April 13, 2020

OSHA is committed to protecting the health and safety of America’s workers and workplaces during these unprecedented times. The agency will be issuing a series of industry-specific alerts designed to keep workers safe. If you are in the package delivery industry, the following tips can help reduce the risk of exposure tothe coronavirus:  Encourage workers to stay home if they are sick. Establish flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts) where feasible. Practice sensible social distancing and maintain six feet between co-workers where possible. Minimize interaction between drivers and customers by leaving deliveries at loading docks,doorsteps, or other locations that do not require person-to-person exposures. Encourage respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs and sneezes. Promote personal hygiene. If workers do not have access to soap and water for handwashing,provide alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60 percent alcohol. Provide tissues, aswell as disinfectants and disposable towels workers can use to clean work surfaces, includingvehicle interiors. Allow workers to wear masks over their nose and mouth to prevent them from spreading the virus. Discourage workers from using other workers’ tools and equipment. Use Environmental Protection Agency-approved cleaning chemicals from List N or that have label claims against the coronavirus. Encourage workers to report any safety and health concerns.For more information, visit www.osha.gov/coronavirus or call 1-800-321-OSHA (674

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law to address the COVID-19 crisis. The CARES Act makes a variety of changes affecting retirement plans. These changes affect tax-qualified retirement plans, such as 401(k) plans, 403(a) and 403(b) plans, and governmental 457(b) plans. The CARES Act includes the following changes for employer-sponsored retirement plans:  Employers may allow participants who have been impacted by COVID-19 to take in-service distributions of up to $100,000, without paying the tax penalty for early distributions;  Employers that allow plan loans may increase the loan amount and extend the repayment period for participants impacted by COVID-19; and Required minimum distributions are waived for 2020 for participants in defined contribution plans, such as 401(k), 403(b) and governmental 457(b) plans. COVID-19-Related Distributions Under the CARES Act, employers that sponsor retirement plans may allow participants who have been impacted by COVID-19 to take an in-service distribution of up to $100,000 without paying the 10% penalty tax for early distributions.  Eligible participants may receive these penalty-free distributions from Jan. 1, 2020 through Dec. 31, 2020. Participants Impacted by COVID-19 A participant is impacted by COVID-19 if: The participant is diagnosed with COVID-19; The participant’s spouse or dependent is diagnosed with COVID-19; or The participant experiences adverse financial consequences as a result of: Being quarantined, furloughed or laid off or having work hours reduced due to COVID-19; Being unable to work due to lack of child care due to COVID-19; Closing or reducing hours of a business owned or operated by the participant due to COVID-19; or Experiencing other factors as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury Department. Plan administrators may rely on an employee’s certification that he or she satisfies one or more of these eligibility factors. Unless the participant elects otherwise, the amount of the distribution is included proportionally in the participant’s taxable income over a three-year period, beginning with the year of distribution. Also, employers that permit these distributions must allow participants to repay the distribution at any time during the three-year period following the distribution. The distribution can be repaid in one or more installments during this period, and does not have to be repaid in full. Plan Loans If an employer’s retirement plan permits loans, the CARES Act allows the employer to increase the maximum loan amount and extend the repayment period for loans made during the 180-day period beginning on March 27, 2020, to participants impacted by COVID-19, as described above.   The maximum loan amount for participants impacted by COVID-19 may not exceed the lesser of: $100,000 (increased from $50,000); or The present value of the employee’s nonforfeitable accrued benefit under the plan (increased from one-half of the employee’s nonforfeitable accrued benefit under the plan). In addition, the deadline for any loan repayments that are due between March 27, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2020, is delayed for one year for participants impacted by COVID-19. When this delay applies, any subsequent repayments must be appropriately adjusted to reflect the delay in the due date and any interest accruing during the delay. Also, the delay is disregarded in determining the five-year maximum loan period. Required Minimum Distributions Federal tax law requires all retirement plan participants to start taking distributions (called required minimum distributions) by the time they reach age 72 (or age 70-1/2 for participants who reached age 70-1/2 before Jan. 1, 2020). The CARES Act waives the requirement to make required minimum distributions during 2020 for defined contribution plans (for example, 401(k), 403(b) and governmental 457(b) plans).

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), at the direction of Governor Ron DeSantis, has announced the waiving of the requirement to wait a week to receive Reemployment Assistance benefits through May 8, 2020. Previously, Governor DeSantis waived the work search and online work registration requirements for Reemployment Assistance while the state works to stop the spread of COVID-19. Individuals filing for Reemployment Assistance will not be required to register with Employ Florida or submit information on a biweekly basis as to the employers contacted each week. The waiving of the waiting week is applicable to anyone who has filed for Reemployment Assistance beginning March 29, through May 8, 2020. In addition, on Saturday, March 28, DEO Director Ken Lawson signed as agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor to execute the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security ( CARES) Act in Florida. The CARES Act will provide Florida with funding to help individuals and businesses recover from the negative economic impacts of COVID-19. The DEO is working to get the resources provided through the CARES Act to Floridians as soon as possible and will be providing more information in the coming days.