The New Normal: How to Prepare for Full Reopening of the Economy

On June 15, California plans to fully reopen the economy by removing nearly all pandemic-related restrictions on residents. With vaccine rates steadily increasing and COVID-19 infection rates continuing to decline, businesses can resume “usual operations” and individuals and families can resume gathering as normal. California will also lift its mask mandate and adhere to CDC recommendations for mask-wearing, which allows vaccinated individuals to go without masks in public, including most indoor settings.

The Cal/OSHA board is meeting on June 3 to consider revised rules and decide whether or not to loosen pandemic-era restrictions on businesses and workplaces, such as physical barriers, distancing, and mask mandates. Depending on the board’s decision, all California businesses may be able to welcome employees back into the workplace on June 15. As the most populous state in the country and the first to set a shelter-in-place order at the start of the pandemic, this reopening will mark a turning point in the country’s pandemic response and set a standard for managing COVID-19 illnesses in a post-pandemic world.

At Newfront, we’ve spoken a lot about return to workplace plans, and urge our clients and peers in all states to create and execute a thorough and thoughtful reentry plan. Successful reentry plans will connect to company culture, values, and operations, while transparent, flexible, and focused on employee concerns and safety. Below is a list of resources we’ve compiled to help support a successful office reopening.

American Industrial Hygiene Association

• Recovering from COVID-19 building closures

Center for Workplace Mental Health

• Working remotely during COVID-19: Your mental health & well-being. American Psychiatric Association Foundation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• CDC – Public health recommendations for community exposure
• What to do if you are sick?
• Caring for someone sick at home or other non-healthcare settings
• Discontinuation of isolation for persons with COVID-19 not in healthcare settings
• Interim guidance for businesses and employers to plan and respond to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• General business frequently asked questions
• Posters and videos on handwashing

Community Resources for Employee Wellness

• National information and referral service for those in need
• National on-line referral services linking those in need with local free or reduced housing, food and medical care
• National suicide prevention hotline
• National domestic violence hotline

Department of Labor

• Families First Coronavirus Response Act questions and answers
• Families First Coronavirus Response Act posters (multilingual)

Littler Mendelson

• Stay at Home – A national list of stay-at-home orders
• A list of state-wide return to work protocols

National Alliance on Mental Illness

• COVID-19 resource and information guide

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

• COVID-19 overview and links
• Guidance on preparing workplaces for COVID-19

The White House

• Opening Up America Again – Statement from the Biden Administration

World Health Organization

• Coronavirus disease pandemic
• Mental health and psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 outbreak