Here’s what every

major company is
doing about the
coronavirus
pandemic
KEY POINTS

 Employee paid-time-off policies are being revised.

 Many workers at major U.S. companies are being instructed to work

from home.

 Stores, factories, offices and other workplaces and venues are being
shut down temporarily.
Getty Images

There was already a fundamental shift under way in the

workforce as new technologies and thoughts on workplace
culture started to change the way we work. The Covid-19
pandemic accelerated these changes at a nearly unimaginable
pace. The Workforce Wire is tailored news and information
specifically for employers and executives to keep track of
what companies are doing with regard to their workforce to
help leaders navigate through this unprecedented time.
 Amazon extends work-from-home plan until Oct. 2

A worker assembles a box for delivery at the Amazon fulfillment center in Baltimore, Maryland,
U.S., April 30, 2019.

Clodagh Kilcoyne | Reuters

 Amazon.com has told staff whose job can be done

from home that they can do so until at least Oct. 2,
pushing out the timeline on a return to work for many
employees.
 “Employees who work in a role that can effectively be
done from home are welcome to do so until at
least October 2,” an Amazon spokesman said in an
emailed statement on Friday, adding it was applicable to
such roles globally. The statement did not specify how
much of the company’s overall workforce that would
pertain to or specifically which roles.
 Separately, the tech giant said it plans to spend all of
its profit for the second quarter of this year — an
estimated $4 billion — on its response to the coronavirus
pandemic.
 Some of the $4 billion will be spent on higher wages
for workers, personal protective equipment, better
cleaning protocols at facilities and “less efficient process
paths” that will allow for social distancing.
Union reports Covid-19 cases at meatpacking plant
more than doubled ‘in a number of days’ 

 Covid-19 cases at a JBS meatpacking plant in

Colorado have more than doubled “in a number of days”
and a sixth employee died of the virus, a union official said
on Thursday, according to a Reuters report. This news
underscores the risks of U.S. meat plants reopening.
 The beef plant in Greeley, Colorado, started operating
April 24 after it was closed for about two weeks following
an outbreak among workers.
 Confirmed cases among workers at the plant rose
from 120 on April 26 to 245 on the evening of April 29, a
union spokeswoman told Reuters, citing numbers from the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
 A man holds up a smartphone with the Uber app visible on screen, as taxis queue in the
background on June 4, 2019.

Olly Curtis | Future via Getty Images

Uber CTO announces resignation, company reportedly

considering layoffs 

 Uber Technologies’ chief technology officer, Thuan

Pham, the ride-hailing company’s longest-serving
executive, is resigning effective May 17.
 Members of Uber’s engineering team will perform
Pham’s duties until the company finds a permanent CTO. 
 Separately, according to the website The Information,
Uber is considering layoffs as it copes with a sharp
decline in its ride-hailing business due to the coronavirus
pandemic.
 The report says that as much as 20% of Uber’s
workforce, or about 5,400 workers, may be affected. 
 LabCorp withdraws 2020 guidance as coronavirus
outbreak cuts demand; will furlough workers, delay
hiring

 LabCorp on Wednesday reported a net loss for the

first quarter as the coronavirus pandemic drove up costs
and cut demand, prompting the company to withdraw
2020 guidance. 
 The company, which manufactures diagnostic tests,
said the coronavirus outbreak drove a 50% to 55%
plummet in demand for testing services at the end of the
quarter from the year earlier period. That hit to demand
was “marginally offset by an increase in demand for Covid-
19 tests,” the company said, adding that the drop in
volume appears to have stabilized.
 To mitigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic,
LabCorp said it is scaling back expenditures and
suspending its stock buyback program. It said it’s also
furloughing workers, delaying hiring, reducing contractors
and suspending 401(k) contributions for all U.S.
employees.
 The company said it is looking to utilize available
federal stimulus programs.
Ford to restart European manufacturing production
with enhanced employee protection protocols in
place 

 Ford is planning to restart vehicle and engine

production at most of its main manufacturing sites in
Continental Europe in a phased approach beginning May 4.
 To protect its returning workforce, Ford global
standards on social distancing and health and safety
protocols are being implemented.
 The company is also making its own face masks to
protect employees across Europe and is providing
employees with “personal-care kits.”
 The production restart plan supports Ford dealer
sales sites reopening in key markets and are subject to
national movement restrictions.
Nearly 350K Nevada workers have filed for
unemployment amid hotel and casino shutdowns

 According to data from Applied Analysis, a Las Vegas-

based economic research firm, nearly 350,000 workers in
Nevada — a jobless rate of about 25% — have filed for
unemployment benefits since the coronavirus crisis began
escalating, in mid-March.
 The state’s local economy is largely dependent on the
leisure and hospitality industry, which provide jobs that
largely can’t be done remotely.
 Casino operators such as Wynn, MGM Las Vegas and
Sands Resorts all have announced layoffs and furloughs.
AutoNation will return $77 million in forgivable PPP
loans after furloughing 7,000 employees

 AutoNation, the largest U.S. auto dealership chain,

will return $77 million it received in forgivable loans from
the Paycheck Protection Program.
 Marc Cannon, a spokesman for the company,
told Reuters that AutoNation was “clearly eligible and
 applied on behalf of the 7,000 employees furloughed
caused by the COVID-19 crisis.”
 The decision to return federal funds came after the
Small Business Administration issued new guidance for
the program and those applying for aid.
Stanford Health Care to furlough workers, cut wages
20%

 Stanford Health Care employees, including doctors

and nurses on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic,
will see a 20% pay cut for 10 weeks starting April 27.
 The pay reductions will apply to all employees at
Stanford Hospital, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital
Stanford and, in the East Bay, Stanford-ValleyCare.
 According to Palo Alto Online, employees can choose
to lose pay but continue to work full-time, work fewer
hours while taking paid time off in full-day increments, or
work fewer hours but take up to 96 hours of flex time as
time off. If they are not eligible, they can take unpaid time
off. The hospital will offer tips on how to file for
unemployment insurance.
 Addressing Stanford executives in an open letter, 16
employees said they are dismayed by the hospital’s
actions. “Stanford Health Care is now turning its back on
front-line health care workers and refusing to
acknowledge our input when it comes to furloughs. Your
refusal to work collaboratively and negotiate is extremely
disrespectful to all of us who have been coming to work
every day, often without proper protection, putting our
lives at risk to care for patients,” they wrote.
 Additionally, the letter read, “You’ve presented your
furlough plan as a ‘shared sacrifice’ as if this extreme
measure has the same impact on the CEO who makes over
$3 million/year and a housekeeper or a nursing assistant
who struggle to pay rent and feed our family in the Silicon
Valley on $60,000 or $70,000 a year. This shows a stark
lack of empathy and understanding for the reality of our
lives.”
Zillow allowing employees to work from home for rest
of 2020

