COVID19

COVID-19 Resources For Manufacturers

NEPIRC’s RESPONSE TO COVID-19

NEPIRC is committed to exercising extreme caution in response to the latest updates of the COVID-19 outbreak in accordance with CDC guidelines. To ensure the safety of our staff, we will be working remotely to the greatest extent possible, with a plan to continue operations as best as we can so that we can continue to support our clients. We are also implementing the following:

  • We are providing relevant updates through eblasts and our LinkedIn page. If you do not yet follow NEPIRC on LinkedIn, please CLICK HERE to do so.
  • Our staff is available for free telephone and video conferencing consultations to help your company address operational, supply chain, financial and other concerns that may arise as a result of the crisis. Contact NEPIRC’s Vice-President of Consulting Operations, Dale@NEPIRC.com, with your specific questions or desire for a free telephone or video conferencing consultation.

 

TO OUR MANUFACTURING COMMUNITY

The COVID-19 crisis, and the federal and state responses to it, are dynamic environments. NEPIRC will make every effort to keep our website current with respect to the latest information, assistance, advisement and announcements.

On March 19th, Governor Wolf ordered the closure of all non-life-sustaining businesses as a measure to contain the spread of COVID-19. Enforcement of the order, thus ensuring that non-life-sustaining businesses are compliant, will begin on Monday, March 23rd. Documents relative to this announcement include:

  • An updated listing of life-sustaining and non-life-sustaining businesses can be found by CLICKING HERE.
  • Companies considered non-life-sustaining can request an exception from the closure order (thus allowing them to remain in operation) by CLICKING HERE.
  • Companies requesting an exemption should illustrate how their operations support one or more critical supply chain according to the Department of Homeland Security Cyber-Infrastructure Model, which appears by CLICKING HERE.
  • Companies with questions regarding closure should direct those inquiries to RA-dcedcs@pa.gov.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) has implemented a number of programs to assist businesses impacted by COVID-19. The latest information can be found at www.dced.pa.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has initiated a special Disaster Loan program for businesses, which is accessible by CLICKING HERE.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health maintains an updated COVID-19 website, with the latest case information, helpful hints and resources for employers. You can access that site by CLICKING HERE.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has also made free placard, signs, infographics and other materials available for employers. These materials can be found by CLICKING HERE.

The Pennsylvania Office of Unemployment Compensation has created a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) page for employers to keep them up-to-date on unemployment compensation, paid time off and other employee-related changes and programs. You can access that FAQ page by CLICKING HERE.

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR EMPLOYEES

The CDC has issued interim guidance to help employers figure out what to do in this crisis. Some of the CDC recommendations are:

  • Encourage sick employees to stay home or to be sent home if already at the office. Employees who appear to have acute respiratory illness symptoms upon arrival to work or become sick during the day should be separated from other employees and be sent home immediately. Employees who have symptoms should stay home and not return to work until they are symptom-free for at least 24 hours.
  • Perform routine environmental cleaning. Routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, countertops, and doorknobs. Use the cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas and follow the directions on the label.
  • Advise employees before traveling to take certain steps. Check the CDC’s Traveler’s Health Notices for the latest guidance and recommendations for each country to which you will travel.

At NEPIRC, we will continue to do our very best to ensure that our manufacturing community emerges from the COVID-19 crisis as vibrantly as possible. While there may be challenges in our midst and on the horizon, we know that our manufacturers are resolved, resilient and have a lot of grit. We relied on those resources when our foundries and forges built our great nation. We’ll use them again to rise from these times as well.

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