What You Need To Know
Message from Corporate
We are currently working on re-opening plans for retail. At this time, we are evaluating our expected business volume and needed staff. Employees on furlough should contact your manager directly for the most up to date information on your status.
Attention: All Stores
- Follow hygiene guidance put out by our government agencies.
- Make available hand sanitizer and tissues at the counters and break rooms.
- Put up posters for restrooms and break areas discussing hygiene provided by EHS.
- Any employee who is ill, particularly if there is a fever, should not come to work.
- We are encouraging sick customers to avoid coming in to our stores. Please print the attached document and place it on the customer entrance.
- Active Employees
- Employees on Furlough
Attention: All Employees
- Contact your health care provider if you are experiencing fever, cough, shortness of breath or other flu-like symptoms.
- If you are an Aetna member through AFW group health: There are no out of pocket costs for Telemed.
Information on Teladoc
Teladoc is a mobile app that you can use on your personal mobile device. The doctors can prescribe tests and prescriptions if needed. - Minute Clinics are also no out of pocket where they are available.
- CVS Pharmacy is temporarily suspending home delivery fees for medications.
- Zero Card - www.thezerocard.com - They offer no out of pocket tests and prescriptions. You can also call for help using this no cost to you benefit: 855-816-0001.
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If you are a Kaiser member through AFW group health: Kaiser also has a telemedicine option.
Information on Kaiser Telemed - Contact the HR Hotline at 720-873-8799 and do not come into work.
- Keep your manager informed of your status.
- If you are unable to return to work for your own illness, you can request sick or vacation pay to cover the loss of income from your absence. You may also be eligible for leave under the Family Medical Leave Act. The leave of absence contact for AFW is Ethan Jackson. Reach Ethan by calling 720-873-8641.
- A full list of HR and Payroll contacts is available at http://my.afw.net
- If you are caring for a family member who is sick/exhibiting symptoms
- You can use to use sick or vacation time, if available, to cover the absence. See information immediately following this section on special provision in place due to the pandemic.
- You may be eligible for leave under the Family Medical Leave Act for the care of a family member.
Active, currently working employees whose children are not allowed in daycare or school because of a shutdown related to COVID-19:
There are some schools and universities that have closed or have gone to all online for the time being and more may follow. The policy on sick pay allows employees to use sick time for the care of a sick child. We are temporarily extending that provision to cover care for a child because school or daycare is unavailable due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Specific to the pandemic:
- We are NOT requiring doctor's notes for care of a child/family member.
- You can use sick pay to care for dependent child who is unable to attend school or daycare due to COVID-19 closure.
- You must still follow all call-in procedures and time off request procedures.
Read 4/8/20 Update: Kaiser's Latest Member Update on Coronavirus
As your health care provider, we want to support you during this challenging time by equipping you with the most up-to-date information to help you during this COVID-19 crisis. Below are the answers to critical questions you may have at this time.
What should I do if I think I have symptoms? If you develop symptoms (fever, cough, trouble breathing) or you believe you've been exposed, it's important to contact us first so we can direct you to the most appropriate care. Read COVID-19 What You need to know and follow the steps below:
- Call the 24/7 advice number 303-338-4545 (TTY 711) to speak with a licensed care provider or to schedule a telephone or video appointment.
- Chat with a doctor on kp.org or on the KP app.
- Visit kp.org/getcare. Select your region and follow the steps to complete a COVID-19 e-visit under the online section.
How can I protect myself from the coronavirus? Kaiser Permanente Infectious Disease Specialist, Dr. Amy Duckro, shares common sense advice on protecting yourself from the coronavirus. Please watch: https://kp.qumucloud.com/view/jGRKxLZuQuF#/
Temporary changes to care delivery: As a reminder, some our locations have temporarily stopped providing in-person care. This will help us increase the availability of video and phone visits and protect our members, staff, and community. However, several of our locations remain open for various services including pharmacy, urgent care, primary care, pediatrics, and specialty.