Scott Eells | Bloomberg | Getty Images

 Zillow has announced that it’s allowing its more than

5,000 employees to continue working from home
throughout the rest of the year.
 “My personal opinions about WFH have been turned
upside down over the past 2 months,” CEO Rich Barton
tweeted Friday. “I expect this will have a lasting influence
on the future of work ... and home. Stay safe.”
Meredith cuts pay for 60% of workforce, citing decline
in ad revenue

 Meredith Corp. has announced it will reduce pay for

60% of Meredith’s 5,000 employees, citing a “significant”
decline in advertising revenue.
 While the company’s highest-paid employees received
cuts ranging from 20% to 40%, about 45% of the remaining
staff will see a 15% pay cut, all of which will take effect
from May 4 to Sept. 4. Employees taking a pay cut will
receive one day of paid leave per week for the four-month
period.
 Additionally, wages, salaries and hiring will be frozen,
and Meredith’s use of freelancers is being reduced.
 “The Covid-19 crisis has created an extremely
challenging business environment, including significant
advertising campaign cancellations and delays,” said CEO
Tom Harty. “While our financial position is strong, given
the impact on advertising — which represents
approximately half of our revenue mix — we are
proactively taking aggressive actions to strengthen our
liquidity and enhance our financial flexibility in the near-
term to effectively navigate the current environment.”
Annapurna Pictures lays off CFO James Pong and
other executives

 According to Variety, Annapurna Pictures has laid off

CFO James Pong, two film executives, two television
executives and two assistants, all seven of which
represent nearly 10% of the company’s staff.
 An Annapurna spokesperson confirmed to Variety a
“modest number of layoffs due to the current economic
climate.” In addition to these layoffs, senior leadership
will also take pay cuts, joining a long list of media and
entertainment companies who have been negatively
affected by Covid-19.
US car-rental company Hertz to lay off 10,000 staff

 U.S. car-rental company Hertz said on Monday it

plans to lay off 10,000 employees across its North
America operations to cut costs amid the economic fallout
of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Reuters.
 Hertz had about 38,000 employees as of Dec. 31,
2019, of which 29,000 were at its U.S. operations.
 The company, which counts billionaire investor Carl
Icahn as its largest shareholder, will incur employee
termination costs of about $30 million, it said in a
regulatory filing. 
Disney halts pay for over 100,000 employees

The entrance to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World is seen on the first day of closure as
theme parks in the Orlando area suspend operations for two weeks in an effort to curb the
spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty
Images)

Paul Hennessy | SOPA Images | LightRocket via Getty Images

 Walt Disney will stop paying more than 100,000

employees this week, nearly half of its workforce.
 Suspending pay for thousands will save Disney up to
$500 million a month across its theme parks and hotels,
which have been shut in Europe and the U.S. for almost
five weeks.
 Disney will provide full health-care benefits for staff
placed on unpaid leave.
 From April 19 onward, the company is urging
employees to apply for the extra $600 a week of federal
support available through the $2 trillion coronavirus
stimulus package.
Walmart will require all associates to wear masks or
other face coverings at work

People wearing masks and gloves wait to enter a Walmart on April 17, 2020 in Uniondale, New
York.

Al Bello

 Walmart and Sam’s Club will require their

approximately 1.5 million U.S.-based associates to wear
masks or other face coverings beginning on Monday,
 according to a memo sent by the CEOs of Walmart U.S.
and Sam’s Club, a Walmart division. 
 The retailers will also encourage customers to wear
face coverings, according to the memo, dated Friday.
 The memo says that employees could bring their own
face covering or use one provided by the company. The
company will also extend its emergency leave
policy through the end of May. 
 Walmart is the largest private employer in the United
States.
Amazon deploys thermal cameras at warehouses to
scan for fevers faster

 Amazon.com has started to use thermal cameras at

its warehouses to speed up screening for feverish workers
who could be infected with the coronavirus, according to
a report by Reuters.
 The cameras in effect measure how much heat people
emit relative to their surroundings. They require less time
and contact than forehead thermometers, earlier adopted
by Amazon, the workers said.
 Cases of the virus have been reported among staff at
more than 50 of Amazon’s U.S. warehouses. That has
prompted some workers to worry for their safety and walk
off the job. Unions and elected officials have called on
Amazon to close buildings down.
 Amazon confirmed that some warehouses have
implemented the systems to streamline checks. The
company said in a statement that it is taking
temperatures “to support the health and safety of our
 employees, who continue to provide a critical service in
our communities.”
Southwest Airlines reportedly pushing unions to
consider long-term concessions due to collapse in
demand

 Southwest Airlines is reportedly pushing unions that

represent pilots, flight attendants and mechanics to
consider long-term concessions due to the collapse in
demand, according to a Reuters report.
 Russell McCrady, vice president of labor relations,
says that the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic is
“beyond anything we’ve ever experienced,” adding that
Southwest has discussed potential union changes that
would be adopted in October, should the industry fail to
recover.
Tim Cook: Apple ‘isn’t immune to worldwide economic
trends’

Apple CEO Tim Cook greets employees and customers on a surprise visit to the Georgetown
Apple store in Washington, DC.

Jabin Botsford | The Washington Post | Getty Images

 Bloomberg reports that Apple CEO Tim Cook told

employees the company “isn’t immune to worldwide
economic trends” in a virtual closed-door meeting to
discuss the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
 When asked about layoffs, Cook emphasized Apple’s
strong financial position going into the crisis and pointed
out that the company has continued to pay its retail
workers despite the closing of physical stores. “I won’t
tell you Apple won’t be impacted,” he added.
 Cook went on to stress that the tech giant will
continue to invest heavily in research and development.
WWE furloughs staff, reduces executive pay

 In an effort to reduce costs, the WWE says it will

furlough many employees and slash the compensation of
executives and board members, according to a recent
company statement.
 “The decision to furlough versus permanently reduce
headcount reflects the fact that the Company currently
believes the furlough will be temporary in nature,” the
WWE’s statement said.
 The company also said that it will cut talent expenses
and cancel third-party staffing arrangements, despite
resuming live wrestling matches this week, televised on
Fox and USA.
ServiceNow pledges to protect its global workforce,
commits to no layoffs for 2020

Bill McDermott, CEO of ServiceNow.

