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MDHHS will update quarantine guidance for general public based on CDC recommendations

If You Test Positive for COVID-19 (Isolate)

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status.

• Stay home for 5 days.
• If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your house.
• Continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.

If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.

If You Were Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (Quarantine)

If you:

Have been boosted
OR
Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months
OR
Completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months

• Wear a mask around others for 10 days.
• Test on day 5, if possible.

If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home.

If you:

Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over 6 months ago and are not boosted
OR
Completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted
OR
Are unvaccinated

• Stay home for 5 days. After that continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
• If you can’t quarantine you must wear a mask for 10 days.
• Test on day 5 if possible.If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home

Biden Administration Publishes Vaccine Mandate With Jan. 4 Deadline

The Biden Administration has just published its vaccine mandate for businesses with 100 or more employees, setting a Jan. 4 deadline.

The mandate, which comes from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) in the form of an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), applies to businesses with at least 100 employees and is expected to cover 2 million Michiganders.  The rules apply to all employers with a total of at least 100 employees firm- or corporate-wide at any time the ETS is in effect.

COVID Preparedness and Response Plans Still Advised – But We Have You Covered!

As previously reported, the Michigan Occupational and Safety Health Administration (MIOSHA) rescinded and replaced its COVID-19 Emergency Rules on May 24 to mirror the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety requirements.  Although the OSHA guidance does not impose legal obligations on employers, state and federal law requires employers to provide a “safe and healthful work environment free of recognized hazards.”  This means COVID-19 will need to continue to be managed as a hazard in the workplace and citations are still possible under MIOSHA’s general duty clause.

Governor Whitmer Announces Michigan Economic Jumpstart Plan

Governor Gretchen Whitmer unveiled the Michigan Economic Jumpstart Plan which would allocate a portion of the federal relief funding to support and invest in working people and small businesses in Michigan. Under the governor’s plan, the state will increase incentives to boost wages to attract applicants, provide grants to small businesses to ramp up hiring, and expand access to childcare for families with young children who want to return to work but cannot.

Michigan extends COVID workplace emergency rules that cover remote working, safety protocols

The emergency rules require employees to work remotely when feasible to reduce the chance of spreading COVID-19 in the workplace.

In-person work is allowed for jobs that can’t be done otherwise, but remote work is strongly recommended, Michigan officials said.

Businesses that resume in-person work have to maintain a written COVID-19 preparedness and response plan and provide thorough training to employees. That training must cover workplace infection control practices, how to use personal protection equipment, steps to notify the business about COVID-19 symptoms and how to report unsafe working conditions.

“It’s important to note that the emergency rules implement workplace safeguards for all Michigan businesses,” MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman said. “The rules also include requirements for specific industries, including manufacturing, construction, retail, health care, exercise facilities, restaurants and bars.”

MDHHS Eliminates 10-Day Quarantine Option for ‘Close Contact’

In a new Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) document, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) increased its mandatory quarantine period for individuals exposed to someone with COVID-19. The FAQ specifies that, due to increasing case rates and variant spread in Michigan, MDHHS is reinstating a standard 14-day quarantine for close contacts of COVID-19 cases. This will remove the option of reducing quarantine to 10 days, effective April 5, 2020.

NOTICE TO EMPLOYERS ON HOW TO REPORT A REFUSAL OF WORK

The Michigan Employment Security Act, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and the Continued Assistance Act (CAA) require individuals collecting unemployment insurance benefits to be available for suitable work and accept an offer of suitable work. In situations where an employer makes a bona fide offer of work to an employee or to return to their customary employment, the employee may lose unemployment benefits if he or she refuses to return to suitable work without good cause.

Wages, workplace safety, and other factors are considered in determining whether work is “suitable.” Employers must follow current state and federal requirements and guidance to maintain a safe workplace in general and due to COVID-19 pandemic. This includes adhering to the following Michigan laws:

• Michigan Stay Home, Stay Safe Orders
• Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MiOSHA) guidelines
• Michigan Safe Start Plan

Suitable Work
It is not considered suitable work if the employer is unable or unwilling to provide a safe workplace required by current state and federal law and guidance. The burden of proof is on the employer to prove that the workplace is safe and in compliance with appropriate workplace safety laws and guidelines.

Reporting an Employee Refusing to Return to Work
Both employers and employees have an obligation to report offers and refusals of suitable work to the UIA. Employees should notify UIA during their biweekly certification if they have refused an offer of work.
If an employee refuses an offer of suitable work, the employer can notify UIA in one of the following ways:

1. A new “Return to Work” link will be available in MiWAM to report a claimant’s “Refusal to Return to Work.” Visit www.michigan.gov/uia and log into your MiWAM account.
2. The new “Report Refusal of Offer to Work/Return to Work” link will also be available at UIA Home Page at www.michigan.gov/uia.

If you have questions, visit www.michigan.gov/uia for tools and resources. You can also access your MiWAM account to chat with an agent Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. Visit our website for hours of operation. TTY service is available at 866-366-0004. You can also contact Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Small Business Association of Michigan Guide: "The Small Business Owner's Guide to Remote Work" https://sbam-impexium.informz.net/sbam-Impexium/data/images/Small%20Business%20Owner's%20Guide%20to%20Remote%20Work.pdf

Michigan.gov Futures for Frontliners Free Tuition Program for Essential Workers https://www.michigan.gov/frontliners/

Resuming Business Toolkit
The Resuming Business Toolkit is designed to assist employers in slowing the spread of COVID-19 [1] and lowering the impact in their workplace when reintegrating employees into non-healthcare business settings. Not sure whether you’re ready to resume business? Use CDC’s decision tools [2-3] as a start.

New online dashboard provides COVID-19 risk and trend data, helps inform MI Safe Start plan 
A new, online dashboard launched today that visually illustrates COVID-19 risks and trends in Michigan, providing residents with important information about the pandemic status where they live and work.

COVID-19 Workplace Checklist
Van Buren and Cass County businesses and entities may need this guidance to reopen or expand current services. Under the recent guidance, Van Buren/Cass District Health Department strongly encourages these businesses and entities to take the following actions to ensure the safety of employees and customers. This guidance covers universal screening, social distancing practices, and what to do if an employee tests positive. This is basic guidance. The Governor’s Office along with the Michigan Economic Recovery Council (MERC) may provide additional, more detailed and industry-specific guidance on reopening.

Guidance For Businesses Reopening
As the curve continues to flatten and many businesses reopen their doors, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) within the Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) issued workplace guidelines for employers and employees and created a new hotline, 855-SAFEC19 (855-723-3219), to answer guideline questions and further protect Michigan’s workforce from the spread of COVID-19.

MI Safe Start Plan
Outlines how we will begin to re-engage while continuing to keep our communities safe. Re-engagement will happen in phases. Those businesses that are necessary to protect and sustain life are already open. As we move into lower-risk phases, additional business categories will re-open and the restrictions on public gatherings and social interactions will ease.

SCORE Remote Mentoring is Available
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, SCORE mentors will meet with clients remotely. Mentors are available to participate in remote mentoring sessions via phone, email, and video. If you already have a SCORE mentor, ask them if you can use a remote mentoring method for your sessions.

Free, Confidential Business Advice from Michigan SBDC
Access small business consulting, training and market research at no-cost through the Michigan SBDC. To get started, please select your county from the list below and follow the prompts to complete the online request for business services.

Posters 
There is currently a mandatory update to federal posters in response to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. During the stay at home order, employers should post it in an intranet or email it to all employees. Once the order is lifted it must be posted through December 31.

Full Toolkit
The Michigan Chamber continues to update its toolkit with resources for chamber members.