Page 15 - LRCC July 2020 Focus
P. 15

A COVID-19
                                                                            Dr. Farhan Bhatti
                                                                                                LEGAL PRIMER



                                                                                                COVID-19  represents  a  new
                                                                                                frontier for organizations that
                                                                                                must sort through a myriad
                                                                                                of  legal  issues.  Patricia  Scott,
                                                                                                attorney, Foster Swift Collins
                                                                                                and Smith, PC outlined three
                                                                                                significant areas of importance.

                                                                                                COMPLIANCE.  Review relevant   Scott
                                                                                                orders issued by Governor  Whitmer and the
                                    “As we enter a post-                                        State of Michigan. Michigan Public Health
                                                                                                guidance provides useful information as do federal
                                    COVID-19 economy,                                           organizations such as OSHA and CDC.  Those

                                     we must be diligent                                        organizations offer the latest in cleaning protocols
                                                                                                guidance per industry. Another lesser-known, but
                                     in taking necessary                                        equally important, source of information is the
                                                                                                county health department. The health departments
                                        precautions to
                                                                                                are doing more of the enforcement, so paying
                                     provide a safe and                                         attention to what they are releasing and requiring is
                                                                                                important.
                                      healthy workplace

                                     for employees, and                                         “One of our main business goals is to keep all of our
                                                                                                employees, customers and clients safe,” said Scott.
                                     a place of business                                        “We want to avoid liability, too. One of the best ways
                                     for customers, the                                         to do that is good faith compliance.”

                                  community and visitors.                                       HAVE A PREPAREDNESS PLAN. Each plan must have
                                                                                                several different components specific  to  industry
                                   Business, government,                                        type, including, among other things:
                                        education, and
                                                                                                •   A designated person to supervise the plan
                                     community leaders                                          •   Training for employees on the use of PPE and
                                       must continue to                                             cleaning procedures
                                                                                                •   Self-screening in place
                                      work together to                                          •   Compliance with social distancing requirements
                                                                                                •   Plan to respond and sanitize in the event of
                                     find a balance that
                                                                                                    a positive COVID person has been on-site,
                                  incorporates safety and                                           which includes notifying the health department
        As businesses reopened,                                       “The   distribution  end      and the people who have been in contact with
        employees and customers    economic opportunity                immediately     started      that person
        experienced   a    new        so our region can                ramping up on disinfectant
        environment. Everything                                        and personal protection   Scott also said that depending on the situation, if
        has changed from the       continue to prosper as              equipment,” said Duckett.   but mainly if an issue arises with an employee or
        way  we shop, dine out,   we successfully reopen              “We started selling products   customer, the business owner needs to seek out legal
        learn, and worship.  We                                        to first responders.  That   counsel. These things do not “get better with age,”
        are adapting to a world    and sustain economic                was the best feeling in the   so being proactive as much as possible is essential.
        where stores limit the                                         world because we were able
        number of customers in the   growth and resiliency.”           to help and not just sit at   STAYING  INFORMED.  Information is coming out
        facility, where temperature                                    home.”                   daily. Know your obligations and protect your rights.
        scans are a daily requirement, physical distancing                                      One area of concern is contractual risks. Know what
        impacts how we communicate, and disinfectant   The reward on the cleaning side of the business   your obligations and rights are in existing contracts,
        and hand sanitizers are everywhere.         for Duckett Brothers was to help people feel   and contracts you will enter going forward. Scott
                                                    comfortable about coming back to work.      says  we  can anticipate  several  new  provisions  in
        Duckett Brothers Distributing may be an                                                 future contracts in relation to COVID.
        example of having the right business at the   “We did our education on what products we need
        right time. Duckett Brothers is a janitorial and   to  use,”  said  Duckett.  “People  had  confidence   “The worst thing that anyone can do right now is
        industrial supply company serving municipalities,   coming  back  to  work  that  their  buildings  were   trying to stick their head in the sand,” said Scott.
        large  insurance  companies,  manufacturers,  and   clean and virus free.”              “You have to assess what your risks are and take
        numerous suppliers to the automotive industry.                                          action.”
        The company also provides office cleaning services.   Hair salons, spas, and gyms were among the hardest
        Owner and operator, Tico Duckett said his first   hit businesses during the pandemic because there
        thought after the pandemic broke was how to help.  was no alternative than merely closing their doors.

 14   FOCUS / JULY 2020                                                                                               LANSINGCHAMBER.ORG  15
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