We Can Do This: Reopening the Non-Public Office Sector and Keeping it Open During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

In March 2020, COVID-19 forced many non-essential businesses with non-public office settings to physically close their doors and conduct their businesses remotely. For many non-essential businesses, physical office space shut down and many employees began working from home or telecommuting. As states reopened their economies, the CDC, OSHA and a number of state agencies provided guidance for employers to reopen and/or maintain a safe workplace in these office setting businesses. While these guidelines are not uniform in size, scope or content, we conclude that there is sufficient guidance for these employers to safely open their businesses and stay open. We recommend that CDC and OSHA issue joint guidance to create a uniform and not piecemeal approach for office workplace safety and that the guidance be updated regularly. Since the non-public office settings are at a low-risk of COVID-19 exposure, we recommend that both federal and state governments provide guidance and not more formal standards or regulations. There is no one-size fits all approach to the non-public office setting therefore these employers should have the flexibility to implement the recommendations that work best for them.