Bend attorneys address workplace concerns amid COVID-19 outbreak
Another issue: Could coronavirus affect the 2020 census?
(Update: Adding links to Bureau of Labor and Industries website)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) - Amid concerns regarding the coronavirus outbreak, some companies already have limited travel to high-risk or affected countries, or are asking employees to stay home for 2 weeks after visiting a country that has been affected.
A side-effect of those precautions is that a growing number of workers could face revised sick leave and paid time off policies at their workplace.
Two Bend attorneys specializing in workers’ compensation shared with NewsChannel 21 on Wednesday if an employee happens to contract the virus at work and, as a consequence, is unable to work, there is a question of whether that qualifies them for workers’ comp payments.
An employment law attorney, who also did not want to be named or interviewed on camera, said whether employers pay workers who are asked to stay home due to any illness depends on how much accrued paid time off they have and how long they have been working with the company.
Jenny Smith, with Oregon Labor and Industries, told NewsChannel 21 "nothing has changed" regarding Oregon law on protected sick time and paid time off.
Meanwhile, there are also concerns regarding how the COVID-19, also known as novel coronavirus, could affect census completion and an accurate count of Americans.
In January, NewsChannel 21 reported the federal government plans to hire hundreds of people in Central Oregon to help carry out the 2020 census.
People will start getting invitations to complete the census by April 1. Many if not most can submit all the information online.
Door-to-door census takers are expected to start counting operations in mid-March. Their work includes outreach at public places like college campuses, parks and libraries.
If you do not live in senior housing or a shared housing complex, you will not get an in-person visit unless you don't respond online, by phone or by mail. In-person visits are expected to start between May and July.
Census Bureau Director Dr. Steven Dillingham issued the following statement on Feb. 26 about the COVID-19 impact on their operations:
"The safety of the American public and our employees is job one. We are working with national health authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the President's Task Force, as well as state and local health departments to ensure all of their guidance is incorporated into our operations. Operations for the 2020 Census and our ongoing household surveys have procedures built in that specifically anticipate epidemics and pandemics, and we will continue to work with the relevant authorities to keep those up to date."
The Bureau of Labor and Industries will be hosting a Twitter AMA (Ask Me Anything) on sick time laws March 5th at noon to answer Oregonians’ and employers’ questions about sick time, their rights, and coronavirus.
For more information about sick time laws, visit the Bureau of Labor and Industries website.
