiratory symptoms or a fever, what is our best course of action?
- Can employers require staff members who have been on medical leave due to COVID-19 to have an antibody test before being allowed to return to work?
- What should an agency do if a team member has a condition like asthma and diabetes that could place them at a higher risk for severe illness if they contract COVID-19?
Employment issues are complex and are governed by a myriad of rules. As Mr. Markette explains in the interview, “The EEOC enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other anti-discrimination laws, including the Rehabilitation Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, among others. The ADA applies to employers with more than 15 employees, and that includes most home health and hospice providers.”
These are current issues that every agency leader will want to know! Read the full interview in this week’s briefing now.
Also in this week’s briefing
NEWS | What’s happening in nursing homes? New data and investigations
Nursing homes have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, but fluctuating case data has made the facts confusing. Read more…
NEWS | Senators show their support for telehealth expansion
Last week, 30 senators sent a letter to leadership in support of recent expansions of telehealth during the public health emergency. Read more…
COMPLIANCE | The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): An update
The PPP continues to evolve. Get the latest on the two loan forgiveness forms and the recent announcements that some loans will be made public. Read more…
ADMINISTRATIVE | From the frontline: How to maintain a healthy team
Infection prevention and control are going to be long-term components of the “new normal” — not just to protect patients, but to protect your staff, too. Read more…
ADMINISTRATIVE | Who is receiving Provider Relief Funds?
Wondering how many home health, hospice, and home care agencies received relief funds. We’ve got the data and break it down for you. Read more…