Adam Jeffery | CNBC

 “We want our employees focused on supporting our

customers, not worried about their own jobs,” said
ServiceNow’s CEO Bill McDermott. “We are committed to
no layoffs for 2020.” McDermott added that the company
is continuing to hire worldwide.
 ServiceNow says it will protect the salaries of several
hundred support staff and contract workers who are out of
work while offices remain closed.
 In addition to protecting its workers, the company
says it expects to create and fill more than 1,000 new jobs
 in the U.S. by the end of 2020 and onboard approximately
360 college interns worldwide for a digital summer
program.
Opendoor lays off more than 600 employees in
another blow to SoftBank-backed companies

 Homebuying start-up Opendoor has laid off more than

600 employees, which amounts to 35% of its total staff,
according to CEO Eric Wu.
 In a company statement, Wu said that workers
affected would receive two months of severance pay and
four months of reimbursement for health-care coverage,
adding that he and other Opendoor executives would also
be donating to an employee relief fund.
 According to The Information, these layoffs are “one
of the deepest cuts from a private tech firm since the
coronavirus outbreak sent the economy into a tailspin.”
Royal Caribbean reduces US workforce by 26% as
cruise cancellations continue

This is a file photo showing Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.’s Quantum-class cruise ship, the
Anthem of the Sea, as it sits moored at the Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, Oct. 6, 2015.

Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images

 Royal Caribbean is reducing its U.S. workforce by

over 26%, more than half of which are located in South
Florida, according to the Miami Herald.
 “We are in discussions with our employees today
about the impact of the pandemic on our business,” a
company spokesman confirmed. “We want to speak
directly with our employees first and will have further
comment as details become available.”
 Most of the reductions are permanent layoffs, though
the Herald reports that some are 90-day furloughs with
paid benefits.
Cinemark furloughs half of staff, lays off 17,500 hourly
workers

 In an SEC filing that followed a $250 million debt

offering, Cinemark Holdings revealed that the theater
chain has laid off over 17,500 hourly employees amid
theater closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
 According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cinemark also
furloughed 50% of corporate employees at its Plano,
Texas, headquarters at 20% of salary but with full
benefits.
 Additionally, the salaries of remaining company
employees have been cut in half.
Layoffs and furloughs hit LA Times, Valence Media

 The Los Angeles Times has said it will furlough a

number of business-side workers and cut pay for senior
managers as advertising revenue has been “nearly
eliminated.” The company will also suspend its 401(k)
match for non-union workers, according to a company
memo sent by Chris Argentieri, president of the California
Times.
 According to Variety, Valence Media also began
layoffs at brand-owned operations like The Hollywood
Reporter, Billboard, Dick Clark Productions and Media
Rights Capital. These layoffs are believed to include
editorial employees, as well as staffers in other
departments.
 KIND Healthy Snacks partners with Project N95 to
launch platform to help front-line health-care workers

 The KIND Foundation and Project N95 on Tuesday

launched the Frontline Impact Project, a platform whereby
health-care institutions and other front-line response
organizations can request resources to help meet their
biggest needs during the coronavirus pandemic.
 The partnership between KIND and Project N95 will
provide the thousands of health-care facilities already in
the Project 95 network with the opportunity to request
donations “in the areas of nourishment, lodging,
transportation, among others,” according to
a statement by KIND Healthy Snacks.
 The KIND Foundation has committed up to $1 million
toward these efforts, in addition to 5 million KIND bars,
which will be distributed to those working on the front
lines.
Groupon announces cost-cutting layoffs and furloughs

Groupon Inc. signage is displayed at company headquarters in Chicago, Illinois

Tim Boyle | Bloomberg | Getty Images

 Groupon said it expects to lay off or furlough roughly

2,800 workers as it faces declining consumer demand for
its local services amid coronavirus restrictions.
 The furloughs are part of a cost-cutting effort that
includes a hiring freeze, eliminating merit raises,
eliminating cash compensation for non-executive board
directors and reducing marketing expense by significantly
shortening payback thresholds and delaying brand
marketing investments.
 This may not be the end of workforce reductions,
according to the Chicago-based daily deals site.
 For the quarter ended March 31, Groupon projects
revenue around $345 million to $385 million, compared
with the $578.4 million the company reported in last year’s
first quarter.
Fidelity announces plans to accelerate the hiring of
approximately 2,000 people

 Fidelity Investments has announced plans to

accelerate the hiring of approximately 2,000 U.S. workers,
the vast majority of which will fulfill roles as financial
consultants and customer service representatives.
 “We have seen unprecedented engagement from our
individual clients ... all of whom are turning to Fidelity to
help them navigate this challenging environment,” said
Kathy Murphy, president of Personal Investing. “To ensure
we continue to provide this strong support to clients, we
are stepping up and hiring advisors and other financial
professionals to continue helping them navigate their
financial lives.”
Cisco jobs are safe: CEO Chuck Robbins

 In an interview with
Bloomberg, Cisco Systems CEO Chuck Robbins said that
he has told staff not to worry about losing their jobs. He
also urged other companies with the financial wherewithal
to absorb coronavirus losses to follow his example.
 “We’re actively involved in the community trying to
help people who’ve been impacted by this, why would we
contribute to the problem?” Robbins said.
 BlackRock says no layoffs, commits to full pay  

 BlackRock, the world’s largest money manager, says

it will not lay of any workers this year, despite the ongoing
fallout from the coronavirus outbreak, according to CEO
Larry Fink.
 Fink also said that the world’s largest asset manager
will commit to giving full-time pay to support staff even if
they are unable to come to work.
Restaurant software provider Toast cuts 50% of staff

 Toast, a provider of point-of-sale software to the

restaurant industry is cutting about 50% of its staff — or
1,300 employees — as the coronavirus forces eateries
across the country to close.
 The start-up raised $400 million in February at a
valuation of almost $5 billion after revenue more than
doubled last year. But as cities from San Francisco to New
York imposed shelter-in-place orders last month,
restaurants were only able to serve food via delivery and
takeout, which proved a harsh blow to the growing
company.
Struggling SoftBank-backed Oyo furloughs thousands

An OYO Rooms logo seen displayed on a smartphone.

SOPA Images | LightRocket | Getty Images

 Oyo, the Indian lodging start-up backed by SoftBank,

is indefinitely furloughing thousands of its global
employees in countries excluding India, adding that it’s
not considering job cuts at this time. The company did not
specify the number of furloughed employees.
 Founder Ritesh Agarwal told employees that tough
decisions are necessary at this time of uncertainty, and
assured workers that the start-up would not make any job
cuts “despite significant economic pressures” to do so.
 According to Bloomberg, the SoftBank-backed
company has $1 billion of cash in the bank and is
“exploring options to remain viable over at least the next
36 months.”
Tesla to furlough hourly workers, slash employee pay

Tesla vehicles stand outside of a Brooklyn showroom and service center on August 27, 2018 in
New York City.

