Michigan: Employees Quarantine Law Revised to Align with CDC, Exempts Critical Workers

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All Employers of MI Employees

EFFECTIVE

December 30, 2020

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Just before the new year, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law SB 1258, which brings Michigan’s employee quarantine laws into alignment with updated Dec 2, 2020 guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The bill resolves inconsistencies between the original statewide quarantine laws and the updated CDC definition of “close contact,” and also adds definitions for isolation, quarantine, and COVID-19 infection terminology.

Employees who test positive for COVID-19 must not report to work until they are either advised by a healthcare provider or public health professional that they have completed their isolation period, or by following the return-to-work criteria:

  • If the employee has a fever, 24 hours have passed since the fever has stopped without the use of fever-reducing medications.
  • The isolation period has passed.
  • The employee’s principal symptoms of COVID-19 have improved.
  • If the employee has been advised by a health care provider or public health professional to remain isolated, the employee is no longer subject to such advisement.

Employees who exhibit principal symptoms of COVID-19 but have not yet tested positive may not report to work until one of the following conditions are met:

  • Negative test results are received; or
  • All of the following conditions:
    • The isolation period has passed since the principal symptoms of COVID-19 started.
    • The employee’s principal symptoms of COVID-19 have improved.
    • If the employee had a fever, 24 hours have passed since the fever subsided without the use of fever reducing medication.

Employees who have had close contact with a test-positive individual may not return to work unless the quarantine period has passed, or if a healthcare provider or public health professional advises that they have completed their quarantine period. The bill eliminates quarantine requirements for employees who have had close contact with someone exhibiting symptoms but do not test positive for COVID-19.

Finally, the bill also revises the list of workers exempted from these provisions and the conditions in which the exemption applies. Specific workers in the energy industry who perform essential energy services and critical employees designated by the director of the Department of Health and Human Services have been added to the list of workers exempt from the rules.

Action Items

  1. Review the text of SB 1258 here.
  2. Update COVID-19 prevention procedures.
  3. Have appropriate personnel trained on updated requirements.
  4. Subscribers can call our HR On-Call Hotline at (888) 378-2456 for further assistance.

Disclaimer: This document is designed to provide general information and guidance concerning employment-related issues. It is presented with the understanding that ManagEase is not engaged in rendering any legal opinions. If a legal opinion is needed, please contact the services of your own legal adviser.

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