Covid Updates and Resources for 2021

With over 100 changes in employment law this year alone, 2021 is shaping up to be a year of continuous challenges for the leadership of private practices. Nearly halfway through this year, the Delta and Lambda variants threaten to present even more scheduling and hiring challenges in addition to worsening turnover right smack in the middle of a national labor shortage.

We at CEDR are proud to equip owners and managers of small dental and medical practices with the news, tools, and resources to rise up and meet this unprecedented challenge. To give leaders better access to the information necessary to successfully run a practice in 2021, we’ve compiled a list of our most helpful, widely-read, COVID-related resources.

What Do I Say to Patients Who Ask About My Team’s Vaccination Status? In response to such a question, it’s important to remember that your employees’ personal health information is protected in just the same way as your patients’ health information. Therefore, it is generally not a good idea to offer information to your patients that might expose any of your employees’ inability (or unwillingness) to get vaccinated. Read our full post on how to respond to patients who ask about whether or not your team has been vaccinated
Covid Vaccines and Your Office (Updated June 4th, 2021) The EEOC has offered official guidance on the coronavirus vaccine for employers. In brief, you are able to administer vaccines at the workplace, ask for proof of vaccination, and even mandate vaccines. However, there is substantial risk in mandating vaccinations, and it is unlikely you could let someone go who is unable to be vaccinated. Read our full post on requiring vaccination for more information.
New California Requirements for COVID Paid Sick Leave California employers with more than 25 employees now need to give all employees a new bank of 2 weeks of California COVID paid sick leave (“CA COVID PSL”), even if employees previously used paid COVID leave in 2020. This is a complicated law that puts a lot of requirements on employers, so we’ve broken it down for you. Get all of the details here.
FFCRA Updates in the American Rescue Plan The new stimulus package, signed by President Biden on March 11, 2021, includes changes to the COVID paid leave benefits originally passed in 2020 under the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (FFCRA). Importantly, FFCRA pay continues to be voluntary, though legislative efforts are still being made to make it mandatory again. Read the full update on the FFCRA here.
Handling Common Covid Concerns at Your Office You’ll find answers to the most common questions about Covid testing, employee exposure, employee travel, and what to do when an employee tests positive for Covid-19 on this page. Visit the Common Covid Concerns page.
Additional Covid Resources for Employers This page features our early, more general guidance on how to deal with temporary office closures due to the coronavirus and how to reopen your practice. You’ll also find links to important resources in your state on this page, as well as links to other important sources of information such as the CDC and OSHA, as well as professional organizations like the ADA, AMA, and SBA. Visit the Covid Resources Page.
Free Forms and Software: HR Vault We preloaded our free HR Vault software with forms and documents you can use to communicate important coronavirus-related policies and office events with your team. Sign up now to access the exclusive library of Covid forms and to get all of the benefits associated with our powerful team management software platform, HR Vault. Unlock HR Vault for your business now.
HR Base Camp Have a question you can’t find answered in our free resources? Join the professional discussion with 9000 other business owners and managers plus CEDR’s HR experts in our private Facebook Group, HR Base Camp. Visit HR Base Camp now.
Sign Up to Receive Updates We continue to update our coronavirus-related guidance for employers as new information becomes available. Sign up to receive new updates in your inbox as they are released.