A favorite quote that describes the past several months is, “The only certainty is that nothing is certain,” by Pliny the Elder. When will the pandemic end? What effect will it have on business? Will there be a vaccine available soon? What about a second wave? No one is certain!

Many experts believe a second wave of infections is possible. Yet, no one is certain when or how severe it will be. The best advice attorney Brandon Grysko can give a business owner is to: “Be Prepared.” Read on to find out more from Brandon.

Preparing for a Second Wave of Business Shutdowns:

1. Have a Physical and Technological Infrastructure Plan.

Just as businesses are slowly reopening, Wave 2 could bring another government-imposed shutdown. Now is the perfect time to evaluate your business resources and infrastructure needs.

Examine how to support your employees working remotely from home. Ask yourself, “Is my physical and technological infrastructure plan in place to support these measures?”

2. Evaluate Your Employment Policies and Practices.

The First Wave of COVID-19 found many business owners without a plan. Determine and put in place procedures and practices to support managers, supervisors, HR, and other team leaders managing employees who are working remotely. Question whether your current methods are working. Could you improve upon how hours worked are reported? Assess how the supervisor’s rate and manage employee performance virtually. Estimate the best way to evaluate employee time management.

It is important to determine if the company has any agreements or policies in place with respect to company-owned property and client or customer confidential information. Again, businesses are in a better situation when prepared.

3. Review and Update Your Preparedness Policy.

Stop and question what steps are needed to protect your business in an emergency. The following questions will get you started with analyzing your business readiness.

Does your preparedness policy address possible exposure to Covid-19 incidents?

Who will be notified in the event of a workplace exposure?

Are you prepared to close if needed to sanitize your place of business?

What areas of the workplace are high-touch surfaces that may require additional attention and sanitization?

4. Seek Help Before Shutting Down.

These are unprecedented times for all business owners, employees and families. It’s important to communicate and compare notes with individuals in key industries. For example, find a company that specializes in disinfecting and cleaning potentially contaminated workspace areas in the event of workplace exposures.

Create a partnership with an occupational health provider that can potentially provide testing to employees after an exposure incident. If a second shutdown occurs, you’ll need to have employees tested to determine who is safe to return to work and who is not. Do you have a trusted attorney to depend on, in the event legal issues arise related to this global health pandemic?

Call Fausone & Grysko, PLC Before Closing Your Doors

These are all extremely important situations that Fausone & Grysko, PLC strongly urges all Business Owners to consider. We suggest getting something in writing ahead of time so that you are not caught off-guard in the event of a Wave 2.

Fausone & Grysko, PLC is your premier Full-Service Law Firm based in Western-Wayne County, serving clients throughout the State of Michigan in all Legal areas. Brandon Grysko’s practice involves representing Business Owners, HR Leaders, and Labor Relations Professionals in matters concerning business transactions, as well as labor and employment law. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Brandon Grysko (bbgrysko@fb-firm.com) directly at 248-380-0000.