Media Coverage
Source: Bloomberg Law
Media Coverage
Press Contacts: Erik Cummins, Matt Hyams, Olivia Thomas
09.23.20
COVID-19 disinfecting could cause issues once workplaces reopen, for example, strong-smelling sanitizers can trigger headache or stir up allergies. Under federal law, allergy sensitivities could fall under disabilities, failing to reasonably accommodate could lead to a lawsuit.
“Employers should be aware not only of the risks to office workers but also to the cleaning staff,” said Julia Judish, an Employment Law counsel at Pillsbury. “For example, guidelines from the CDC on known COVID-19 exposures in workplaces specify that areas shouldn’t be cleaned for 24 hours from the time of exposure to reduce the risks to cleaners.”
“One of the big risks here is the lack of clarity on what exactly employers need to do to avoid legal complaints in the current environment,” Judish said.
“A huge number of employees are still teleworking. It’s still relatively early for this to have bubbled up to the level of litigation,” Judish added.
Read the full story in Bloomberg Law.