LPEP COVID-19 Protocol

LPEP COVID-19 Protocol

The primary goal of these policies is to promote employee, distributor, and vendor health and safety while respecting the firm’s core mission: serving our clients in our practice areas.


First and foremost, anyone who believes they may be sick or exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home. Testing is widely available to anyone with symptoms of Covid-19. If you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive or you test positive for COVID-19, you are to not come into work, follow the instructions of your physician and notify your supervisor and stay home.

Work Space Safety

  1. Face masks shall be worn by all employees when not at their desks except for reception, Visitors are required to wear a face mask at all times.
  2. Increase physical distance: all personnel working in cubicles may be moved to create safe working distances; these relocations may be temporary and will be re-evaluated on a case by case basis.
  3. Common areas will be wiped down 3 times per day with disinfectant. Disinfectant wipes are located at all entry points and everyone is encouraged to utilize them when using one of the entry points (such as for door handles).
  4. Clients and vendors are required to wear masks when in the office, as are employees meeting with or interacting with them.
  5. Remote (phone/Zoom conference) meetings and interactions with clients are encouraged (it is important to remember that our relationship with clients is tantamount to our success, a relationship cannot be maintained solely through email or even the phone).
    1. Be aware of your client’s sensitivity to personal contact and act accordingly.
  6. All personnel, clients, and vendors will be temperature checked upon entering for the first time each day. Infrared no-touch thermometers are available at the reception desk either self-check or by reception personnel is acceptable.
  7. Handwashing (either in the kitchen or bathrooms) is required upon arrival at the office and whenever an employee returns from outside the office.
  8. Any food brought into the office must be maintained in containers identified by name and brought home each evening. Any food or condiments not in a labeled container will be thrown out.
    1. There will be no common or shared condiments.
    2. Use of firm silverware or dishware is no longer allowed.
    3. Disposable dishware and utensils must be used at all times.
    4. Meals, snacking, or eating of any kind is not allowed in the office outside of the kitchen (kitchen has a max occupancy of 4).
    5. Lunch or eating at your desk is allowed at lunch time only.
    6. Handwashing (kitchen or restrooms) is required before re-entering the office after being away from the office.
    7. The main coffee pots in the kitchen will not be available.
    8. Snacks and coffee in the lobby will not be available.
  9. Signs will be posted at all entry points to remind employees, clients, and vendors of required health and safety guidelines.
  10. Loaner electronic keys will be disinfected upon return. All passes must be signed for at reception (Jane Allio if reception is not present) and returned upon leaving the office or at the end of the day (5 p.m.).
  11. Select hallways will be designated “one way”.
  12. Meetings in offices are allowed but must adhere to minimum 6 feet social distancing and masks must be worn at all times. All employees are encouraged to limit in person meeting both in frequency and length of time and all are encouraged to do interoffice meetings via phone and/or video (Teams or GoToConnect etc.)
  13. Social visits/conversations in person between employees is discouraged
  14. No meetings are allowed in small conference room or associates’ offices due to space limitations.
  15. Any use of large conference rooms must adhere to proper social distancing and all participants must wear masks.
  16. No more than 2 persons (or groups) allowed in reception and they shall remain on either side of the entrance. When more than 2 people (or groups) arrive at the lobby at the same time, they will be asked to wait outside or be dispatched to a conference room. Use of the first floor conference room is encouraged.
  17. Individual office doors must remain closed when occupied.
  18. Please be courteous, let others pass before entering hallway.
  19. Masks must be worn in the elevator when more than 1 person is occupying it. Use of stairs is encouraged but be mindful of social distancing requirements when doing so and avoid passing others in the stairwell
  20. Copy rooms: The large copy room will be limited to four persons at all times. The small copy room will be limited to one person at all times. Shared supplies in the copy room should be wiped down before each use.
  21. Wipes to be used at copy machines/postage machine/time clock etc. before and after use.
  22. Restrooms limited to 1 person occupancy. Respect social distancing while waiting in the hallway
  23. A Sneeze guard will be installed at the reception desk.
  24. 3rd party vendors will be encouraged to use phone to communicate with admins, attorneys, and staff.
  25. Vendor deliveries and packages will be left at a designated location near reception.
  26. Personal packages delivered to the office are no longer allowed

Schedules

  1. Remote work is encouraged for all except those tasks that must be done in the office. When working remotely, all employees shall utilize and be available via GoToConnect app both on cell phone and work station.
  2. Staggered Schedule to accomplish essential office functions:
    1. Filing, marketing, reception: These are essential tasks that require working in the office. Continued efforts will be made to minimize the number of employees in the office for the health and safety of all.