The U.S. Labor Department on Friday issued guidance for safe workplaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidance could allow sick employees to stay at home without fear of losing their jobs. The guidance issued by the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) outlines key measures for limiting the coronavirus’ spread, including ensuring infected or potentially infected people are not in the workplace, implementing and following physical distancing protocols and using surgical masks or cloth face coverings.It also provides guidance on use of personal protective equipment, improving ventilation, good hygiene and routine cleaning. However, the new guidance is not a legal standard or regulation, and fails to create any new legal obligations.
See "U.S. Labor Department issues COVID-19 workplace safety guidance", Reuters, January 29, 2021