Updated: May 13, 2022

City of Torrance
Return to Work Guidelines & Contact Tracing Procedures for Supervisors

FOR EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE HAD CLOSE CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WITH COVID
A “close contact” is any of the following people below who were exposed to someone with a positive diagnostic COVID19 test while they were infectious. A person with COVID19 is considered to be infectious from 2 days before their symptoms first appeared until the time they are no longer required to be isolated, in accordance to LA County’s Isolation Order. For a person with COVID19 who does not have symptoms, the person is considered to be infectious from 2 days before their positive test was taken until 10 days after that test was taken.
  1. An individual who was within six (6) feet of the infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, or
  2. An individual who had unprotected contact with the infected person’s body fluids and/or secretions, for example, being coughed or sneezed on, or providing care without appropriate protective equipment.
 
If you were in close contact to someone with COVID19 and you have not developed symptoms, you do not need to quarantine*
 
Requirement for Employees Who Have Been in Close Contact with a Person with COVID19
  1. Wear a highly protective mask around others for 10 days, and
  2. Get tested 3-5 days after you were last exposed:
    1. If your test result is positive, follow isolation requirements.
    2. If you tested positive for COVID19 within the last 90 days, you don’t need to test unless you develop symptoms.
  3. Monitor your health for 10 days
    1. If symptoms begin, stay home and get tested
 
