RECAP of the April 8, 2020 IECRM Member Forum: Hear from Your Peers

• Communicating directly to employees through HR; utilizing supervisors as well
• Biggest challenge is the situation changes daily and requires quick deployment of information updates and rapid responses
• Keep all lines of communication open and use SMS for speed
• Everyone is dealing with the situation in their own way; some are ‘business as usual’ others are leaving their jobs because of anxiety
• HR team is working in shifts to take calls and provide resources
• 4 employees used PTO for 14 days even though they were not exhibiting symptoms; they resigned rather than come back to work
• Most of our projects are in the public sector and still proceeding; we don’t see GC’s slowing down
• We are seeing issues with the workforce and balancing fear with safety
• We are taking our employees’ temperatures regularly
• Biggest challenge is interpreting the laws and how they are applied
• Established a COVID hotline, email, daily COVID-19 briefing and doing SMS
• Implemented a protocol for dealing with employees with symptoms
• Using email and field management for daily safety talks
• Record and document sick calls and ensure everyone is following the law; employees are safe
• Have qualified for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The loan package came out very quickly and we are ensuring we have a complete understanding of how it works and what we need to document
• Keep open communication and respond quickly and with empathy
• Goes a long way toward engendering employee trust
• It’s really important for employees to understand what we are doing and why; know their options.
• Make sure employees feel safe and cared about
• There are tough decisions ahead of us; trust is paramount
• The little things matter like thanking employees, demonstrating care and concern as employers

• Dichotomy between staying employed and collecting unemployment benefits contributes to confusion
• Unemployment benefits with the additional $600 government match that goes along with the 55% of pay
• The perception is that there is a financial advantage to go on unemployment; Employees can get nearly the same amount of compensation
• With schools suspending the rest of the academic year, workers who have kids need to stay home to care for them full time
• This leads to COVID-10 fatigue among employees working to offset the ones who are not
• Seeing an increase in ‘essential business’ people experiencing law enforcement worksite visits as well as being pulled over while driving
• Make sure you use the ‘essential business letter’ that verifies that you are allowed to go to work
• The worst fear of business is coming to fruition with the recent lawsuit against Walmart for the wrongful death of an employee from COVID-19
• Implications for essential businesses are enormous as a result
• The objective of the SBA’s PPP, designed to keep workers on the payroll versus furloughing or laying them off exacerbates the current worker shortage in electrical contracting, further impacting projects and contracts

• Businesses are taking advantage of the PPP, especially in construction
• Since construction is considered ‘essential’ PPP loans are helpful
• Keep pursuing the SBA loan applications

• Robert Watkins, COO, Ludvik Electric (President of the IECRM Board of Directors)
• David Scott, HR Director, Encore Electric (Past President of the IECRM Board of Directors, current IECRM Board Member, and Chair of the Government Relations Committee)
• Leighland Gutierrez, Operations Manager, Courtesy Electric (Chair of the IECRM Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Serves on the IECRM Board of Directors)

Accounting and Tax Advisors