What Ohio Restaurants Need to Know About COVID-19 Exposure

In an interview with Columbus Business First, Regional Managing Partner Steve Loewengart weighs-in on what Ohio restaurants should be aware of in terms of potential COVID-19 exposure. The article discusses the need for restaurants to be vigilant and do everything they possibly can to protect their employees and customers. But despite best efforts, the article explains that restaurants are likely going to face situations in which an employee is exposed to COVID with the potential that the exposure can be linked back to the restaurant. As a result, Steve predicts that employee COVID-19-related legal claims are inevitably going to be filed against restaurant employers. He goes on to explain that liability in these situations might be limited because viruses like COVID-19 are “generally not considered an ‘occupational disease’ since they are prevalent in the general population and are therefore tougher to trace to a specific profession.” But, at the same time, he warns employers that the Occupational Safety & Health Administration has a general duty clause that requires employers to “provide a workplace safe from foreseeable dangers.”

To read the article, visit Columbus Business First (subscription required).