Category: General Information

All,

First of all, I want to thank all of our employees for their cooperation, understanding, commitment, strength and calmness during the first few days of considerable life changes related to this new coronavirus.  I am very impressed and grateful I get to work with folks like you!

As a further update to our COVID-19 response, please see further actions/clarifications effective immediately:

TIA Actions Related to COVID-19

• The actions we are taking are intended to slow the spread of infections in our community according to guidelines from Federal and State agencies.  According to these agencies, the primary focus of slowing the spread of COVID-19 is to ensure hospitals continue to be able to treat those who are sick. TIA will continue to refine our actions in the workplace and we encourage employees do the same outside of work.
• We continue to monitor the situation carefully and will adjust as needed.

Confirmed COVID-19 Response

• We are preparing to respond to any confirmed COVID-19 case of an employee by following the appropriate CDC guidelines for Facilities with Suspected/Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019.  The necessary tools, process, vendors, etc. are being developed and validated.

Social Distancing

• In person meetings of 10 or more people will no longer be allowed.  Use of Microsoft Teams, phone conferences, etc. shall be used where appropriate.  Consider not meeting together physically, if possible.
• Keep a 3 to 6 ft distance when interacting in person.  This includes any meetings.
• Limit interactions with other employees where possible to your specific team.  Avoid wandering around for socializing or other non-business related purposes.  This is to limit how we would implement actions related to an employee who tests positive for COVID-19 and to limit potential exposure.
• The good thing is that with most of us if we focus on the job tasks we have, we will interact with a very limited number of people during our shift while still getting our job done. 

Non-Essential Business Travel/Visitors – Clarification

• The basic question to ask is: Is the travel/visitor critical to producing, processing or shipping orders over the next couple of weeks?  If not, it can be delayed.  Of course, there may be other reasons which need to be addressed, but this is the basic rule of thumb.
• Our TIA precautions must be taken with visitors and when on approved business travel.

Attendance Policy and Pay

• The modified attendance policy we issued yesterday is a first step in how we will address absences and pay.
• We are seeking guidance from Toppan Printing Company and keeping an eye on what Federal and State aid might become available as well.
• We will continue to review and refine our policies to ensure we can pay people for time off as long as possible due to sickness, family care issues, government directives, etc. related to the current COVID-19 outbreak.

Scheduling/Planning Work

• We will be asking departments to report daily on absences so we can schedule and plan work accordingly. 
• HR is developing a system to enter and report the information so we can use it appropriately.

Relaxed Dress Code

• Considering the lack of customers/visitors to our facilities, I am relaxing the dress code for those who are not provided uniforms. 
• We will consider every day Casual Friday until further notice.

Sincerely,

Bob

To: Toppan Interamerica Inc employees in Georgia and Pennsylvania

March 25, 2020

All,

I realize the anxiety and stress related to the current developments about COVID-19.  Honestly, I am also feeling some stress related to the decisions I have to make as a result of this situation as I must consider protecting employees, their families, our company and our community.  The actions we are taking are intended to balance all of these as they are all intertwined for our future success.  This includes actions which allow for temporary leeway in our policies to ensure we can pay people for time off as long as possible due to sickness, family care issues, government directives, etc. related to the current COVID-19 outbreak.

We are basing our actions on guidelines from the CDC and WHO which we have already published.  It is very important that we all follow the hygiene guidelines regardless if COVID-19 has been identified in our facilities or not.  Practicing and creating these habits are the best prevention methods available at this time. 

In addition, we will be basing our actions on facts about COVID-19.  Please read page two of the attached Situation Report from WHO which spells out facts related to COVID-19 as well as similarities and differences with seasonal flu/influenza.  Recognize that COVID-19 is worse in some ways and better in others compared to the flu.

Briefly, here are some additional actions we are taking:

• We will be issuing an adjusted attendance policy which includes how we will determine potential COVID-19 infected employees and what will be done. 

• Also, we are restricting all non-essential business related travel (mode of transportation does not matter).  Essential business travel must be pre-approved by me.

• Also, we are restricting all non-essential business visitors to our facilities.  I am asking each Manager to approve or seek approval for visitors. 

• We are also working to implement certain work from home options where it is possible and appropriate.  Your managers will be determining how this might be possible.

Obviously, these are uncertain times and situations will change daily as we move forward which will require us to adapt accordingly.  However, this most difficult part is temporary and we will overcome by working together.  As COVID-19 is not acting fair in who it attacks and to what degree and where, recognize some of the actions we take may not seem fair either (for example, who might be able to work from home).  I assure you that we are trying to follow the CDC and WHO guidelines in combination with the facts being published about the disease while trying to balance the needs of employees, families, TIA and our community. 

Your managers will be able to provide you more detailed information and answer questions.  I ask your support, patience, understanding and efforts to help us work together in a measured way to successfully navigate this temporary but unpredictable situation.  In the end, you need to make the best decisions for you and your situation related to work based on the decisions we make as a company.

Sincerely,

Bob