Foko Retail, a leader in the retail communication space, recently announced the release of its coronavirus employee screening tool, MyCheck-In, and a new website tracking store reopenings across every US state as part of its COVID Kit for retailers. The new suite of resources was designed to help retailers cope with the evolving challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keeping Employees & Customers Safe
According to a press release sent to Independent Retailer, MyCheck-In is a self-assessment tool that allows users to screen themselves for potential COVID-19 symptoms before returning to work. Based on the results, retailers can identify employees who are at risk of contaminating the workplace and notify users when they need to stay home. No personal information is recorded, and the results are stored securely.
“We’re always thinking about how we can better serve retailers,” Foko Retail CEO, Marc Gingras, said. “Just like the industry has had to adapt to changing circumstances quickly, we’ ve also been working to rapidly develop solutions that will help retailers keep their stores running smoothly while limiting the spread of COVID-19.”
Facing Legal Action
As states across the country slowly start to lift their stay-at-home orders and retailers start opening their doors to the public, many are worried about the second wave of COVID-19 cases spreading. Retailers need to stay on top of keeping the stores clean, making sure all employees are wearing masks and gloves, keeping a safe distance between each customer, and most importantly, making sure their employees are healthy enough to come to work.
Thomas Fazio, Partner at Blodnick Fazio & Clark, says retailers face their greatest exposure to getting sued from employees who might claim unsafe working conditions. “First, an employee who doesn’t feel safe returning to work once a retail location reopens may decide to pursue litigation to replace their lost income from not working,” Fazio said. “Second, an employee who does return to work may not feel the employer has done enough to keep them safe. In addition, customers may feel that the business owner didn’t do enough to protect them from potential infection, whether from other customers or employees.”
Getting All the Necessary Support
Foko Retail’s COVID Kit can really help retailers to stay on top of safety precautions in their store and save themselves the headaches from legal actions from both customers and employees. Foko Retail also offers different resources for business owners such as “How to Reopen Your Stores Safely” and “How to Communicate With Your Team in Times of Crisis.”
The COVID Kit will also contain When Will Stores Reopen in all 50 states. This is a new website tracker from Foko Retail where retailers can see the status of store closures state-by-state. The site provides retailers with news about state reopening plans and changes to policies, procedures, and guidelines.
“Retailers need more support than they’re getting right now,” Gingras said. “We hope that MyCheck-In and the new website provides some guidance and helps retailers safely navigate this difficult time.”