Staffing and HR Questions and Answers

These questions have been compiled by the Massachusetts Dental Society to offer general guidance to members. You should continue to rely on your best professional judgment and always consult with your legal or financial advisors for guidance regarding your particular situation. We will continue to update this section as more information becomes available or as information changes.

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What if you or a member of your team has tested positive for COVID-19? What do you do now? (Source: ADA)

If dental offices re-open but staff still have kids being schooled remotely, do they still have to come back to work?

When should my staff resume working?

How do I unfurlough my staff?

If the dental office reopens and then one staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19, the whole staff then needs to be quarantined for two weeks. This could potentially cycle as many times as there are staff if they get it at different times, effectively shutting an office down for an extended period. How can practices avoid this and/or needs planning?

What if my staff refuses to come back to work?

Can I have my staff sign a COVID-19 risk waiver?

Can I unfurlough my staff at different intervals?

Can I bring my staff back part-time? If so, how does this impact unemployment benefits?

Do I need to tell unemployment that I am unfurloughing my staff members?

How do I communicate to my staff about the practice reopen date?

Can we discipline non-affected employees who refuse to come into the office for fear of being exposed to COVID-19?

Can my employees apply for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) when they return to work?

If my dental office opens before the recommended date, will I be exposing my practice to any additional risk

My employee doesn't want to come back to work due to receiving higher unemployment wages than regular wages. What should I do?

If my employee is scared to come back to work or is in a high-risk category, what do I do?