COVER STORY BRINGING PEOPLE BACK
Set The Stage For Success With A Great
RETURN- TO-WORK PROGRAM
By Phillip M. Perry W
orking from home is over. Partly, anyhow. And after months of telephone confer-
encing and video chatting, many workers are doubtless eager to return to their offices. In managing this reverse migration, though, businesses must coordinate a patchwork of safety procedures and work area modifica- tions while communicating effectively with employees. Maybe the greatest challenge is
convincing everyone it’s safe to come back to work. “Many people are still scared, and their fear is valid,” says Bill Hagaman, CEO and managing partner of Withum. “The risk of the virus impacting someone at any moment continues to be very real.” It stands to reason, then, that
employers must ensure that no one gets sick by visiting their facilities. But the reasons for doing so go beyond health and morale. Work-related ill- nesses can spark injury lawsuits, workers compensation claims, or charges the employer failed to provide a safe workplace as defined by the
FIRST QUARTER 2023
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or similar state laws. “As employers put in place their return-to-work programs, they must address legal issues concerning the safety of employees, vendors, suppli- ers, clients, and customers,” says Paul Evans, a partner in the Employment and Compensation Practice Group in Baker & McKenzie’s New York office.
Cleaning Up Most safety programs will begin with the physical plant. “The business facil- ity must be thoroughly cleaned,” says Richard Avdoian, an employee devel- opment consultant in Metropolitan St. Louis. “Attention must be paid espe- cially to the common areas, restrooms, chairs, and desks. Sanitizing gels should be made available throughout.” Some employers may need to retool
their entire workplace footprint. “Companies with an open model con- cept will have to consider whether it needs to be modified,” says Bob Gregg, co-chair of the Employment Practice Law Group at Boardman and
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