Spencer Platt | Getty Images

 Tesla will cut pay for all of its salaried employees

and will furlough hourly workers until May 4, when it
intends to resume production of electric cars, according
to an internal email that multiple employees shared with
CNBC.
 The pay reductions are expected to be in place until
the end of the second quarter.
 Health orders, implemented to curb the spread of
COVID-19, forced Elon Musk’s electric-car company to
wind down production at its main vehicle assembly plant
in Fremont, California.
Retailers Dick’s Sporting Goods and Party City to
furlough workers

 Dick’s Sporting Goods announced that it will furlough

an unspecified number of workers starting April 12.
 The retailer said it will pay workers through April 11
and provide benefits through the furlough.
 Party City announced it was furloughing 90% of its
store employees and 70% of those who work in other
functions.
 Like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Party City says its
furloughed employees’ health benefits will continue. 
Nissan’s manufacturing facilities to close through
April, impacting 10,000 US workers

 Nissan has said that its manufacturing facilities

throughout the U.S. will remain closed through April due to
the fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak.
 As a result, the auto manufacturer is implementing
temporary layoffs that will impact roughly 10,000 workers,
to help manage the business where activity is reduced.
 Affected employees will be eligible to apply for
government support, such as enhanced unemployment
benefits.
SpaceX coronavirus cases rise to six employees

Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) and
Tesla Inc., speaks during an event at the SpaceX launch facility in Cameron County, Texas,
U.S., on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019.

Bronte Wittpenn | Bloomberg | Getty Images

 As of Monday, six SpaceX employees have tested

positive for COVID-19, according to an internal company
memo seen by CNBC.
 Like others in the aerospace industry, the company
had previously limited the number of employees who were
showing up to work at its facilities, due to the rapid
spread of the virus.
 Nonetheless, SpaceX operations have continued after
the company was deemed “mission essential” by the
Department of Defense.
Boeing shuts down facilities in South Carolina,
halting production of commercial airplanes

 Boeing said it will temporarily shut down production

at its 787 facilities in South Carolina after the governor
issued a stay-at-home order to stop the spread of
coronavirus throughout the state. The South Carolina
operation is one of two sites that make Boeing’s
Dreamliner jets.
 This follows a previous announcement by the
company that it will indefinitely extend a shutdown of
commercial airplane factories in the Seattle area, which is
home to the bulk of its workforce.
 Boeing said that staff who cannot work remotely will
be paid for 10 days of work and can also file for
unemployment benefits and use paid time off during this
time. Additionally, the company said that employee
benefits will continue “as normal” during this interruption
in manufacturing. 
 The virus has already infected about 100 Boeing
employees, according to a company spokesperson. 
Spirit extends suspension of work on Boeing programs

 Following Boeing’s announcement to indefinitely

suspend production at its sites in Washington, Spirit
AeroSystems will also extend its suspension of work on
Boeing commercial programs at Tulsa and McAlester,
Oklahoma; San Antonio, Texas; and Wichita, Kansas.
 To address the financial challenges presented by
Boeing’s continued suspension, Spirit is implementing
temporary workforce furloughs at these sites.
 All U.S-based executives and Spirit’s board of
directors will take a 20% reduction in pay until further
notice.
In reversal, Apple says it will commit to paying
contractors out of work

 Hundreds of Apple contract workers were recently

told that they would be suspended without pay as more
are told to stay home and off of the tech giant’s Silicon
Valley campus.
 On Monday a company spokeswoman reversed that
claim, committing Apple to a plan that  will pay its hourly
workers, such as janitors, drivers and hundreds of other
contractors who perform day-to-day functions on campus,
according to a Wall Street Journal report.
 The tech giant has more than $200 billion in cash and
cash equivalents that will aid in getting payments to those
contractors.
 Apple CEO Tim Cook had previously said Apple
employees would continue to receive pay throughout the
crisis but did not specify at the time whether hourly
contract workers would also continue to receive pay.
Google, Facebook offer paid leave to parents affected
by school closures

 Google and Facebook are offering large blocks of

emergency leave to parents struggling to deal with
 disruptions to their family schedules, according to the Los
Angeles Times.
 At Google, employees taking care of children or family
members are being offered two weeks off without dipping
into their paid leave following the closure of any school or
care facility.
 Facebook is offering four weeks to employees who
are facing unexpected caregiving needs, and an additional
six weeks of emergency-care leave for employees who
need to take time to take care of any family members who
fall ill or are dealing with other medical conditions.
 The new Facebook and Google benefits do not apply
to contractors, who make up a large percentage of their
workforces. 
Caterpillar withholds annual salary increases and
bonuses

An employee assembles an excavator at the Caterpillar Inc. manufacturing facility in Victoria,

Texas.

Callaghan O’Hare | Bloomberg | Getty Images

 Caterpillar will withhold annual salary increases for

executives, managers and salaried employees, in an effort
to tighten expenses amid the coronavirus outbreak.
 The company also said in a memo that it will not pay
bonuses to eligible employees next year. 
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts pledges $500 million for
employees

 Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said Wednesday the

nation’s largest cable provider and owner of NBCUniversal
has committed $500 million to support employees as
 coronavirus quarantines temporarily shut down business
units.
 In an email to employees, Roberts said Comcast
would put aside that amount for pay and benefits for
employees “where operations have been paused or
impacted.”
 He also said he would join Comcast’s senior
executives — CFO Mike Cavanagh, Comcast Cable CEO
Dave Watson, NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell and Sky CEO
Jeremy Darroch — in donating 100% of their salaries to
charities to support coronavirus relief efforts.
 Comcast has seen its broadband usage spike as
Americans largely stay at home during COVID-19
quarantines.
Home Depot institutes new safety measures and
increases PTO

Workers walk through the garden center at a Home Depot store

Scott Olson/Getty Images

 The home improvement retailer said it will institute

new safety measures in response to the coronavirus
outbreak, including earlier store closures and limiting the
number of customers allowed into stores at one time.
 Home Depot stores will now close at six p.m., which
will allow the retailer to keeps its shelves stocked and
ramp up sanitizing efforts.
 The company has also increased paid time off (PTO)
for its hourly workers. Hourly full-time associates will
receive an additional 80 hours of PTO, hourly part-time
associates an additional 40 hours, and for hourly workers
over the age of 65, an additional 160 hours will be given to
 full-time employees and an additional 80 to part-time
employees.
 The company has also said that any worker diagnosed
with COVID-19 and anyone directed to self-quarantine will
be paid during that period.
American Airlines plans to apply for coronavirus aid,
offers partial pay for employee leave

