Updated: February 1, 2021

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

FOR NON-SAFETY EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE HAD CLOSE CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WITH COVID-19
(For safety employees, LA County has continued their guidance that if you do not have symptoms following a close contact, you may be permitted to work if your Department is experiencing staffing shortages. Please see your Department for protocols.)
 
A “close contact” is any of the following people who were exposed to someone with a positive diagnostic COVID-19 test while they were infectious. A person with COVID-19 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.
  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.​
instruction to employees who can work from home: 
You must quarantine for 10 days after your last contact with the infected person, during which time you may work from home. You may end your quarantine after Day 10 and report to a Torrance worksite or facility during your regularly scheduled work shift if you did not develop any symptoms of COVID-19. From Day 11 through Day 14, you must be extra certain to wear a face covering around others, keep a distance of at least six feet from others, maintain good hygiene, and continue to monitor for symptoms. If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 and/or receive a positive diagnostic test for COVID-19, you must follow LA County’s Isolation Order.
  • Before Returning to Work Onsite, Supervisors Should Ask: Has it been 10 days since you were last in contact with a person who has or is likely to have COVID-19?  Have you had any symptoms in the last 10 days, such as fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat or shortness of breath? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for the first question, a “no” response is required for the second question.)
INSTRUCTION TO EMPLOYEES WHO CANNOT WORK FROM HOME:
You must quarantine for 10 days after your last contact with the infected person, during which time you may not report to a Torrance worksite or facility. You may end your quarantine after Day 10 and report to a Torrance worksite or facility during your regularly scheduled work shift if you did not develop any symptoms of COVID-19. From Day 11 through Day 14, you must be extra certain to wear a face covering around others, keep a distance of at least six feet from others, maintain good hygiene, and continue to monitor for symptoms. If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 and/or receive a positive diagnostic test for COVID-19, you must follow LA County’s Isolation Order and contact your healthcare provider, clinician advice line, or telemedicine provider for a medical assessment and arrange a test for COVID-19.
  • Before Returning to Work Onsite, Supervisors Should Ask: Has it been 10 days since you were last in contact with a person who has or is likely to have COVID-19?  Have you had any symptoms in the last 10 days, such as fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat or shortness of breath? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for the first question, a “no” response is required for the second question.)
  • Documents to Provide Employee: 1) LA County Public Health Quarantine Order.​
EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 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, you may. You must stay at home until:
  1. At least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first started; AND
  2. You have had no fever for at least 24 hours (without the use of medicine that reduces fevers); AND
  3. Your symptoms have improved.
  • Before Returning to Work, Supervisors Should Ask: Has it been at least 10 days since your symptoms first started? Have you had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of medication? Have your symptoms improved? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for all three questions. Supervisor should document first date of symptom and return to work date.)
 
EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, 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, you may.
  1. You must stay home for 10 days after the test was taken.
  2. If you develop symptoms, you must follow LA County’s Isolation Order for someone who has COVID-19 symptoms.
  • Before Returning to Work, Supervisors Should Ask: Has it been 10 days since your COVID-19 test that resulted in a positive test? Have you remained symptom free during the last 10 days? (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 SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19, BUT HAVE NOT TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19
(COVID-19 symptoms mean one of the following: (1) fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher or chills; (2) cough; (3) shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; (4) fatigue; (5) muscle or body aches; (6) headache; (7) new loss of taste or smell; (8) sore throat; (9) congestion or runny nose; (10) nausea or vomiting; or (11) diarrhea.)
 
Instruction to Employees: If you have one or more symptoms of COVID-19, you must follow LA County’s Isolation Order, unless a licensed health care professional determines your symptoms were caused by a condition other than COVID-19. You may not report to a Torrance worksite or facility during this time. If you are able to work from home, you may. You must stay at home until:
  1. At least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first started; AND
  2. You have had no fever for at least 24 hours (without the use of medicine that reduces fevers); AND
  3. Your symptoms have improved.
  • Before Returning to Work, Supervisors Should Ask: Has it been at least 10 days since your symptoms first started? Have you had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of medication? Have your symptoms improved? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for all three questions. Supervisor should document first date of symptom and return to work date.)
  • If the employee provides a health care professional’s note that the symptoms are caused by a condition other than COVID-19, 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.
 
EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL THAT THE EMPLOYEE IS CLINICALLY SUSPECTED TO HAVE COVID-19
 
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. You must stay at home until one of the follow conditions is met:
CONDITION ONE
  1. At least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first started; AND
  2. You have had no fever for at least 24 hours (without the use of medicine that reduces fevers); AND
  3. Your symptoms have improved.
  • Before Returning to Work, Supervisors Should Ask: Has it been at least 10 days since your symptoms first started? Have you had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of medication? Have your symptoms improved? (To return to work, a “yes” response is required for all three questions. Supervisor should document first date of symptom and return to work date.)
  • 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 COVID-19; 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 COVID-19 and may have come in close contact with other employees or members of the public.
 
Contact Tracing Checklist​ (Print 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.
  2. A “close contact” is any of the following people who were exposed to someone with a positive diagnostic COVID-19 test while they were infectious. A person with COVID-19 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.
  3. 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
  4. 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.
  5. 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​ (Print 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, the Department may wish to send out an internal memo documenting action that has been taken related to the incident. 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 Workers Compensation Office: Notify Workers Compensation Manager Kimberly Thompson (WorksComp@TorranceCA.Gov) and Jason Nishiyama with Risk Management of the employee who tested positive and all employees who came in close contact with the employee who tested positive.
  5. Complete Mandatory Exposure Report Online: California law requires all positive COVID-19 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
  6. Notify the Human Resources Analyst assigned to your Department.

Action Checklist​ (Print 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 vehicle. 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 COVID-19 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.​


COVID-19 Testing
 
For employees who were present at the worksite TWO DAYS 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 COVID-19 test at no-cost to the employee, during the employee’s regular working hours. The COVID-19 test is coordinated through the Workers’ Compensation Division.
 
  1. Employee completes the Employee’s Report of Industrial Injury or Illness
  2. The COVID-19 test is administered approximately five days after the date of potential close contact. Workers’ Compensation Division staff will coordinate the COVID-19 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 COVID-19 test. An employee who tests positive for COVID-19 must comply with the LA County Public Health Quarantine Order.
3031 Torrance Blvd.        Torrance, CA 90503         (310) 328-5310      ​TorranceCA@TorranceCA.Gov