You, your family, and the safety of your workplace are of the utmost importance to your union. The UFCW is actively monitoring all information coming from the Center for Disease and Control and Prevention(CDC) as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19 virus) COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath — and may appear as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure.
Being of Asian descent does not increase the chance of spreading or getting COVID-19. Person-to-person spread mainly occurs from contact with an infected person coughing or sneezing (similar to the flu). In rare cases, it may be possible that COVID-19 can be transmitted by touching an infected surface or object.
We are actively working with your employers on your behalf to set procedures in place should the need arise to take preventive measures to protect you and minimize the effect of the Coronavirus in daily operations. In the event an employer sends you home for illness-related reasons (specifically related to concerns with the Coronavirus) it is the UFCW’s view that, as with any other illness or contagious disease related concerns, the employee has the right to visit a doctor for clearance to return to work and should be allowed to return to work after receiving medical clearance. The employee should not be assessed points or otherwise penalized for this employer ordered time off.
Additionally, the UFCW has done information requests for each employer inquiring what their plan is regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19).