*Some close contacts are required to quarantine, for example if they are not fully vaccinated and are staying in a high-risk setting. Quarantine means staying away from others in case you become infected. Some people who are close contacts may choose to quarantine as an extra precaution to limit their exposures. 
INSTRUCTION TO EMPLOYEES WHO CAN WORK FROM HOME: ​
If you have tested positive for COVID19 or have developed symptoms after being in close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID19, you must quarantine for at least 5 days. If you are eligible, upon Department Head approval, you may work from home. Day 0 (zero) is the day of your last exposure. You may end your quarantine after Day 5 and report to a Torrance worksite or facility during your regularly scheduled work shift only if you did not develop any symptoms of COVID19 and you have received a negative COVID19 test from a test taken on Day 5 or later. From Day 6 to Day 10, you must continue to monitor your symptoms, wear a medical grade mask (surgical or respirator), practice good hygiene and keep your distance from others. If you are unable to test or choose not to test, and symptoms are not present, quarantine can end after Day 10. If you develop symptoms of COVID19 and/or receive a positive diagnostic test for COVID19, you must follow LA County’s Isolation Order.
  • Before Returning to Work Onsite, Supervisors Should Ask (for those returning less than 10 days after testing positive): Did you receive a negative COVID19 test result on day 5 or later? Have you remained free of COVID19 symptoms in the last 5 days, such as fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat or shortness of breath? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for both questions.)
  • Before Returning to Work Onsite, Supervisors Should Ask (for those returning 10 days or more after testing positive): Have you remained fever free without the assistance of fever reducing medication within the last 24 hours?  Are your COVID19 symptoms improving? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for both questions.)
INSTRUCTION TO EMPLOYEES WHO CANNOT WORK FROM HOME:
If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or have developed symptoms after being in close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19, you must quarantine for at least 5 days. Day 0 (zero) is the day of your last exposure. You may end your quarantine after Day 5 and report to a Torrance worksite or facility during your regularly scheduled work shift if you did not develop any symptoms of COVID19 and you have received a negative COVID19 test from a test taken on Day 5 or later. From Day 6 to Day 10, you must continue to monitor your symptoms, wear a medical grade mask (surgical or respirator), practice good hygiene and keep your distance from others. If you are unable to test or choose not to test, and symptoms are not present, quarantine can end after Day 10. If you develop symptoms of COVID19 and/or receive a positive diagnostic test for COVID19, you must follow LA County’s Isolation Order.
  • Before Returning to Work Onsite, Supervisors Should Ask (for those returning less than 10 days after close contact): Did you receive a negative COVID19 test result on day 5 or later? Have you remained free of COVID19 symptoms in the last 5 days, such as fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat or shortness of breath? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for both questions.)​
  • Before Returning to Work Onsite, Supervisors Should Ask (for those returning 10 days or more after close contact): Have you remained fever free without the assistance of fever reducing medication within the last 24 hours?  Are your COVID19 symptoms improving? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for both questions.)
EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID19 AND HAVE SYMPTOMs
Instruction to Employees: You must isolate at home, in accordance with LA County’s Isolation Order, during which time you may not report to a Torrance worksite or facility. If you are able to work from home, with Department Head approval, you may do so. You must stay at home until:
  1. At least 5 days have passed since your symptoms first started; AND
  2. You have a negative COVID19 test result from a specimen collected on Day 5 or later. Day 0 (zero) is your first day of symptoms; AND
  3. You have no fever (without the use of medicine that reduces fevers); AND
  4. Your symptoms have improved or resolved.
  5. If you are unable to test or choose not to test, and symptoms are improved or resolved, you may end isolation after Day 10. 
  • Before Returning to Work, Supervisors Should Ask (for those returning less than 10 days after the first day of symptoms): Has it been at least 5 days since your symptoms first started? Are you fever-free without the use of medication? Have your symptoms improved? Have you received a negative test result that was taken on Day 5 or later since your first day of symptoms? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for all four questions.)
  • Before Returning to Work, Supervisors Should Ask (for those returning 10 days or more after the first day of symptoms): Has it been at least 10 days since your symptoms first started? Are you fever-free without the use of medication? Have your symptoms improved? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for all three questions.)
  • Document to Provide Employee: LA County Public Health Isolation Order.
EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID19, BUT HAVE NEVER HAD ANY SYMPTOMS
Instruction to Employees: You must isolate at home, in accordance with LA County’s Isolation Order, during which time you may not report to a Torrance worksite or facility. If you are able to work from home, with Department Head approval, you may do so. You must stay at home until:
  1. At least 5 days have passed since your positive COVID19 test result was taken; AND
  2. You have a negative COVID19 test result from a specimen collected on Day 5 or later. Day 0 (zero) is the day your positive test specimen was collected; AND
  3. You have remained free of symptoms.
  4. If you are unable to test or choose not to test, and have remained free of symptoms, you may end isolation after Day 10.
  • Before Returning to Work, Supervisors Should Ask (for those returning less than 10 days after positive COVID19 test result): Has it been at least 5 days since your positive COVID19 test was taken? Have you remained free of COVID19 symptoms? Have you received a negative test result that was taken on Day 5 or later since your positive COVID19 test was taken? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for all three questions.)
  • Before Returning to Work, Supervisors Should Ask (for those returning 10 days or more after positive COVID19 test result): Has it been at least 10 days since your positive COVID19 test was taken? Have you remained free of COVID19 symptoms? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for both questions.)
  • Document to Provide Employee: LA County Public Health Isolation Order.
​
EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL THAT THE EMPLOYEE IS CLINICALLY SUSPECTED TO HAVE COVID19
Instruction to Employees: You must isolate at home, in accordance with LA County’s Isolation Order, during which time you may not report to a Torrance worksite or facility. If you are able to work from home, with Department Head approval, you may do so. You must stay at home until one of the following two conditions are met:​
CONDITION ONE
  1. At least 5 days have passed since your symptoms first started; AND
  2. You have a negative COVID19 test result from a specimen collected on Day 5 or later. Day 0 (zero) is your first day of symptoms; AND
  3. You have no fever (without the use of medicine that reduces fevers); AND
  4. Your symptoms have improved or resolved.
  5. If you are unable to test or choose not to test, and symptoms are improved or resolved, you may end isolation after Day 10.
  • Before Returning to Work, Supervisors Should Ask (for those returning less than 10 days after the first day of symptoms): Has it been at least 5 days since your symptoms first started? Are you fever-free without the use of medication? Have your symptoms improved? Have you received a negative test result that was taken on Day 5 or later since your first day of symptoms? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for all four questions.)
  • Before Returning to Work, Supervisors Should Ask (for those returning 10 days or more after the first day of symptoms): Has it been at least 10 days since your symptoms first started? Are you fever-free without the use of medication? Have your symptoms improved? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for all three questions.)
  • Document to Provide Employee: LA County Public Health Isolation Order.
CONDITION TWO
  1. The healthcare provider reassesses your diagnosis and concludes that you do not have COVID19; AND
  2. You have had no fever for at least 24 hours (without the use of medicine that reduces fevers).
  • Before Returning to Work: 1) Supervisors should review the documentation, but should not keep a copy of the health care professional’s note. If the employee prefers, the employee may have the Department HR Representative review the documentation. 2) Supervisors should ask: Have you had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of medication? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for this question.)
  • Document to Provide Employee: LA County Public Health Isolation Order.
CONTACT TRACING PROCEDURES FOR SUPERVISORS
Purpose: The Contact Tracing Procedures is a checklist of items that should be followed anytime a City employee tests positive for COVID19 and may have come in close contact with other employees or members of the public.
 
