News Brief headerOn Monday, Oct. 18, 2020, The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) Officially Encouraged Passengers To Wear Masks While On Public Transportation. This Guidance Comes More Than Seven Months Into The COVID-19 Pandemic, And Many States And Transportation Providers—Especially Airlines—Already Enforce Mask Requirements.

The CDC’s announcement is nowhere near a nationwide mask mandate; it is merely a “strong recommendation.” However, the CDC’s position may strengthen the efforts of transportation providers and state officials who have already been requiring masks while on public transit.

News Brief headerOn Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020, The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) Clarified What “Close Contact” Means As It Relates To COVID-19-Prevention Guidance.

Previously, the CDC defined close contact as spending 15 straight minutes within 6 feet of another person. Now, the organization redefined the term to mean a total of 15 minutes within a 24-hour period. That means short, repeated contacts throughout the day count toward that 15-minute threshold.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Has Upturned Everything This Year. So, It’s Understandable If You Are A Little Less Prepared For Open Enrollment At This Point. However, There’s Still Time To Address Open Enrollment With Employees In Meaningful Ways. Doing So Will Help Them Get The Most From Their Benefits, Which Are Especially Valuable In These Uncertain Times.

This article outlines a few last-minute strategies for maximizing open enrollment for your employees.

Legal Update HeaderOn Sept. 22, 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) extended its COVID-19 drug and alcohol testing guidance to Dec. 31, 2020.

The extended guidance allows substance abuse professionals (SAPs) to perform remote assessments and evaluations and lengthens the requalification timeline for service agents through the end of the year. This guidance provides SAPs and other service agents with the flexibility they need to help employers comply with existing DOT drug and alcohol regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

News Brief headerIn a recent call with U.S. governors, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield warned that small gatherings are increasingly becoming a source for COVID-19 infections.

Redfield said that, importantly, there is a higher degree of vigilance and mitigation steps in many jurisdictions. However, the spread of infection specifically through small household gatherings is currently an “increasing threat,” as the CDC reports that many states are seeing increases in COVID-19 cases. The CDC is focusing its attention on small gatherings as experts warn of the potential for a surge in COVID-19 cases over the winter.