As more health and safety measures are put in place in response to COVID-19, businesses across the country are being affected. Below are some best practices for business owners to consider during the current pandemic as well as any future event.
Your health and safety, as well as the health and safety of everyone in your community, is paramount. Before making professional or personal decisions, review and consider the latest information and guidance available from Health Authorities.
All your contracts should have specific procedures documented to prepare you and your clients for situations that are out of your control (including Force Majeure events). For existing contracts, defer to the procedures you set in place. Those procedures should include your cancellation and rescheduling policies, as well as how you communicate with your clients regarding project timelines. Going forward, if you do not already have illness/epidemics/pandemics and other examples explicitly listed under what constitutes as a Force Majeure event, you should consider including them to future contracts.
The key during these challenging times is to communicate with your clients. Remind your clients that the priority for your company is their health and safety as well as the health and safety of your employees and subcontractors. Follow the procedures set out in your contract if you need to delay a project. Clearly communicate any change in milestones or delivery dates. At this time, no one can know what the next few weeks will hold. Stay in contact with your client(s) and reassure them you are monitoring information coming from Health Authorities and will contact them when the situation changes.
The federal government has announced measures to financially support Canadians and businesses that are affected by the pandemic, including:
Waiving the one-week waiting period for people who are in quarantine or have been directed to self-isolate and are claiming for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits.
Enhancing the Work-Sharing Program to help employers who are experiencing a downturn in business due to COVID-19, and their workers.
Supporting businesses should the economy experience tightening credit conditions, by acting swiftly to stimulate the economy by strengthening investment in federal lending agencies. In addition, flexible arrangements could be made for businesses trying to meet payment obligations to the Canada Revenue Agency.
CHBA will keep members informed if/when new measures are announced.
At this time, Health Authorities advise that companies maintain social distancing as much as possible. However, if you still have people working in your workplace, below are some best practices to protect yourself and others from getting sick. General Rules o Make sure your workplaces are clean and hygienic. o Surfaces (e.g. desks and tables) and objects (e.g. telephones, keyboards) need to be wiped with disinfectant regularly. Sanitation o Promote regular and thorough hand-washing by employees, contractors and customers. o Put sanitizing hand rub dispensers in prominent places around the workplace. o Make sure that staff, contractors and customers have access to places where they can wash their hands with soap and water. Remember – the best practice is to wash with soap and warm water for at least 20-seconds. Good Hygiene in the Workplace o Promote good respiratory hygiene in the workplace – cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze – not with your hand, use the crook of your arm, this will help prevent you from spreading germs to other objects and/or people. o Please DO NOT use a mask if you are not infected. It is not necessary to make use of this resource as a precautionary measure. There is currently a shortage of masks world-wide, a much needed protection device for front-line workers. o Ensure Kleenex are available at your workplaces, for those who develop a runny nose or cough at work, along with closed bins for hygienically disposing of them. Proactive Measures o Brief your employees, contractors and customers that if COVID-19 starts spreading in your community anyone with even a mild cough or low-grade fever needs to stay at home. They should also stay home (or work from home) if they have had to take simple medications, such as paracetamol/acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin, which may mask symptoms of infection. o Keep communicating and promoting the message that people need to stay at home even if they have just mild symptoms of COVID-19. o Display posters with this message in your workplaces. Combine this with other communication channels commonly used in your organization or business. Remember to stay vigilant but that there is no need to panic. CHBA will continue to engage with members on this topic as more information is made available.