Please read this flyer about our available medical offices and services.
Pharmacy updates:
Mail order: Whenever possible, we are encouraging our members to refill maintenance medications through mail order.
- Members can get prescriptions delivered with no shipping costs through the mobile app, by calling 1-866-523-6059 (TTY 711), or at kp.org/rxrefill.
- Members may use mail order to request a larger quantity of medication. Most plans cover 90 days through the mail.
- For members with less than a 30-day supply of medication on hand, pharmacists may refill supplies up to 90 days.
- A vacation supply is also available that can double the supply one (1) time per year for the copay price.
Pharmacy locations: Please see the medical offices and services flyer for current pharmacy locations.
We will be providing updated information frequently on kp.org
Due to the recent decline in call volume, Delta Dental of Colorado will be changing their call center hours to 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. This will be effective as of Monday, April 6th.
At this time, refusing to work is considered an absence. This is a very fluid situation and instructions and directions may change rapidly. Individual circumstances vary. Please discuss with your manager if you have questions. He or she can best direct you to additional resources.
We are temporarily suspending the use of time clocks to punch in and out. As of today, all employees have the ability to punch in and out on their personal mobile device using GPS and Geofencing technology.
To access this technology, you must download and install the NOVAmobile app on your phone or iPad. It must be a 4G or 5G phone.
The app will ask for the Company Code (the top field on the log in screen). It is NEU18112.
If you have never logged into NovaTime, you must do so the first time on a desktop computer. Visit http://my.afw.net for additional information. There is a full instruction guide available at http://my.afw.net/resources/NOVAtime_GPS_Mobile_App_Time_Clock-min.pdf
You must be on company property to punch in and out. The system is set up to require a 20-foot proximity. Any attempts to punch while away from the work location will subject you to discipline up to an including termination.
Because we are a retail, customer focused organization, there are very few positions that can work remote. However, we do have some. This decision is up to your manager. If you can't be at work and would like to work remotely, contact your manager. There is a very limited number of laptops available for only those cases where remote work is the only option.
If you are planning an out of state or overseas trip:
Contact Paul Templeman (720-873-8652) before your planned return to work. He will advise you on return to work protocol.
FAQ
COVID-19 and Your Employment
Please refer to the employee handbook for details about time off. An absence due to COVID-19 or influenza is treated the same as any medical condition. You can link consecutive absences together with a doctor's note. We also have other leave of absence options available. AFW provides 70 hours of sick pay per year. You can use paid time to cover the days you miss according to the policies in the employee handbook. There is no additional paid time off for COVID-19. Contact Ethan Jackson, Leave of Absence Administrator, if you have questions specific to your individual circumstances. He can be reached at 720-873-8641 or [email protected].
Do not report for work. Use the regular call-in procedure. Then contact Paul Templeman for additional instructions. Paul can be reached at 720-873-8652.
The incubation period for COV19 is anywhere from 2-14 days, according to the CDC. If you have a fever, you should not come to work. Follow regular call-in procedures. The symptoms of COVID-19 are typically fever, cough, shortness of breath: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html
Influenza can present with similar symptoms and is contagious if you have a fever. Read more about flu symptoms here: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/treatment/takingcare.html
More Tips from the CDC
No. The emergency room should be used for people who are very sick. You should not go to the emergency room if you are only mildly ill.
AFW offers telemedicine for both Aetna and Kaiser enrollees. If you are on Aetna insurance through American Furniture Warehouse, you won't pay any out of pocket expense to use Teledoc. It's very easy to access through a smart phone and you can speak with a doctor 24 hours a day.
Information on Teledoc
Information on Kaiser Telemed
CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or other necessities. Your fever should be gone without the need to use a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®. Until then, you should stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings.
Attention: Employees on Furlough
- AFW will continue any group benefits, including medical, dental, and vision for the time employees are furloughed.
