Is your company prepared for a crisis? Though every challenge will be different, a basic response strategy allows you to nimbly adapt to a quickly changing environment. If you’re not sure where to start, a pandemic preparedness plan gives your business a solid foundation for a response to sudden, unexpected events.
Explore Catapult resources below for inspiration and guidance. We’ve thought through everything to help stressful situations be more manageable.
- COVID Safety Plan and Associated Policies: If you’re starting plans from scratch, our fully customizable template highlights everything you’ll need to develop a robust, compliant pandemic strategy. In addition to linked references to other templates within our COVID Toolkit, this guide includes:
- Infectious Disease Committee Meeting and Communication Plans
- Safety procedures involving reopening, travel, in-person meetings and high risk employees
- Visitor and employee health screening checklists
- Comprehensive attendance and leave policies
Catapult Tools for Planning to Re-Open:
- Evaluating COVID Contact and Cases: Stay in better control over your workplace health. This Catapult tool helps establish proper illness responses pertaining to employee quarantine and isolation periods.
- Re-Opening Checklist: Is your business ready to ask employees to work on-location? We’ve thought through everything you’ll need to consider, including how to gather employee morale opinions and strategies to assess scheduling.
- Vaccination Planning Tool: Thinking about mandating or requesting the COVID vaccine for employees? There’s a lot to consider, including state laws, employee opinions, accommodations and more. Don’t skip a single detail–use our guide instead!
- I-9 Temporary Policies FAQ: Certain I-9 policies have temporarily changed as a result of COVID-19. Review our FAQ to make sure your organization is in compliance!
- Managing Hybrid (Remote/In-Person Staff): Managing a hybrid workplace is new for a lot of leaders. Our guide provides your managers with support as they grow their abilities to engage and lead in a different working atmosphere!
Outside Resources:
- CDC Guidance on Masks
- CDC “fully vaccinated” vs. “up-to-date”
- The FEMA Pandemic Influenza Template: Contains federal guidance to meet specific organizational needs and requirements.
Policy Samples:Â
- Many of our policies can be found in our overall COVID Safety Plan
- COVID Business Practices Short Policy
- Voluntary COVID-19 Vaccine Policy
- COVID-19 Testing Policy
- Mandatory Vaccine Policy
Form Samples:
- Vaccine Attestation FormÂ
- Non-Compliance Letter for Vaccination Mandate
- Vaccine Status Tracking LogÂ
- Vaccination Release Form (for Customers)
- Job Posting Language and Offer Letter for Mandatory Vaccinations
- Healthcare ETS COVID Log (OSHA’s ETS ended; NC’s in place)
ADA & Religious Accommodation:
- Navigating ADA/Religious Accommodations
- COVID Vaccine – Medical Exemption Request
- COVID Vaccine – Religious Exemption Request
- General ADA Medical Inquiry Form (Non-Vaccination Accommodations)
Other Policies & Tools:
- Lay-off/Return to Work Toolkit (Sample Letters/Policy): This toolkit was originally established for COVID but can be customized for any type of downsizing or work slowdown due to a shutdown.
- Temporary Telecommuting Policy
- Travel and Gathering Policy: Â Included on page 12 of our overall COVID Safety Plan, this tool helps you build a travel and gathering plan for infectious diseases.
- Determining Re-Opening Options Policy:Â Included on page 3 of our overall COVID Safety Plan, this tool helps you build a re-opening plan after or during infectious diseases.
CDC: During a pandemic, the CDC will provide important guidance on what safety procedures should be put in place, and whether travel restrictions may apply.
OSHA: OSHA will release information specific to changes in OSHA requirements for reporting or safety.
NCDHHS: The STATE DHHS often will have specific information related to requirements and recommendations for your area.
NC Governor’s Orders: During a pandemic, make sure to look at state and local orders which may affect your business.