Long Covid is affecting business; Workplace hospitality can help.

Three years after the pandemic began, millions of working-age people are still suffering from chronic COVID-19, and some lawmakers and advocates, including those with chronic Covid, say not enough is being done to ensure they can stay safe and continue. to hire.

The proposed federal law, advocates say, could lead to better workplace accommodations and more federal funding. Reducing the spread of covid will help prevent more people from contracting covid or worsening health conditions they already have.

Long covid of Multiple choice Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, rapid heart rate and brain fog, and for some people these symptoms may come and go. Challenges in obtaining a diagnosis due to the similarity of other medical conditions and other barriers make it difficult for employers to document their illness.

“There are inconsistencies in how often Covid is reported and investigated, as employers are often unsure how to proceed, which can directly affect whether or not accommodations are provided,” said Tracy DeFreitas, director of training, services and outreach for the Work Accommodation Network (JAN), funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. Consultancy services for employers. “…people can have a variety of symptoms that could be caused by other health conditions, and health care providers may not include other types of treatment first.”

DeFreitas said Jane’s practical guidance is that employers should not get caught up in determining whether a person has a long-term Covid-19 disability, because federal agencies, including Department of Health and Human Services and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission They made it clear that he might be disabled. Employers should instead focus on making accommodations for workers, she said.

with consideration 16 million people As long-term effects of Covid on the working-age population have been reported, economists say there are long-term implications for the US economy if workplace needs are not addressed.

The long-term total cost of Covid to the US economy is a staggering number. Last year, A Harvard University Economist It raised the original estimate by trillions to $3.7 trillion, of which $997 billion came from lost revenue. In addition, studies have confirmed that there are people with long-term covid Work 50% less hours And Income is on average 18% less In one year due to illness.

Meanwhile, one January Report Analyzing claims for compensation from the New York State Insurance Fund It found that 31% of claimants are experiencing or have had prolonged covid. The data, according to the report, highlighted “an underappreciated reason for many unfilled jobs and declining labor force participation rates since the outbreak.”

While those lost earnings can reduce housing costs, the decline in labor force participation has led many employers to raise wages, leading to higher inflation.

Katie Brach, with Brookings InstitutionWriting the case for more policy initiatives and workplace accommodations to allow longer working hours for Covid patients.”Long covid It is already a significant drag on America’s economic performance and household financial health. And in the absence of intervention, the situation could have been worse.

Do not leave the epidemic accommodation

Shelby Seier runs her own consulting practice at All Kinds of Accessibility Consulting in Omaha, Nebraska, where she advises employers on how to provide accommodations, including for people with long-term covid. Sayer, who is disabled and has a chronic illness, has had a long history of Covid since he contracted Covid-19 last year.

“On a personal level, it was mentally debilitating to adjust my plans and constantly wake up and not be able to do the things I wanted to do,” she says. “It’s heartbreaking and completely isolating, and not being able to stay on top of emails for days in a row, which is something I’ve been able to do before, is a very sad experience. He said.

Sayer, who has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder since childhood, says running her own business has allowed her to make accommodations for her needs. Her experience informs her work with clients; Showing how to make accommodations that previous workplaces would not give her.

“A lot of my work is about convincing people not to give up all the nice accommodations that can be easily or perhaps easily implemented during a pandemic like flexible work schedules, virtual options, and reducing your team’s labor volume. It does,” she said.

Sayer added that disability awareness and inclusion training can be a critical step for employers to prevent poor communication and workplace incompetence.

“The team should know how to communicate with a changing person and it should be capacity building in terms of learning to understand the onset of acute illness, he said. “I’ve often seen resentment build in an organization if a team member can’t do what they were able to do before without those critical learning components.”

Brian Bass, senior vice president of the workforce absenteeism and disability practice at Sedgwick Global Business Solutions, said many people with COVID may meet the requirements under the ADA, and a mental or physical disability may prevent them from participating in one or more activities. More major life activities including work. Restructuring one’s work with flexible working hours is one way to accommodate a person with prolonged covid.

Some employers may offer intermittent leave as an ADA accommodation when employees with prolonged Covid say they are sick and need time off. Instruction From Jan and the employer help and information network on disability and inclusion. If an employee is not qualified for their current position, employers can train them to remain employed at the company.

A March 9 webinar from Bass, DeFreitas and other shelter experts included solutions to overcome memory gaps, such as providing written instructions, using audio recorders, creating meeting and training minutes, and creating flowcharts to show steps for a specific task. . But most of all, many hospitality professionals say, go straight to the source, to the employee, and ask what help they need and what might work for them.

In addition to JAN’s services to employers and long-standing guidelines for people with disabilities, the Department of Health and Human Services Instruction in August for services and support on the long-term effects of Covid-19, which also provides information to employers. In April, the department Released A comprehensive fact sheet on chronic Covid, workplace interventions and research on chronic Covid.

Federal law has been introduced

The Biden administration has also proposed 130 million dollars In the budget request, $130 million for long-term Covid programs in fiscal year 2024 and for long-term covid testing and treatment in fiscal year 2025.

Some lawmakers aim to provide more resources and guidance to workers with prolonged Covid-19 as well as their employers. United States Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia; Reintroduced Long-Term Access to Resources and Education (CARE) Act of the Covid-19 Act in March with Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, and Ed Markets, D-Massachusetts. Kane has a long covid himself and he said. When he reintroduced the bill, his symptoms included severe nervous breakdowns for three years.

Cain MathematicsAfter being reintroduced in the Senate, it authorized $30 million for the fiscal years 2024 through 2026 to create long-term Covid-19 information and disseminate it to employers on disability rights. As well as support services for school administrators, school nurses and other school staff, and educational materials on student rights.

It also supports long-term Covid research, interagency coordination to educate the public, and “recommendations to streamline the process of applying for benefits through the Social Security Administration.” The bill would create a grant program to support partnerships that help people with chronic Covid access health care services and legal aid.

“Millions of Americans have had to be out of work or school due to prolonged covid. This hurts families, communities and our entire economy,” Kaine told The State Newsroom in an email. “…I have heard about the obstacles many Virginians face in the workplace, in schools and in applying for Social Security disability benefits after being laid off from work due to their long-term, difficult covid symptoms. Barriers to applying for benefits include lengthy applications, difficulty getting in-person appointments, lack of clear eligibility criteria, long appeal times and overly complex procedures.

When asked how Sayer can push back when employers are demanding immediate spending to provide housing, she said employers can’t focus on them and take measures to prevent the spread of Covid, such as improving air quality.

“‘I want you to do the mental math of how much it would cost to hire anyone on your team, and help them realize that post-Covid can happen to anyone at any time after the illness…Also, let them know that aging is often the starting point of disability, so invest in shelter now. If you do, you will let people stay with you for a long time.

Sayer added that she doesn’t believe the government is doing enough to address prolonged Covid-19 or the overall spread of COVID-19. She said she would like to see additional resources such as improving ventilation systems in schools, workplaces and public spaces.

“I would like the government to do anything more than the bare minimum they are doing now and I think the ‘baro minimum’ is generous. I think we are witnessing the complete abandonment of the disability community by all levels of government and elected leadership at an alarming and unforgiving rate.