 American Airlines on Monday said it will apply for

government aid to soften the blow from a record drop in
travel demand. The carrier is also offering partial pay to
entice workers off its payroll.
 The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline said it expects
about $12 billion of the $50 billion set aside for airlines in
a sweeping coronavirus relief bill Congress passed last
week.
 The aid includes $25 billion in grants for passenger
airlines in exchange for not furloughing or cutting the pay
rates of their employees through Sept. 30. The other half
is in loans.
 American is also making voluntary leaves of absence
and early retirements partially paid, an attempt to get
more workers to sign up. American and other carriers had
been offering voluntary unpaid leave to try to lower costs.
 Mainline American employees, except for pilots, could
receive 25% of their pay for leaves of up to 12 months.
They would continue to receive medical benefits.
Employees who have been with American for 10 years can
receive half of their pay for 12 months. 
 Fiat Chrysler temporarily cuts pay by 20% for salaried
workers

 Fiat Chrysler will temporarily defer the salaries of its

white-collar workers by 20% for the next three months as
the automaker attempts to save cash to weather the
coronavirus crisis.
 The pay cuts, according to a Monday letter from CEO
Mike Manley obtained by CNBC, will begin
Wednesday. Manley also will take a 50% cut in his salary
and members of the Group Executive Council (GEC), the
company’s highest executive decision-making body, will
all take 30% salary cuts, according to the letter.
 Fiat Chrysler Chairman John Elkann and the rest of
the automaker’s board also have unanimously agreed to
forgo their remaining 2020 compensation.
 The salary cuts for the white-collar workers are
expected to be repaid no later than March 15 of next year.
They are expected to impact most of the automaker’s
salaried workforce globally.
Gap to furlough most store employees, cut corporate
jobs

Pedestrians pass in front of a GAP store in New York.

Scott Mlyn | CNBC

 Gap announced that it will furlough most of its store

employees.
 The plan will affect nearly 80,000 out of 129,000
employees across all brands, including Banana Republic
and Old Navy. The furloughed workers will continue to
collect health benefits.
 According to a press release, the retailer has also
announced that it will reduce headcount across its
corporate functions around the world.
 In addition, the entire Gap leadership team along with
the Board of Directors will take a temporary reduction in
pay.
Yum Brands CEO to forgo 2020 salary to fund general
manager bonuses

 Yum Brands said Monday that CEO David Gibbs

will forgo the rest of his base salary in 2020 to fund one-
time $1,000 bonuses to the company’s nearly 1,200
restaurant general managers across KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco
Bell and The Habit Burger Grill. 
 His salary will also help fund the Yum Brands
Foundation Global Employee Medical Relief Fund,
according to a regulatory filing. The fund will provide
financial hardship grants to those directly impacted by the
coronavirus pandemic, including company and franchise
restaurant employees. Yum plans to also accept donations
to the fund.
 Gibbs stood to make $900,000 from his salary this
year, excluding any performance-based bonuses.
La-Z-Boy furloughs workers, cuts management and
salaried worker pay

 La-Z-Boy furloughed 6,800 workers.

 The furniture maker also cut the pay of senior
management by 50%, and of salaried workers by 25%.
 La-Z-Boy announced that it also eliminated its June
dividend and stopped its share repurchase program
indefinitely.
Cheesecake Factory furloughs 41,000 hourly
employees, cuts corporate employee pay by 10% to
20%

A view of the Cheesecake Factory at the Short Hills Mall on March 18, 2020 in Millburn, New
Jersey.

Elsa | Getty Images

 The restaurant chain is furloughing about 41,000

hourly workers and cutting pay for corporate employees
by 10% to 20% as it struggles to pay rent and continues
negotiations with various landlords about its obligations.
 Longtime chairman and CEO David Overton wrote in a
letter to landlords, “Due to these extraordinary events, I
am asking for your patience, and frankly, your help.”
SoftBank-backed Getaround lays off 100 U.S.-based
employees

 Getaround, the struggling car rental start-up backed

by SoftBank, has said it will lay off about 100 U.S.-based
employees due to a sharpening decline in consumer
mobility.
 The cuts are the second round of layoffs at the
company this year, resulting in a workforce of about half
what it was in January.
Tesla cuts 75% of on-site staff at Nevada factory

 The U.S. electric carmaker plans to slash its on-site

workforce in Nevada by around 75%, due to the
 coronavirus pandemic. The factory produces electric
motors and battery packs for Tesla’s Model 3 sedans.
 According to Reuters, Tesla said last week it would
temporarily suspend production at its vehicle factory in
San Francisco beginning March 23, as well as at its New
York solar roof-tile factory.
 Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company will reopen
the New York plant “as soon as humanly possible” to
manufacture ventilators for coronavirus patients.
AMC Entertainment furloughs CEO Adam Aron, all
corporate employees

“Theater Closed” signs are posted in front of the AMC Montebello, as the US chain of AMC
movie theaters closes for 6 to 12 weeks, On March 17, 2020 in Montebello, California, as the
coronavirus (covid-19) epidemic leads to restaurant and school closures and workers working
from home in an effort to encourage social distancing.

Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images

 AMC Entertainment, the world’s largest theater

operator, says it has furloughed CEO Adam Aron and all
corporate employees at the company’s headquarters in
Leawood, Kansas, in an effort to stay afloat amid the
ongoing fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
 Last week AMC shuttered its 1,000 locations around
the world to help prevent the ongoing spread of the virus.
 A company spokesperson said that AMC’s furlough
will extend for the “hopefully short period of time” that all
of its theaters are closed, during which employees will
retain health benefits.
 The company says that the decision was “absolutely
necessary” in order to ensure AMC can reopen alongside
other businesses when the public health crisis dissipates.
 Andreessen Horowitz-backed start-up Wonderschool
lays off 75% of staff via Zoom

 Wonderschool, a childcare start-up backed by

legendary VC firm Andreessen Horowitz, says it has laid of
75% of its staff, or about 50 people, via a Zoom call. These
layoffs follow a 25% cut to the start-up’s workforce this
past November.
 The San Francisco-based company cited the impact of
shelter-in-place orders on its business, adding that the
coronavirus pandemic could also freeze any funding
opportunities for two years.
 Private market funding is already down more than
16% compared to last quarter, according
to research from CB Insights.
StubHub furloughs as much as two-thirds of its
workforce

