Restaurant Dive Interviews Hospitality Co-Chair for Return-to-Work Strategies

For their three-part series that explores strategies and techniques restaurants should consider before and after they reopen amid COVID-19, Restaurant Dive spoke with Alden Parker for insight on steps employers should take before bringing back staff and practices they can use to keep customers safe.

Before reopening, Alden recommends that operators think of this time as a reboot, and take the opportunity to review payroll practices, policies and procedures for legal compliance. He also recommends reviewing rehiring practices to ensure employers aren’t opening themselves up to a risk for litigation. When addressing concerns about customer interactions, Alden says: “There are also concerns over what might happen if a customer does contract COVID-19 and traces it back to the restaurant even if all the standards are met. There could be a potential for lawsuits, similar to a slip and fall or some other injury sustained on the property.”

To read Restaurant Dive’s series, visit Part Two and Part Three.