Author: Bob Kolar

All Employees,

As many of you know, the CDC recently updated their mask protocols allowing vaccinated folks to not wear masks in most circumstances.  At TIA, we will update our mask protocol effective June 21, 2021 to make it voluntary for fully vaccinated employees to work without masks according to the attached policy.  However, I need to also provide some related guidance:

• We will take the time between now and June 21^st to discuss with our management and employees how this updated policy will be managed and the expectations for them.
• It is strictly voluntary for those who are fully vaccinated.
• Those not vaccinated must adhere to the established face covering policy we have had in place for many months.
• All employees must continue to monitor themselves for COVID symptoms and take the necessary steps we have in place until directed otherwise by the CDC or the State.
• Please don’t pry or ridicule another employee as to why they have chosen one way or the other.  There are multiple personal and medical reasons involved.  Let’s be considerate to one another’s personal situation.
• We still have a responsibility for the safety of our employees who are at risk and we will continue to follow the CDC, OSHA and State mandated guidelines accordingly as we have been doing throughout the pandemic.
• TIA has no plans to mandate or force employees to be vaccinated.
• I understand we all have our own personal opinions as to the complete validity of the CDC, OSHA and State guidelines.  I do as well.  However, I must continue to manage the company in accordance with standard guidelines. 

You have done a great job up to this point doing what’s been needed to navigate a global pandemic.  I ask that you keep this up for a little longer as we come out of the pandemic.

Sincerely,

Bob Kolar

President

All,

As we have returned from the Christmas and New Year’s shutdown TIA is dealing with several COVID positive cases and a number of close-contact quarantines amongst employees in both McDonough and Morgantown.  On Monday, we began with as many as 14 employees absent according to our COVID protocols.  Based on facts gathered from interviews, at this point we believe the positive cases to be confined outside TIA.

I want to remind everyone once again, to follow our COVID rules regarding face covers, social distancing, hygiene, staying home if symptoms develop or if a household member develops symptoms and to contact HR for guidance on being at work or reporting to work.

I also want to thank everyone pitching in to cover absences as best we can.  Please work safe, stay quality focused and be mindful of other employees’ potential circumstances.  If you need help, ask.

In the next several days, we will be rolling out some policy updates on attendance and quarantine protocols related to COVID.  These updates are primarily based on the Stimulus 2.0 legislation signed into law and CDC updates in December.  So please watch for these postings.

Lastly, based on the events in Washington, DC yesterday I want to encourage and ask all of us to continue to work together for our common good both at TIA and outside.  We deserve better, our country deserves better and I pray our leaders will deliver on that.  Thank you for each of you continuing to do your part to deliver on that!  You continue to impress and inspire me.

Sincerely,

Bob

All Employees,

Well….One half of 2020 is in the history books as we enter the second half.  The hope of the heat of Summer killing off the coronavirus has been destroyed, but despite its ugly resurgence we have been blessed so far not to see the same severe impact of the virus on people.  At the same time, it has become extremely difficult to clearly identify COVID-19 symptoms.

We (management and employees) are doing our best to manage these developments.  Employees have been very cooperative in notifying HR of COVID related contacts or suspected symptoms.  Management has revised COVID response protocols related to employees several times in the past month as the CDC has updated guidelines. 

The attached Word document is our current protocol updated just this week.  The CDC defines close contact as being within 6 feet of someone for more than 15 minutes.  With COVID, the CDC stipulates that in addition we must consider the type of symptoms (coughing, sneezing, etc.) and whether the suspected person wears a face cover within the prior 48 hours in determining the proper actions to be taken and people to be notified.  This is a case by case determination that our COVID response team evaluates.

In addition, we have updated our face cover policy.  We now have two policies as attached, one for Office Environments and one for the Manufacturing and Warehouse floor.  It is critically important for all of us to conform to these face cover policies to prevent accidently infecting another employee and to minimize the level of our response actions in the event of an infection.

For those of you continuing to be COVID aware and taking precautions outside of TIA, we thank you.  This week, I found a COVID risk assessment chart developed by the Texas Medical Association (see attached PDF).  It lists various activities on a level of 1 – 10 with 10 being the highest COVID risk activity.  Hopefully this is useful for you in your daily life.

As you might be aware, April and May were lackluster months for TIA.  On a positive note, we’ve seen a decent uptick in June.  However, things are still very uncertain as all of us see in our own life experiences.  We still cannot predict or estimate what “normal” might be for our business. 

In spite of all this, I continue to be very grateful for what we have and convinced that we will overcome the circumstances we find ourselves in.  I have great confidence in all of you to keep TIA on a successful path forward.