Contact Tracing Checklist​
 
  1. Review with employee all close contacts that have occurred in the workplace: Ask the employee who tested positive to identify all coworkers and members of the public with whom the employee has had close contact for the 48-hour period before onset of the first symptom (see definition of “close contact” below). Assure the employee who tested positive that they will not be personally identified when other impacted employees are notified. Please remember to ask about close contact with coworkers who may be in another Division or Department.

    A “close contact” is any of the following people who were exposed to someone with a positive diagnostic COVID19 test while they were infectious. A person with COVID19 is considered to be infectious from 2 days before their symptoms first appeared until the time they are no longer required to be isolated, in accordance to LA County’s Isolation Order. 

    a. ​An individual who was within six (6) feet of the infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, or

    ​b. An individual who had unprotected contact with the infected person’s body fluids and/or secretions, for example, being coughed or sneezed on, or providing care without appropriate protective equipment.
  2. ​Review with employee all workspaces (shared and individual) used: Ask the employee who tested positive to identify all workspaces used for the 48-hour period before the onset of the first symptom. Please remember to ask about vehicles, restrooms, locker rooms, meeting rooms, and breakrooms.
 
Notification Checklist​
 
  1. Notify impacted employees: In notifying employees who came in close contact with the employee who tested positive, please remember to maintain confidentiality. Under no circumstances should the employee’s name who tested positive be shared. Provide impacted employees with LA County Public Health Quarantine Order. If employees are working from home, provide employees with City of Torrance Telecommuting Guidelines and Agreement.
  2. Notify other Department employees: For other employees who are in the Department but who are not directly impacted by an exposure, send out an internal memo documenting action that has been taken related to the incident. A sample memo is attached. Please modify the sample memo to fit your specific situation.
  3. Notify other impacted employees: Contact the Department Head of other Departments who have employees who came in close contact with the employee who tested positive. Department Heads are responsible for notifying their own employees of exposures.
  4. Notify Human Resources Division: Notify Principal HR Analyst, Inshirah Mabson (IMabson@TorranceCA.Gov) and Hedieh (HKhajavi@TorranceCA.Gov) of the employee who tested positive and all employees who came in close contact with the employee who tested positive. 
  5. Notify the Human Resources Analyst assigned to your Department.
  6. Complete Mandatory Exposure Report Online: California law requires all positive COVID19 cases involving employees to be recorded and maintained for inspection. The Workers’ Compensation Office maintains the records. The online form must be completed at https://bit.ly/34dUfWN.

Action Checklist​
 
  1. Sanitize the employee’s workstation who tested positive immediately.
  2. Contact General Services Facility Services Division via Facility Work Request and a follow up phone call to Custodial to schedule a disinfectant fogging of the workspace.  Depending on staff availability, a contract service may be required to perform a deep clean.
  3. If applicable, Red Tag the vehicle so that other City employees do not use it. Notify the Fleet Services Division with the City vehicle number used by the employee who tested positive. Departments are responsible for sanitizing their own vehicles. Once sanitized, please contact Fleet Services Division to update the status of the vehicle.
  4. Follow the Return to Work Guidelines for Supervisors.
  5. Conduct a formal investigation to determine whether workplace conditions contributed to COVID19 exposure. The investigation must be documented and summary action taken if any to prevent future exposure.
  6. Contact your Human Resources Analyst if you have any questions.


COVID19 Testing
 
For employees who were present at the worksite ONE DAY before the person was confirmed to have COVID either through having symptoms or testing positive, until the last day the person was at the worksite, the City will provide a COVID19 test at no-cost to the employee, during the employee’s regular working hours. The COVID19 test is coordinated through the Workers’ Compensation Division.
 
  1. Employee completes the Employee’s Report of Industrial Injury or Illness (found on the TEN at http://ten.torranceca.gov/Depts/Finance/RiskMgt/default.aspx.)
  2. The COVID19 test is administered approximately five days after the date of potential close contact. Workers’ Compensation Division staff will coordinate the COVID19 test with employees and supervisors. If the employee DID NOT have close contact with the individual confirmed to have COVID, they may continue to report to a Torrance worksite or facility while they wait for their COVID19 test. An employee who tests positive for COVID19 must comply with the LA County Public Health Quarantine Order.
3031 Torrance Blvd.        Torrance, CA 90503         (310) 328-5310      ​TorranceCA@TorranceCA.Gov