 Following the postponements and cancellations of

hundreds of sporting events and concerts, the ticketing
giant has become one of the first to make significant cuts
to its workforce as the live entertainment industry
continues to take a hit.
 According to ESPN, StubHub would not provide
specifics on the number of people furloughed, but an
internal email cites that the company “furloughed as much
as 67% of their workforce,” which leaves less than 150
staffers who will remain on payroll until “at least June” as
many continue assessing the fallout from the virus. 
 BuzzFeed slashes employee pay, CEO foregoes salary

 According to the Daily Beast, the media company

announced a graduated salary reduction for the majority
of employees, some of whom will see a nearly 25% pay
cut.
 Staffers that make under $65,000 annually would
experience a 5% pay reduction; staffers making between
$65,000 and $99,000 annually would experience a 7% pay
reduction. Other staff would take a pay reduction of nearly
10%, while executives could see between a 14% and 25%
pay reduction.
 CEO Jonah Peretti also confirmed that he will forego
his salary as a result of the coronavirus, which has hit
publishers hard as advertising revenue declines.
What the coronavirus bill means for unemployment
benefits, gig workers

 A coronavirus relief bill unveiled Tuesday

would significantly expand unemployment benefits for
Americans who lose their jobs due to the country’s recent
economic contagion. 
 The measure would beef up the nation’s
unemployment insurance program, a state-administered
program that provides temporary income support for out-
of-work Americans. Final language could change before
the bill’s scheduled release later today, though experts
don’t expect it will relative to unemployment.
 Under the legislation, unemployed workers would
both collect bigger unemployment checks — which could,
in some cases, even exceed their typical wages — and
receive those payments over a longer period of time.
 The legislation would also extend benefits to a
broader pool of people, like gig workers and freelancers.
Starbucks CEO says the company is committed to
paying its workforce for the next 30 days

Kevin Johnson, CEO, Starbucks

Scott Mlyn | CNBC

 Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson told CNBC’s “Squawk

on the Street” that the coffee giant will continue paying its
workforce for the next 30 days as “stay-at-home” orders
remain in effect for many around the world, due to the
coronavirus outbreak.
 The company has reopened over 95% of stores in
China, including sites in Wuhan and the Hubei province,
which CNBC’s Jim Cramer points to as evidence that the
coronavirus outbreak has indeed slowed in China.
 Starbucks employs 191,000 people in the U.S.,
approximately 183,000 of which work in company-
operated stores and another 8,000 of which work in
support facilities, store development facilities, and
roasting, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution
operations.
SoftBank-backed real estate start-up Compass lays off
15% of staff

 Compass, the SoftBank-backed real estate brokerage

start-up, has laid off 15% of its staff as a result of the
ongoing economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.
The layoffs are being accompanied by an 80% reduction to
its concierge unit, which is a contracted suit of home
improvement service providers.
 Founder and CEO Robert Reffkin said that the
company has seen a 60% decline in real estate showings
and projects a 50% decline in revenue over the next six
months. Reffkin also said that he will be foregoing his own
salary and cutting the salaries of his executive team by
25%.
 The company has said that laid off employees will be
given “enhanced severance and COBRA health insurance.”
Additionally, the company will offer assistance to those
now job-seeking employees, in the form of various training
and networking tools.
Mondelēz International raises hourly wages and offers
bonus to workers

 Food maker, Mondelez says it will increase hourly

wages by $2 and will pay $125 weekly bonus for sales
representatives from today through May 2nd.
 These benefits will go to the more than 10,000
workers who are making, selling and distributing products
to retail partners across the country.
 The company also said in a press release that any
impacted U.S.-based employees will receive up to two
additional weeks of paid leave at 100% of pay.
 Mondelez also announced that it will hire 1,000
workers to deal with a surge in demand for food and
household products. The company encourages individuals
who may been displaced by the closing of other
businesses to apply for the positions.
Instacart plans to hire 300,000 contract workers as
delivery demand mounts

A shopper for Instacart navigates through the aisles as she shops for a customer.
 Cyrus McCrimmon | Denver Post | Getty Images

 On-demand grocery delivery company Instacart

announced that it is looking to hire 300,000 “full-service
shoppers” over the next three months to keep up with the
demand from consumers in at-home quarantine — double
its current workforce of 140,000 contract workers and
12,000 in-store shoppers.
 Instacart has said it will provide paid sick leave to
workers diagnosed with coronavirus or in mandated self-
quarantine, as concerns regarding the ongoing health and
safety of delivery and gig workers continue to mount.
 According to CNN Business, the company also
recently announced that customer ratings would not
impact the access that contracted shoppers have to
future order requests during the pandemic. This follows
reports that some Instacart workers were receiving an
influx of low ratings from customers due to factors outside
their control as a result of the ongoing public health
crisis. 
BJ’s Wholesale Club increases wages and bonuses for
frontline team members

 BJ’s Wholesale Club announced that it will be

increasing wages and bonuses for “frontline team
members” at their 218 clubs across the country.
 All hourly team members in the company’s clubs,
distribution centers and home office will earn an
additional $2 per hour beginning March 23 through at least
April 12.
 At the end of March, the company also says that its
“managers and key personnel” in the clubs and
 distribution centers will receive a onetime bonus ranging
from $500 to $1,000.
 BJ’s previously issued an emergency paidleave policy
to support team members in the wake of the COVID-19
pandemic, which included “pay for up to 14 days when
under mandated quarantine” and “pay through a mix of
accrued sick time and company paid time if a team
member tests positive for coronavirus and needs to self-
quarantine.”
Netflix pledges $100 million to out-of-work production
crews and cast members

In this photo illustration the Netflix logo is seen displayed on a smartphone. (Photo Illustration
by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Rafael Henrique | SOPA Images | Getty Images

 Netflix recently announced that it has set up a $100

million relief fund for cast and crew members working on
studio productions that have been halted by the
coronavirus outbreak.
 Aside from providing relief to its own productions,
Netflix also said that $15 million will go to “third parties
and non-profits providing emergency relief to out-of-work
crew and cast in the countries where we have a large
production base.”
 According to The Hollywood Reporter, the company
has pledged $1 million of that to the SAG-AFTRA COVID-19
Disaster Fund, the Motion Picture and Television Fund and
the Actors Fund Emergency Assistance in the U.S., and
another $1 million between the AFC and Fondation des
Artistes.
 CVS Health looking to fill 50,000 jobs to meet demand