Sincerely and respectfully,

Bob

All Employees,

Here TIA is at the beginning of June successfully battling a pandemic and all the fallout related to it while balancing what’s best for our employees, their families, our company and our community.  I am proud of what we have accomplished and how each of you have risen to the challenge. 

Please stay vigilant to our protocols which I have mentioned numerous times.  Unfortunately, in watching the COVID numbers and infection rates, Georgia is now one of the worst states in the US from an infection rate standpoint.  As a result, I do not feel it is wise at this time to relax our work from home protocol or any other protocols in either facility, GA or PA.  As we continue to be guided by CDC guidelines, the risk is still too great we might introduce infections in the workplace and have to deal with the repercussions (a COVID sick employee, who to send home on 14 day quarantine, how much of the facility to clean and disinfect, etc.). It is imperative that we continue to wear masks/face covers even if we are walking or riding around in the facility. 

At the same time, our country/society is being faced with another huge challenge yet again born out of racism and a blatant disregard for human life.  It is revulsive, disgusting and it breaks my heart.  To be clear, it has no place in our company or our community.  If you want to speak to me about it, please reach out.  I cannot possibly communicate such complex things by email.  I also cannot pretend to know all sides of this or all the answers, but I am willing listen and talk and take necessary actions.  In response to this challenge, I encourage all of us, as we have done with COVID, to do what’s best for our employees, their family, our company and our community.  I ask that we respect every individual (we are all imperfect humans and each has value) and lead with humility (listen and explain why).

Respectfully,

Bob

All,

It is May 4, 2020 and we continue our daily journey in the midst of a world-wide pandemic.  I intend this as a positive statement.  Consider all the uncertainty and fear we faced two months ago.  We have navigated our way personally and as a company to elevate ourselves over and beyond what most of us thought we had in us.  We should be proud of ourselves!

In addition, positive signs are becoming more noticeable.  The rate of infections has been dropping.  Our understanding of the coronavirus and our tools for combatting it have improved.  The first drug was approved this past week in the US.  States, including both GA and PA, have begun to gradually reopen certain segments with strict requirements in place. 

These real signs of courage, hope and relief are a welcome sight. 

At the same time, I must remind all of us to not get ahead of ourselves.  For those working from home, I’m sure you want and need to get out.  However, for those still coming to plant each day, we need to continue to minimize risk and keep to our protocols.  There is still an ongoing global pandemic.  TIA has not relaxed any of our protocols related to dealing with COVID-19 as the CDC and WHO have not relaxed any guidelines. 

For now, we will keep these policies in place:

• All non-essential business related travel (mode of transportation does not matter) is restricted.  Essential business travel must be pre-approved by me.
• All non-essential business visitors to our facilities are restricted. 
• Work from home continues where possible and appropriate.  If you need to come to the plant/office, you must get approval.

Also, I want to remind you again of the key protocols we must follow at the plant (see full guidelines which we have published and distributed):

• If you are sick, stay home
• If you have COVID-19 or symptoms, call your doctor and call HR
• If someone you have been around outside work has COVID-19 or was told to quarantine by a doctor, call HR
• Wear face covers to protect others. 
• Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds
• Do not touch your face, mouth and eyes
• Do not eat without first washing your hands.
• Stay 6 feet apart from each other when talking, sitting and working together
  • If a job task requires less than 6 feet separation and it cannot be done another way, ask your supervisor for approval and you will be instructed to use proper PPE during the task. 
• Disinfect commonly used items, equipment, surfaces (soap and water disinfects too)
• Use hand sanitizer when soap and water is not available

We continue to monitor CDC, WHO, OSHA, local and state health department guidelines as they are issued, updated, ordered, etc. and we will adjust policies and protocols accordingly.  Check our employee website http://52.188.109.27/ for updates. 

I want to encourage you to keep up the great job you are doing to help us protect employees, their families, the community and keep TIA in the best position to weather this storm and recover as quickly as possible.

Respectfully,

Bob

All,

It is April 13, 2020.  It is also the day after Easter.  Most of you know my faith is a good part of the foundation of who I am.  Yesterday, I was reminded and encouraged again by the message of hope that Easter brings.  Although my Easter activities were very different compared to the past, there was still hope. 

As we begin this week, I want to remind and encourage all of you that we still have hope in spite of the circumstances we find ourselves.  Together with your help, TIA has been able to weather this pandemic storm fairly well thus far.  For example, this week we are planning to add more production capacity on-line while maintaining our safety protocols.  Thankfully, we have customers who still need orders produced and shipped which allows us to keep most employees working and to keep a certain amount of money coming in.  Thankfully, we have employees willing to adjust to the new and different ways of having to get the job done.

