During the COVID-19 global pandemic, employers are permitted to check employees and job candidates for fevers, the EEOC said in recent guidance.
Employers may ask if employees and candidates are experiencing any other symptoms of COVID-19 as well.
Send symptomatic workers home
Typically, requiring a body temperature check would be considered a medical exam and is forbidden under the ADA. However, during this pandemic, the EEOC is making an exception.
Employers may also require any employees or candidates exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms to stay at home. It’s important that the names of those affected remain confidential.
It’s also crucial to note that if you ask one candidate about symptoms, you must ask all of them, or it could be considered discriminatory. Employers may also delay the start date of any new hires displaying symptoms.
