After the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Shelby County this week, officials are urging people to stay home from work if they don’t feel well, but that’s raising questions from area employers—both big and small— about how to deal with workers who are under the weather.
The Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce says local businesses are, in general, trying to heed advice from the Shelby County Health Department—reinforcing hand washing and encouraging those not feeling well to stay home.
But Apryl Potter, chief marketing officer for the Chamber, says many employers are still figuring out how they’ll manage sick workers.
“[Businesses] do have questions: ‘How are you handling employees calling out?,’" Potter says. "‘Are you requiring a doctors’ note?’ ‘What are the practices that different businesses are employing in their preparation for dealing with a potential case [of coronavirus] in their office?’"
So far, few businesses and organizations have spoken publicly about internal policies and how they’ll accomodate people who might not have sick leave.
The county’s largest employer, FedEx, said in a statement that its "normal" sick leave policy is in effect but did not expand on what that entails for individual employees.
"Each operating company within the FedEx enterprise is evaluating its specific needs and the needs of its workforce to determine the best path forward, " the statement reads. "Some team members across the enterprise have the ability to work remotely, but there has been no enterprise-wide policy introduced at this time requiring team members to work from home."
The shipping and logistics company didn't address how many employees are elgible for paid sick leave.
“You’re seeing a lot of businesses right now really evaluate in their workspace what additional precautions might need to be taken,” Potter says. "I think that we will begin to see...in the event there is more information coming out, there might be some additional measures that business need to take.”
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, for example, has canceled all work travel for employees and is no longer allowing tours of its famous campus.
Numerous Memphis businesses, such as warehouses and distribution centers or restaurants, require physical labor to operate. Some workers in these sectors simply cannot afford to take a day off.
Dr. Sara Cross, chief of infectious disease at Memphis’ Regional One Health Hospital, says she understands that some people don’t have a choice. In that case, they need to be extra vigilant while at work and practice social distancing.
She maintains at least six feet from others at work when possible.
“Don’t go out into public as much as you normally would,” she says. “Don’t linger.”
Some doctors have expressed concern that Memphis’ working class or impoverished may hesitate to stay home or seek care if they are ill due to a lack of insurance or transportation.
But Cross says people shouldn’t hesitate.
“They need to get to a hospital, and they will be taken care of—if they have insurance or if they do not have insurance.”
Cross instructs patients to call health facilities ahead of time to explain their symptoms. A doctor will recommend whether someone should be checked out, or if they are better off staying home. In the event someone requiring medical attention lacks transport, ambulances are available.
This post has been updated with comments from FedEx.