Texas Reopening Checklist for Office Employers

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Health Protocols for Your Employees and Contractors

Train all employees and contractors on appropriate cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette.
Screen employees and contractors before coming into the office:
Send home any employee or contractor who has any of the following new or worsening signs or symptoms of possible COVID-19: - Cough - Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing - Chills - Repeated shaking with chills - Muscle pain - Headache - Sore throat - Loss of taste or smell - Diarrhea - Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit - Known close contact with a person who is lab confirmed to have COVID-19
Do not allow employees with new or worsening signs or symptoms listed above to return to work until: - In the case of an employee or contractor who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to work when all three of the following criteria are met: at least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications); and the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared; or - In the case of an employee or contractor who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and does not get evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, the individual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to work until the individual has completed the same three-step criteria listed above; or - If the employee or contractor has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to work before completing the above self-isolation period, the individual must obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis.
Do not allow an employee or contractor with known close contact to a person who is lab confirmed to have COVID-19 to return to work until the end of the 14 day self-quarantine period from the last date of exposure (with an exception granted for healthcare workers and critical infrastructure workers).
Have employees and contractors wash or sanitize their hands upon entering the office.
Have employees and contractors maintain at least 6 feet separation from other individuals. If such distancing is not feasible, other measures such as face covering, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, cleanliness, and sanitation should be rigorously practiced.
Consider implementing a staggered workforce, such as alternating days or weeks for different groups of employees and/or contractors coming into the workplace.
Continue to encourage individuals to work remotely if possible.
If an employer provides a meal for employees and/or contractors, the employer is recommended to have the meal individually packed for each individual.
Consistent with the actions taken by many employers across the state, consider having all employees and contractors wear cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth). If available, employees should consider wearing non-medical grade face masks.

Health Protocols for Your Facilities

Regularly and frequently clean and disinfect any regularly touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, tables, chairs, and restrooms.
Limit the use of standard-size elevators to four individuals at a time, each located at a different corner of the elevator to avoid close contact. Masks should be worn in elevators. Utilize touchpoint cleaning and nanoseptic button covers if appropriate. For individuals not wishing to ride an elevator, ensure stairways are available for use. As appropriate, individuals subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act may ride the elevator alone or accompanied by the individual’s caregiver.
Disinfect any items that come into contact with customers.
Make hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, soap and water, or similar disinfectant readily available to employees, contractors, and customers.
Place readily visible signage at the office to remind everyone of best hygiene practices.
For offices with more than 10 employees and/or contractors present at one time, consider having an individual wholly or partially dedicated to ensuring the health protocols adopted by the office are being successfully implemented and followed.