From our COVID-19 Response Team: Pennsylvania Business Guidance For Probable or Confirmed Case of COVID-19
By: Shelly R. Pagac , Sarah Amin
As COVID-19 continues to spread globally and throughout Pennsylvania, most employers will be faced with the question of how to respond when an employee tests positive, or has exposure to the coronavirus, and will need to determine when those employees can safely return to work. In part, it depends on whether the employee has simply tested positive, or if the employee tests positive and has symptoms.
Where an employee has tested positive for COVID-19, but has no symptoms, the employee can return to work 10 days after the first positive test.
Where an employee has tested positive for COVID-19 and has symptoms, the employee may safely return to work at least 10 days after the onset of symptoms, at least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications, and all other symptoms have improved. All three criteria must be met before the employee can safely return to work.
For employees with severe illness, 20 days of isolation after symptom onset may be warranted.
Once a company has ensured that an employee with a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case will not be reporting to the business’ physical worksite, Pennsylvania employers must take the following steps:
I. Secure and Decontaminate Affected Areas
II. Identify the Scope of The Risk in the Workplace
III. Asymptomatic Employees
For employees working in the Critical Infrastructure Industry, if any employee was in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and remains asymptomatic, the CDC advises:
This guidance is current as of August 26, 2020, but information continues to rapidly change. As the regulatory landscape continues to evolve, we recommend contacting us should your business have any health and safety related issues to ensure compliance with the most current guidance.
Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti LLP, a business and litigation law firm with five offices across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, is proud to announce that nineteen of our distinguished attorneys have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021 edition. “The legacy of our law firm is the depth of our courtroom… Read more »
Read MorePartner Shelly R. Pagac of Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP has been appointed as a Hearing Committee Member serving the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania effective July 1, 2020. This appointment is a three-year term. Mrs. Pagac is the Practice Group Leader for the Employment and Labor Practice Group of… Read more »
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