Coronavirus News & Resources

We are monitoring the development, regulations, and guidance surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19). Our government relations, legal, and HR teams are analyzing the latest developments to provide you with updated information -- and we are working with government officials to advocate for our industry and for your business. We know that landscape and lawn care companies take the safety of their employees and clients very seriously, and we want to do what we can to help you deal with this situation.

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The Latest News & Resources

• Biden-Harris Administration Increase Lending to Small Businesses in Need (March 1, 2021)
• COVID-19 Vaccine Information & Resources (February 17, 2021)
• Consolidated Appropriations Act (January 25, 2021)
• What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA (January 5, 2021)
• OSHA Press Release on Revised Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (May 19, 2020)
• State by State Pesticide Applicator Information (April 22, 2020)
• OSHA Relaxes Guidelines on Reporting of COVID-19 Cases (April 13, 2020)
• OSHA Enforcement Guidance for Respiratory Protection and the N95 Shortage Due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID19) Pandemic
• Paycheck Protection Program Frequently Asked Questions (Continually Updated)
• Breakdown of Financial Benefits from the CARES Act (March 31, 2020)
• COVID-19 Operating Guidelines for Landscape Industry Companies (April 8, 2020)
• Letter stating that lawn and landscape are essential services(Updated: March 30, 2020)
• The Landscape Industry and COVID-19 Statement (March 30, 2020)
• DHS CISA Memorandum Listing Landscape Services as Essential (Updated March 28, 2020)
• DOL Issues Updated Guidance on Emergency Leave - Analysis by NALP Legal/HR Advisor (March 27, 2020)
• Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Recognizes Landscape as an Essential Part of the Critical Infrastructure During COVID-19 (March 20, 2020)
• Families First Legislation Breakdown and Guidance (March 19, 2020)
• COVID-19 Small Business Loan Information (March 19, 2020)

Key Resources

Download The Operational
Guidelines For Industry Companies

Download The Landscape Industry
and COVID-19 Statement

Download English COVID-19 Vaccine Facts for Landscape & Lawn Care Companies

Download Spanish COVID-19 Vaccine Facts for Landscape & Lawn Care Companies

Government Resources

OSHA

• OSHA Relaxes Guidelines of COVID-19 as a Recordable Illness (April 10, 2020)
• Safe Practices for Critical Workers
• Essential Critical Workers Dos and Don'ts
• OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 (also in Spanish)
• OSHA Alert to Prevent Worker Exposure to COVID-19
• OSHA COVID-19 information for companies
  

DOL

Families First Act

• DOL Updated Guidance on Emergency Leave
• Employer Paid Leave Requirements
• Families First Coronavirus Act: Q&A's
• Families First Coronvavirus Response Act Employee Poster

CDC

• CDC COVID-19 guidance for companies
• CDC COVID-19 resources in English, Spanish and Chinese

State Resources

• North Carolina Department of Agriculture Lists Landscape Contracting as Essential Services
• Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Recognizes Landscape as an Essential Part of the Critical Infrastructure During COVID-19

Member Shared Resources

Many companies are scrambling to deal with this quickly evolving situation. The following resources have been shared by NALP members to help fellow landscape companies. The positions expressed are solely their own and do not constitute legal advice. If you would like to share your company's resources, or would like to suggest resources that could help your business, let us know via email at education@landscapeprofessionals.org. 

Families First Sick Leave Employee Policy - Provided by Sun Valley Landscaping, Omaha, Nebraska
Emergency Paid Sick Leave Request Form - Provided by Sun Valley Landscaping, Omaha, Nebraska
COVID-19 Operational Plan - Provided by Russell Landscape, headquartered in Georgia
Company Plan to Deal with Coronavirus - Provided by Sun Valley Landscaping, Omaha, Nebraska
Pandemic Plan - Provided by Gachina Landscape, Menlo Park, California
Coronavirus Company Safety Plan - Provided by Pacific Landscape Management

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Want to talk with others about coronavirus planning at landscape or lawn care companies? Join our newly created, private Facebook Group.

Safety 

• Companies monitor and comply with all Federal, State, or Local advisories and precautionary measures, and closely monitor employee health and, as the CDC advises, actively encourage sick employees to stay home and notify their supervisors if an employee has had close with someone who has contracted COVID-19. Read the CDC Guidance for Business and Employers for more information. 
• Be extra vigilant about disinfecting Personal Protective Equipment PPE equipment. Many industry job functions have the benefit of PPE. Ensure that the equipment is properly disinfected.
• The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued new Enforcement Guidance for Respiratory Protection and the N95 Shortage Due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID19) Pandemic. This memorandum provides interim guidance to Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs) for enforcing the Respiratory Protection standard, 29 CFR § 1910.134, and certain other health standards, with regard to supply shortages of disposable N95 filtering facepiece respirators.  Specifically, it outlines enforcement discretion to permit the extended use and reuse of respirators, as well as the use of respirators that are beyond their manufacturer’s recommended shelf life (sometimes referred to as “expired”).
• View NALP's Industry Guidelines for Operations Under COVID-19

Business Planning

The CDC suggests that employers plan to be able to respond in a flexible way to varying levels of severity of a possible outbreak and be prepared to refine business response plans as needed and communicate  regularly with employees. A few things to consider include ways to reduce transmission among staff, protecting people who are at higher risk for adverse health complications, maintaining business operations, and minimizing adverse effects on other entities in their supply chains.

Key considerations

• Disease severity (i.e., number of people who are sick, hospitalization and death rates) in the community where the business is located
• Prepare for possible increased numbers of employee absences due to illness in employees and their family members, dismissals of early childhood programs and K-12 schools due to high levels of absenteeism or illness.
• Cross-train personnel to perform essential functions so that the workplace can operate even if key staff members are absent.
• Explore whether you can establish policies and practices, such as flexible worksites (e.g., telecommuting for some employees) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts), to increase the physical distance among employees and between employees.
• Be prepared to change your business practices if needed to maintain critical operations (e.g., identify alternative suppliers, prioritize customers, or temporarily suspend some of your operations if needed).
• Coordination with state and local health officials is strongly encouraged for all businesses so that timely and accurate information can guide appropriate responses in each location where their operations reside. Since the intensity of an outbreak may differ according to geographic location, local health officials will be issuing guidance specific to their communities.
• Share your plan with employees and explain what human resources policies, workplace and leave flexibilities, and pay and benefits will be available to them.
• Limit employee huddles and in-person meetings

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Stronger Together

The National Association of Landscape Professionals exists to help member companies and to protect and grow the industry. Learn more about membership in NALP.  Join together to support the industry.