- You can make up deductions when you return to work.
- Any sick pay under 160, personal days, and flloating holidays, if applicable, will still be available when you return to work.
- Furloughed employees can request Vacation or Sick over 160 pay to cover this period, however, any vacation pay must be reported to each state's unemployment office and will count against your UI benefit weeks.
- The rules around 401(k) loans and withdrawls has not changed. Contact Fidelity for additional information. www.netbenefits.com or 800-294-4015.
Keep up to date
- http://my.afw.net - log into Oracle & NOVATime, stay up to date on information about the workplace and re-opening and return to work information.
- http://eresponse.afw.net - our employee facing emergency response page.
Furloughed employees ARE eligible for Unemployment, even if you volunteered to be one of the furloughed employees (voluntary time off forms).
Filing for Unemployment:For Colorado: There are two options for a response: Layoff or Still attached and off work partially or temporarily.
If you choose the Still Attached option, another screen will ask if you are off work because you are self-isolating or quarantined, etc. At the bottom, you can select "Yes, I want to sign up for unemployment benefits now."
The unemployment office will request additional information and we will respond with additional details.
For Arizona: My understanding is that Arizona is compiling a webpage/selection specifically for COVID-19 impact. In the meantime, there is a laid off/lack of work option.
For Texas: The unemployment website was experiencing intermittent problems and I wasn't able to access it. They do have a tutorial for applying for benefits. The tutorial can be found here: https://www.twc.texas.gov/files/jobseekers/tutorial-apply-for-benefits-online-twc.pdf.
We work with WorkLife Partnerships and their services are available to all employees in all locations.
Help with life. Help with finances.
- Help filing unemployment claims
- Finding resources for affordable housing
- Connecting to legal resources
- Accessing reliable transportation
- Utility assistance
- Food resources
- Support in finding affordable child care options
- Household budgeting
- Navigate resources for debt management
Help with health insurance.
- Managing medical bills
- Understanding Medicaid & Medicare
WorkLife Navigators are Community Resource Specialists.
Text AFWNav to 555888 or email [email protected] to connect to a Navigator today.
AFW Navigator: Derek @ 303-880-5925 - call or text or visit www.worklifecolorado.org and select Contact a Navigator.
Employee Assistance Program is still available while you are off work. https://www.unum.com/employees/services/life-balance or 800-854-1146.
Internal Jobs
We will be posting a limited number of opening to assist with receiving inventory into the Katy, Texas facility in late April or early May 2020. This opening will be posted internally only. To access internal positions, log into Oracle.
- Go to "Me" and look for Current Jobs:
Home Depot Jobs
Home Depot reached out to us to see if any of our employees that were not working would be interested in a temporary assignment.
If you are interested:
- Apply here: https://careers.homedepot.com/hiring/
- Click on "Search Seasonal Jobs".
- Email Rebecca Galbraith at [email protected] with the subject "I applied to Home Depot" and include your first and last name. We will share our employees' names with the recruiter so your application is reviewed immediately.
Resources
- Protect Yourself
- Government
- IT
Protect Yourself
The general rule about this virus is that if you know how to protect yourself from the flu, you know how to protect yourself from coronavirus. The public health experts suggest the following:
- Wash your hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds.
- Cover your mouth, ideally with an elbow, when you cough or sneeze.
- Get a flu shot, not necessarily because it will prevent the spread of coronavirus, but so that you stay healthy and out of the doctor's office.
- Use your sick days. If you're not feeling well, stay home from work and get better.
Follow these health instructions:
Arizona
Colorado
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
- COVID-19 Resource Page
- Information for Travelers
- Key Facts about COVID-19
- Community Preparation Tips
- CDC Preparation Flowchart
Texas
- Open a Help Desk Ticket
- Call AFW IT Help Desk 720-873-8665
- Call AFW IT Help Desk Extension x8665
- AFW Help Desk How To Video
- AFW VPN Client Download