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COVID-19 Workplace Mitigation Strategies and Employee Leave Policies Implemented during the Height of the Pandemic, United States, Fall 2020 and 2021

Author

Listed:
  • Rebecca J. Guerin

    (Division of Science Integration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA)

  • John P. Barile

    (College of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA)

  • Matthew R. Groenewold

    (Division of Field Studies and Engineering, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA)

  • Hannah L. Free

    (Division of Field Studies and Engineering, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA)

  • Andrea H. Okun

    (Division of Science Integration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA)

Abstract

COVID-19 workplace mitigation strategies implemented within US businesses have been effective at preventing disease and protecting workers, but the extent of their use is not well understood. We examined reported COVID-19 workplace mitigation strategies by business size, geographic region, and industry using internet panel survey data from US adult respondents working full- or part-time outside the home (fall 2020, N = 1168) andfull- or part-time, inside or outside the home (fall 2021, N = 1778). We used chi-square tests to assess the differences in the strategies used (e.g., masking and COVID-19 screening) and ANOVA tests to examine the group differences on a mitigation strategies summative score. Fewer COVID-19 mitigation strategies were reported by respondents in fall 2021 (compared to fall 2020) across businesses of different sizes and regions. The participants in microbusinesses (1–10 employees) reported significantly ( p < 0.05) lower mitigation scores than all other business sizes, and the respondents in these businesses were significantly less likely ( p < 0.05) to have paid leave than those in enterprises with >10 employees. The healthcare and education sectors had the highest reported mean score of COVID-19 workplace mitigation strategies. Small and essential businesses are critical to the US economy. Insight is needed on their use of mitigation strategies to protect workers during the current and future pandemics.

Suggested Citation

  • Rebecca J. Guerin & John P. Barile & Matthew R. Groenewold & Hannah L. Free & Andrea H. Okun, 2023. "COVID-19 Workplace Mitigation Strategies and Employee Leave Policies Implemented during the Height of the Pandemic, United States, Fall 2020 and 2021," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-13, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:2894-:d:1060214
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kumar, S. & Quinn, S.C. & Kim, K.H. & Daniel, L.H. & Freimuth, V.S., 2012. "The impact of workplace policies and other social factors on self-reported influenza-like illness incidence during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(1), pages 134-140.
    2. Carolyn Ingram & Vicky Downey & Mark Roe & Yanbing Chen & Mary Archibald & Kadri-Ann Kallas & Jaspal Kumar & Peter Naughton & Cyril Onwuelazu Uteh & Alejandro Rojas-Chaves & Shibu Shrestha & Shiraz Sy, 2021. "COVID-19 Prevention and Control Measures in Workplace Settings: A Rapid Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-26, July.
    3. Rebecca J. Guerin & Samantha M. Harden & Borsika A. Rabin & Diane S. Rohlman & Thomas R. Cunningham & Megan R. TePoel & Megan Parish & Russell E. Glasgow, 2021. "Dissemination and Implementation Science Approaches for Occupational Safety and Health Research: Implications for Advancing Total Worker Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Daniel Kim, 2017. "Paid Sick Leave and Risks of All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality among Adult Workers in the USA," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-10, October.
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