CDC Updates Guidances

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers Responding to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The CDC has provided a “table outlining the engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE) that employers may use to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace” and has updated strategies and recommendations for employers to include conducting daily health checks, conducting hazard assessments, encouraging employees to wear cloth face coverings, implementing policies and practices for social distancing, and improving building ventilation systems.

The CDC has also updated its guidance for Casino and Gaming Operations, addressing how COVID-19 can spread in gaming settings and what these employers can do to maintain healthy environments and operations. The CDC stresses that “[t]hese considerations are meant to supplement—not replace—any local, state, territorial, federal, or tribal safety laws, rules, or regulations with which businesses must comply.” As you know, Nevada has implemented extensive COVID-19 requirements for the casino industry via Senate Bill 4, and the industry must also meet the standards set forth in the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s Health and Safety Policies.

While the CDC’s updated guidances may address mitigation measures already covered by Nevada’s existing requirements, it is still advisable to review these updates for any new information or recommendations. Indeed, immunity from civil liability under Nevada law is available to employers that substantially comply with “controlling health standards” — defined as a “federal, state or local law, regulation or ordinance” or a “written order or other document published by a federal, state or local government or regulatory body.”

If you have questions or need assistance about these updated guidances, please contact a KZA attorney.

KZA Employer Report articles are for general information only; they are not intended and should not be construed to be legal advice. Reading or replying to such articles does not establish an attorney-client relationship. In addition, because the subject matters and applicable laws discussed in Employer Report articles are often in a state of change and not always applicable to every type of business entity or organization, readers should consult with counsel before making decisions based on the same.