 CVS said it needs more store associates, home-

delivery drivers, distribution center employees and
customer service professionals.
 The company will use virtual job fairs, virtual
interviews and tech-enabled job tryouts to find the right
candidates.
 It said it expects to fill many of the jobs with CVS
clients, such as Hilton and Marriott, that have furloughed
workers. 
3M Chairman and CEO Mike Roman on company’s
pandemic response: 

In a March 22 LinkedIn post, Roman writes:

 As I write this, more than 500,000 respirators are on

the way from our South Dakota plant to two of the more
critically impacted areas, New York and Seattle, with
arrivals expected starting tomorrow.
 We are working with the U.S. and other governments,
investigating alternate manufacturing scenarios, and
exploring coalitions with other companies to increase
capacity further.
 3M has a unique and critical responsibility in
pandemic preparedness and response — a responsibility I
and all our people take very seriously. Our most urgent
priority is the safety of our employees, health-care
workers and the public.
 3M is working proactively and is well-prepared to
protect our employees, maintain business continuity and
sustain our operations. Our crisis response team — which
 I am a member of — is overseeing all aspects of our
strategies, and we are collaborating with our business
partners across industries to prepare for any and all
scenarios that may unfold.
 Finally, I’d like to publicly share a sentiment to all
96,000 3Mers around the world: I am tremendously proud
of you and the work you continue to do every day. This
includes the 50,000 people who, in these most challenging
circumstances, come to work in our plants and
distribution centers to support making and delivering the
products that are critical in this fight.
 Across all our sites, we have established robust
protocols for safety, cleaning and medical screening, and
we are working closely with local communities and health
authorities to ensure safe workplace environments. We
also continue to support employees impacted by COVID-
19, which includes a new pandemic leave policy in the
United States.
FedEx CEO says he is not expecting to seek federal
aid or resort to layoffs

Frederick Smith, CEO of FedEx.

Adam Jeffery | CNBC

 FedEx CEO Fred Smith said he doubts the company

will be seeking any federal aid since business has
increased amid the coronavirus pandemic.
 The company is also not expecting any layoffs, Smith
said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
 FedEx, one of the largest shipping and logistics
companies in the country, has seen delivery service
demand surge as more Americans are shut in at home.
 Smith said there are “massive efforts” under way in
facilities to socially distance employees and provide
supplies like gloves and antiseptic swabs.“We’re doing
absolutely everything we can, cleaning our facilities
prolifically,” he said.
95% of the nation’s casinos are closed

 443 (95%) of the country’s commercial casinos, plus

an additional 8 in 10 (83%) of the country’s 524 tribal
casinos have closed.
 Nearly 662,000 casino gaming and resort employees,
or 98% of the total U.S. casino workforce, are prevented
from working.
 Casino closures risk nearly $74 billion in total wages
annually for workers and their families.
 Casino gaming is vital to local small businesses,
delivering $52 billion annually in small business revenue,
including construction, manufacturing, retail and
wholesale firms.
Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson announces major salary
and hiring changes to curb the damage done by the
outbreak

 On a March 19 Marriott conference call, CEO Arne

Sorenson announced that the company would be halting
share buybacks and suspending its cash dividend, in
addition to suspending Sorenson’s salary for the balance
of 2020.
 The company also announced that it will be reducing
salaries for the senior executive team by 50% and hiring
only “essential positions.”
 This follows previous reporting that the world’s
largest hotel operator would be forced to furlough
thousands of employees without pay due to the
coronavirus fallout.
Domino’s expects to hire 10,000 workers amid
coronavirus delivery surge

 Domino’s Pizza expects to hire about 10,000 workers

nationwide in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
 The company is looking for delivery drivers, pizza
chefs, customer service representatives, managers and
licensed truck drivers for its supply chain centers. The
need will vary based on individual stores.
 The pizza chain has introduced contactless delivery in
the U.S. to respond to the epidemic. Delivery accounts for
about 55% of its total orders.
 The National Restaurant Association is asking the
federal government for financial relief for the industry as it
forecasts sales declines of $225 billion over the next three
months.
 On March 19, Papa John’s President & CEO Rob Lynch
joined CNBC’s “The Exchange,” where he said the
company is also “hiring bigtime” as they lean into their
delivery business and expand their workforce to meet
demand.
MLB teams pledge $30 million to cover lost wages of
ballpark workers affected by season postponement 

Gerald Martineau | The Washington Post | Getty Images

 All 30 Major League Baseball teams collectively have

pledged $30 million to help cover the lost wages of
 ballpark workers furloughed due to the season
postponement amid COVID-19 concerns. 
 With Opening Day originally set for March 26, MLB
teams had already established their game-day staff, like
concession workers and ticket takers, when the league
announced March 12 it would suspend baseball operations
indefinitely.
 “Motivated by desire to help some of the most
valuable members of the baseball community, each Club
has committed $1 million,” MLB Commissioner Rob
Manfred said in a statement.
 Now with Opening Day pushed back to mid-May at its
earliest, the MLB is continuing negotiations with the
Players Association to determine payment to players.
Hotel industry projects 3.9 million industry jobs lost
this year

 According to the American Hotel & Lodging

Association, the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic is
affecting 33,000 small business owners across the lodging
industry who operate 66% of hotel properties.
 The economic harm is already more severe than 9/11
and the Great Recession combined, AHLA President and
CEO Chris Rogers said in a press release.
 Hotel CEOs met with White House officials on
Tuesday to discuss the impact and critical goals: retaining
and rehiring employees and avoiding hotel closures
through increased liquidity and small business loans.
 Jon Bortz, Board Chair, AHLA and Chairman &
CEO, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, said by the end of the
 month it expects another 2,000 employees will also be let
go, representing over three quarters of its employees. 
Honda temporarily suspends production due to
anticipated decline in market demand

 Honda will suspend production for six days beginning

March 23. In those six days, the auto manufacturer will
reduce production by approximately 40,000 vehicles.
 During this time, Honda will continue full pay for its
approximate 27,600 North American associates who are
affected by the temporary suspension of production.
 The affected auto plants include two in Ohio, one in
Indiana and one in Alabama.
American Airlines extends voluntary unpaid leave
options

 American Airlines is offering most of its union

workers unpaid, voluntary leave for up to a year as COVID-
19 coronavirus saps demand. 
 Unpaid leave will allow employees to continue to
receive medical and other health benefits as long as they
pay at the same rate as other employees. It also allows
employees to accrue seniority but not vacation or sick
leave.
 Reservations agents are not being offered unpaid
leave “because their workload is already so high,” the
company said.
 The airline is also offering retirement packages to
people who have been with the company 15 years or
more. 
 Amazon to hire 100,000 workers for delivery,
warehouses

 Amazon said Monday it plans to hire an additional

100,000 warehouse and delivery workers amid a surge in
online orders due to the coronavirus outbreak.
 The company is also raising pay for warehouse and
delivery workers by $2 per hour in the U.S.  
 Amazon encouraged employees in other industries
whose jobs were “lost or furloughed” as a result of the
coronavirus to apply, including members of the hospitality,
restaurant and travel industries. 
UAW, US automakers to enhance protections for
workers

Engines assembled as they make their way through the assembly line at the General Motors
(GM) manufacturing plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee, August 22, 2019.

