Coronavirus / COVID-19 Briefing 4 – UPDATED March 27, 2020
Please note additions to Briefing 1 posted March 6, Briefing 2 posted March 13, Briefing 3 posted March 18, and this Briefing 4 March 27, 2020 changes highlighted in RED. (Briefing 1 and 2 were posted on flynncrew.com and the Portal and Briefing 3 was posted on flynncrew.com, the Portal and e-mailed to all employees.)
As part of our commitment to providing a safe and healthful workplace for our employees, Flynn has adopted the following guidelines with respect to the coronavirus/COVID-19. Further information regarding this communicable illness can be found here: https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus.
These guidelines have been carefully created to address common concerns and to provide consistent processes for all employees.
- Communication is key to proactively addressing health and safety concerns. Therefore,
(a) if you are diagnosed with an illness, such as coronavirus/COVID-19, that could pose a danger to others through contact with you at the workplace; or
(b) if you believe you have been exposed to a person diagnosed or suspected of having been exposed to a communicable illness, such as coronavirus/COVID-19, that could pose a danger to others if spread to the workplace; or
(c) if you have any symptoms of coronavirus/COVID-19 (common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties); or
(d) if within the last 20 days you or someone with whom you reside visited a location in which there have been recorded case of coronavirus/COVID-19, as indicated here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/locations-confirmed-cases.html; https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/health-professionals/covid-19-affected-areas-list.html.
(e) if within the last 14 days you or someone with whom you reside has returned from any international destination;
You must inform your manager and email this information to Gerard Montocchio, VP Human Resources and Leadership Development at: [email protected] before you enter any Flynn office or job site.
- Flynn follows advisories issued by the CDC, Health Canada and other government agencies. Updated guidelines can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html and https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
- The federal governments in Canada and the US have advised against international travel. If you have plans to travel to any international destination, you must inform your manager and email this information to Gerard Montocchio, VP Human Resources and Leadership Development at: [email protected].
- Providing complete and honest information in response to the points above will not negatively impact your employment status with Flynn. Appropriate plans of action will be implemented on an individualized basis to best ensure the health and safety of all Flynn employees, including (where possible) working from home or self-quarantining for advised periods.
- Following the precedent set by many large organizations we are discouraging all nonessential business travel until further notice. Essential business travel should be limited to those situations where business cannot reasonably be conducted without face-to-face interaction or visits to specific locations. Your Regional Vice President must approve all business travel (including trips that were previously approved) until further notice. All Shared Services business travel must be approved by me until further notice. In accordance with this decision all Flynn University Courses will be postponed until further notice.
- Flynn is following the direction and recommendations of local, regional and federal governments and health authorities. If your jurisdiction has directed that travellers returning from any international destination self-isolate for 14 days (or any other period of time), Flynn requests that you abide by such direction. If you are in a situation where authorities have directed self-isolation, you must inform your manager and email this information to Gerard Montocchio, VP Human Resources and Leadership Development at: [email protected].
- Mass meetings are also being discouraged and we will also be postponing Annual Safety Town Hall Meetings until further notice.
- We are encouraging those office employees who can work from home to do so. Regional Vice Presidents, Branch Managers and Departmental Heads will assist employees in making these arrangements and planning remote work. Some employees will unfortunately not be able to work from home due to role or technology constraints, but they will benefit from the reduced number of staff in the office. We will advise when people are expected to return to work as usual.
- Health Canada provides the following guidance regarding when to isolate, self-isolate or self-monitor. More information can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/self-monitoring-self-isolation-isolation-for-covid-19.html
(a) ISOLATE if you have any symptoms (even mild) or if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or are waiting for the results of a lab test for COVID-19.
“Isolation” means to stay at home (unless you are seeking emergency medical attention) and avoid contact with other people.
Symptoms include fever, cough and difficulty breathing.
If you are in Canada and want to do an online assessment the following link is very helpful. https://covid19.dialogue.co/#/ (It provides Canadian Province specific answers so is not helpful outside of Canada.)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has this Coronavirus Self-Checker https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html# Check for the Blue Box.
(b) SELF-ISOLATE if you have no symptoms and had a high risk of exposure to COVID 19 due to travel outside of Canada or close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19.
“Self-isolation” means to stay at home and monitor yourself for symptoms for 14 days and limit contact with others by practicing physical distancing.
“Close contact” means if you were within 6’ for 15 mins or more, engaged in a hug/handshake or was coughed or sneezed on by a person diagnosed with COVID-19, or sat beside a person diagnosed with COVID-19 for more than 15 mins.
Examplse of when you must self-isolate:
- You have returned home from travel outside of Canada.
- Your spouse or someone with whom you reside is diagnosed with COVID-19.
(c) SELF-MONITOR if you have no symptoms and a history of possible exposure to COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
“Self-monitoring” means to monitor yourself for 14 days for one or more symptoms of COVID-19 and increase physical distance from others by practicing physical distancing.
“possible exposure” means you have reason to believe you have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 but have not been in close contact with that person.
Examples of when you must self-monitor:
- The spouse of a colleague or crew member has symptoms or is diagnosed with COVID-19.
- You visited the same store, office or work site as someone with COVID-19 but were not in close contact with that person.
- Employees may return to work at Flynn offices and job sites following:
(a) isolation: when Public Health Authority advises you that you are no longer at risk of spreading the virus to others.
(b) self-isolation: when you have stayed at homes for 14 days since your return to Canada or your close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 and you have not developed symptoms of COVID-19.
- Many jurisdictions have enacted emergency orders restricting the operation of non-essential businesses. Flynn remains open for business because we provide essential construction services, maintenance services, and urgent repairs, as defined by the orders in nearly all jurisdictions in which we operate. Our services are required to maintain the safe operation of institutional, commercial and industrial properties, including hospitals, food and drug retailers and government buildings.
As this is a fluid situation, Flynn will update these guidelines as new information becomes available from health authorities and will communicate updated information and processes to employees.
Thank you very much for your cooperation.
