COVID-19 Medical Screening and Employee Monitoring Mandates Vary Among States and Types of Employers

While there have been no national mandates requiring employers in the U.S. to screen employees for COVID-19, state and local governments have issued mandates for certain kinds of businesses or for employees who work specific kinds of jobs.   The restaurant and retail worlds should always err on the side of caution, of course, because employees in such close proximity to the general public present more opportunities to spread infections. Regular communication with local government representatives and health departments is the only way to ensure compliance with the most up-to-date mandates for any area and type of business.   The minimum recommended best practice is for employers to take the temperatures of employees daily upon their arrival at work by using a no-touch thermometer. A normal body temperature will vary from person to person, but never exceeds 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.   The following states recommend that all employers do temperature checks:    

• Alabama
• Connecticut
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Maryland
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Dakota
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Virginia
• West Virginia

  The following states recommend that some employers do temperature checks:  

• Colorado
• Nebraska

  The following states require that all employers do temperature checks:  

• California
• Kentucky
• Vermont

  The following states require that some employers do temperature checks:    

• Delaware
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• Utah
• Washington

    The following states recommend symptom screenings other than temperature checks:    

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Nebraska
• North Dakota
• Oregon
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Virginia

  The following states require symptom screenings other than temperature checks:  

• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Georgia
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Utah
• Vermont
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

For further details on mandates and guidelines, refer to state and local health departments. For general employee monitoring and medical screening, ClearStar can provide solutions specific to individual businesses and industry-wide needs in addition to retail background check services that feature the exceptional candidate care employers and employees need during a complicated time.

At ClearStar, we are committed to your success. An important part of your employment screening program involves compliance with various laws and regulations, which is why we are providing information regarding screening requirements in certain countries, region, etc. While we are happy to provide you with this information, it is your responsibility to comply with applicable laws and to understand how such information pertains to your employment screening program. The foregoing information is not offered as legal advice but is instead offered for informational purposes. ClearStar is not a law firm and does not offer legal advice and this communication does not form an attorney client relationship. The foregoing information is therefore not intended as a substitute for the legal advice of a lawyer knowledgeable of the user’s individual circumstances or to provide legal advice. ClearStar makes no assurances regarding the accuracy, completeness, or utility of the information contained in this publication. Legislative, regulatory and case law developments regularly impact on general research and this area is evolving rapidly. ClearStar expressly disclaim any warranties or responsibility or damages associated with or arising out of the information provided herein.