Coronavirus: Tips For Employee Wellbeing And Your Business

Coronavirus cases have been diagnosed in Australia and don’t just pose potential risks to public health – it also impacts businesses and employees. The World Health Organisation has now declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. Australian governments and responsible agencies have taken immediate protective measures. Prudent employers will be planning now to manage the impact on their employees and their business.

What you can do now:

For employee wellbeing:

• Consider measures to deal with the immediate risk of the spread of coronavirus to protect employees and your business, including leave arrangements for employees diagnosed with the virus, recommending isolation by a government agency or self-imposed isolation for a period of at least 14 days for any employees who have recently returned from China.
  
• An employer should consider its own work arrangements and employment related obligations and make an assessment of the risks (if any) in relation to its own business and circumstances, in deciding upon ways to manage matters on the ground that are best suited to its business.
  
• Employers will need to balance their legal obligation to take precautions to protect the health and wellbeing of workers where there is a real risk of contraction of coronavirus, together with meeting their obligations under anti-discrimination legislation.
  
• Carefully reconsider any travel for work related purposes to mainland China.
  
• Employees returning from leave or travel, who have visited mainland China in the past 14 days, may be requested to work from home where that is possible.
  
• Consider developing a communications strategy
  to provide employees with accurate and timely information about developments, pro-active steps the employer is taking, and access to the latest public health and travel information – so that employees may take their own steps to ensure their health and welfare.
  
• Consider options for leave entitlements and alternative work arrangements where an employer requests employees to stay at home.

For your business:

• Undertake contingency planning to protect your business to see where it is vulnerable to ensure risks are reduced for both people and production in the future.
• Develop a risk management strategy.
• Review your Business Insurance and risk management plans.
• Beyond the urgent response, businesses should consider longer term to evaluate their supply chains to ensure that future access to raw materials, components, and finished goods is diversified to reduce future dependencies and risks from any singular region in the world.
• You may also wish to consider business interruption insurance, medical insurance and evacuation cover.
• Ensure your company continues to comply with its obligations under its relevant contracts of employment.
• In all employee communications, the privacy of infected or potentially infected workers should be maintained.
• It is recommended that all employers should regularly monitor the updates provided by the relevant Health Departments and Smart Traveller.
  

Any questions, be sure to contact us today.

Important note – this information is provided to assist you in understanding the terms, implications and common considerations in travel insurance. It does not constitute advice, is of a general nature and does not take into account your personal circumstances. Before acting on any of this information you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your individual circumstances.