I want to remind you again of the key practices we must follow if you are at the plant (see full guidelines which we have published and distributed):

• If you are sick, stay home
• If you have COVID-19 symptoms, call your doctor and call HR
• If someone you have been around outside work has COVID-19 or was told to quarantine by a doctor, call HR
• Wear face covers to protect others.  We now have enough for everyone. 
  • It prevents any coughs and sneezes from projecting particles into the air
• Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds
• Do not touch your face, mouth and eyes
• Do not eat without first washing your hands.
• Stay 6 feet apart from each other when talking, sitting and working together
  • If a job task requires less than 6 feet separation and it cannot be done another way, ask your supervisor for approval and you will be instructed to use proper PPE during the task. 
• Disinfect commonly used items, equipment, surfaces (soap and water disinfects too)
• Use hand sanitizer when soap and water is not available

I also want to remind you to continue to check our new employee website for updates.  The website is http://52.188.109.27/   You will see a main page as well as a specific page for GA and PA.  There are also links for information and resources related to COVID-19.  For more information, please contact your supervisor or manager.

Lastly, I want to thank you again for your dedication, understanding, patience and perseverance as we work through this very difficult time together.  Don’t lose hope!  Try to be grateful for all we have.  I continue to be grateful and inspired to be working with you!

Sincerely,

Bob

All,

It is March 30, 2020.  Welcome to the beginning of another week in which we work together to overcome the circumstances we find ourselves in thanks to a world-wide pandemic.

Last week was very challenging for all of us due to the continued spread of COVID-19 and the effect of actions taken by Governors in GA and PA as well as local counties and cities where we live and work.  Not to mention customers being affected as well.  Know that we are attempting to follow, CDC, WHO, OSHA, local health department guidelines as we continue to try to operate our facilities.  Many of the government orders and guidelines have portions or large sections which are not clear at all. 

If a government order is delivered and we don’t have appropriate time to understand or implement it properly, we have chosen to stop operations in whole or in part out of concern for the safety of our employees.  We are then engaging legal counsel, internal and external resources to appropriately make decisions and take actions.  We are taking a slow but sure approach to restarting operations. 

We have been able to continue to ship product to customers from both GA and PA.  In GA, we are restarting Hot Melt this morning.  In PA, we are restarting some Inspection and Packing today to process WIP rolls.  In GA and PA, this week we will be evaluating and putting procedures in place to restart certain presses by Monday next week.  Certain crews may be asked to return this week.  Your managers will contact you as necessary.  With the constantly changing situations we are dealing with, we will be using your immediate supervisors to keep you informed about work schedules.   

We fully realize you are concerned with the risks associated in continuing to operate our business.  Both to supply our products to customers who are stating they provide “essential” services/products and to allow us to generate income for keeping TIA healthy so we can retain our employees. 

OSHA has four risk categories for workplaces and TIA is in the lowest risk category.  We are in a lower class risk category than workplaces which interface with the general public (grocery store, restaurant, retail sales, schools, etc.).  We have further reduced risk by eliminating almost all visitors and screening any visitors in the rare case it is necessary.  We have further reduced risk by having as many people as possible work from home and eliminated business related travel of any type.  We continue to implement procedures and protocols according to CDC, WHO, OSHA, local health department guidelines as they are issued, updated, ordered, etc. 

In addition, you are a critical part of reducing risk as we instruct you to follow the guidelines and best practices at work.  A brief list of the key practices (see full guidelines which we have published and distributed):

The other huge concern has been centered on pay for employees.  We have continued to pay all employees up to 40 hrs even if they are not working or partially working.  Laws are being enacted or will be enacted to provide both employers and employees/citizens financial aid.  The latest was passed late Friday which we are currently evaluating.  Starting Wednesday, one of the laws take effect called Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Please see the posted information about FFCRA for more details.  In the next couple of days, we will provide details on our pay policy going forward. 

One more thing we are doing is enhancing employee communication by launching a website you may access for updates.  The website is http://52.188.109.27/  You will see a main page as well as a specific page for GA and PA plus a link to our normal corporate website.  For more information, please contact your supervisor or manager.

Lastly, I want to thank you for your dedication, understanding, patience and perseverance as we work through this very difficult time together.  We are facing the challenges thrown at us and navigating our way forward step by step.  I encourage you to keep the faith and to be grateful for all we have in spite of the negativity out there!  I remain grateful and impressed to be working with you!

God bless us all,

Bob