Harrison McClary | Reuters

 The United Auto Workers (UAW), General Motors

Co., Ford Motor Company and Fiat Chrysler
Automobiles are forming a COVID-19/Coronavirus Task
Force to implement enhanced protections for
manufacturing and warehouse employees at all three
companies.
 Actions include enhanced visitor screening, increased
cleaning and sanitizing of common areas and touch points,
and implementing safety protocols for people with
potential exposure, as well as those who exhibit flu-like
symptoms.
 The joint task force’s areas of focus will include
vehicle production plans, additional social distancing,
break and cleaning schedules, health and safety
 education, health screening, food service and any other
areas that have the potential to improve protections for
employees.
Under Armour closing all North American stores

 Athletic apparel retailer Under Armour will close all

stores in North America from March 16 through March 28.
 Company says all employees will receive pay during
this time.
 Under Armour employs over 16,000 employees and
has 153 retail stores.
Nike closing many stores globally, changing corporate
work policies

American multinational sport clothing brand Nike store seen in Hong Kong.

Budrul Chukrut | SOPA Images | Getty Images

 Nike announced all stores across the U.S., Canada,

Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand will
close from Monday March 16 through March 27 to curb
the spread of COVID-19. 
 Workers will be paid in full during the closure.
 Nike also announced remote work and staggered
work schedules for non-store employees. 
Disney halts production for some live-action films

 Disney is halting the production of some of its live-

action films as concerns over the growing coronavirus
pandemic worsen.
 No confirmed COVID-19 cases confirmed on
productions, but Disney decided to halt production in
“best interests of our cast and crew.”
 It is unclear how many employees will be impacted by
this decision.
Salaried workers at Ford, GM instructed to stay home

 Ford and General Motors have instructed employees

who can work from home to do so beginning Monday due
to the coronavirus outbreak.
 This policy impacts primarily salaried workers. Ford
employs 190,000 people globally, including 66,800 salaried
employees. GM employs about 168,000 people, including
70,000 salaried employees.
 The new guidelines apply globally, excluding China,
but do not include factory workers or those who must
physically be present to do their duties.
Walmart to deploy emergency leave program

A Walmart store is seen as the company reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings that fell short
of analysts’ estimates on February 18, 2020 in Miami, Florida.

Joe Raedle | Getty Images

 Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer, is

deploying an emergency employee leave program.
 The retailer is waiving attendance policy through the
end of April.
 If an individual associate is mandated by government
or company to quarantine, or becomes ill with a confirmed
case of the coronavirus, the associate will receive two
weeks pay.
 If an associate is unable to return to work after those
two weeks, additional pay replacement may be available
for up to 26 weeks for both full- and part-time hourly
associates.

Pandemic planner: 4
things companies
should be doing right
now for employees
Many people thought Regina Phelps, a crisis management
consultant, was “crazy” when she added pandemic planning to
her company’s list of services in the late 1990s.

“Then in 2006, when the avian influenza

[H5N1 outbreak] really picked up, it was like, ‘oh, my gosh,
they’re so brilliant,’” Phelps tells CNBC Make It. (The so-
called bird flu infected at least 800 people from 2003 to 2015,
and has about a 60% death rate, according to the World
Health Organization.) 

Today, Phelps’ phone is ringing off the hook as companies

across the country (and world) are adjusting to the coronavirus
pandemic that has claimed more than 7,100 lives globally.
“I get up every morning at between 3 to 3:30 a.m. and I’ve been
on calls from 4 a.m. till now,” she says.

Regina Phelps, a pandemic planner and founder of Emergency Management &

Safety Solutions in San Francisco, CA.

Courtesy: Dave Kieffer

Phelps is the founder of Emergency Management & Safety

Solutions in San Francisco, where she advises companies like
Whole Foods, Nike and Starbucks on crisis management plans,
including possible pandemics.

Many companies have already curbed travel and asked non-

essential employees to work from home. Here are four things
Phelps advises that every business needs to do now for its
employees, and to keep things under control.
Know who’s sick
First, companies need to know what is going on with their
employees/vendors.

“The key thing is, are there any illnesses?” Phelps says. 

Managers should be continuously checking in with their

employees even while they are working from home to see if
they have any symptoms brewing or have gotten sick since
leaving the office.

“If someone has COVID-19, you cannot say who the person is
[because] of HIPA. [But] you need to however interview the
employee to determine who they had contact with and then
interview those people and send them home for 14 days,”
Phelps says.

Re-adjust workplace environments

What’s more, if employees are not able to work from home,
companies need to re-adjust workplaces for social distancing.

“So, we’re talking about [being] six feet apart,” Phelps says,
“No handshaking and no face-to-face meetings.”

Desks will likely need to be moved and areas that people touch
need to be cleaned multiple times a day.

“Increased cleaning of all high touched surfaces is a bigger

issue in jobs that have equipment or machines they work
with,” Phelps says.
Also, companies need to close all break rooms and cafeterias.
Employees will now need to eat spread out at least six feet
apart.

Deploy support services

Companies should be deploying all of their Employee
Assistance Program services to provide emotional support and
counseling for employees.

“Many are going to be extremely uncomfortable because for

them this just happened overnight,” Phelps says.

In her experience, many people become frightened in chaotic

times like this and feel very alone. So it is important for
companies to make their employees feel supported at and
outside of work.

Watch out for scammers

The bad guys like to come out in difficult times like this,
Phelps says.

“There is a huge plethora of cyber attacks going on right now

through really targeted phishing emails that are preying on
people’s fears,” Phelps says.

She urges companies and consumers alike to look out for

really well-done articles that say “click here, if you need to buy
masks or hand sanitizer.”

“They often look like they are from super legitimate companies
too,” she says, urging companies to upgrade their security
measures during a pandemic and inform employees to be on
the alert if they see anything suspicious. Employees should
follow your company’s guidelines around phishing attacks.