We understand that this crisis brings uncertainty and that there are many mixed messages out there from the media and social justice organizations stating that some Ag employers are not taking care of their employees, providing them with protective supplies or giving them the proper information about the COVID-19 crisis. 

During the time of COVID, we take great pride in being an essential business responsible for putting food on the tables of American families.  But with that comes the incredible responsibility of keeping our workforce and the communities we work in safe and virus free.  It’s been a 24-7 operation from the start, and our primary focus is the health and safety of our team, their families, the communities we work in and the important guest workers we employ.  

We realize that the nature of bringing in foreign guest workers, housing and transporting them together, puts everyone at a higher risk.  So we knew from the start that we would have to be proactive with our protocols, procedures and communicate effectively with community leaders in the areas we work.  We formulated a COVID Response Team, and set out a plan of action that to date, has allowed us to maintain a less than .5% infection rate.  For the .5% that did get exposed, we have an effective investigation team that determines the exposure, mitigates the source, develops an effective plan for caring for our COVID positive and exposed employees at off-site isolation locations and gets them the treatment and care they need until they are well again and can return to work.
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Steps we are taking to keep our workforce and the communities where we work healthy:

For our field workers and H-2A Guest Workers:
1. Medically evaluating all H-2A workers prior to crossing into the United States.
2. Researching where they call home to ensure there are no large outbreaks of COVID-19.
3. Questioning them about possible exposure to people who are sick or have COVID-19.
4. While waiting for their Visa’s to be processed at the Consulate, we begin orientation training that focuses on CDC recommended guidelines for social distancing, hand washing, face masks, the proper way to sneeze or cough and their personal responsibility to keep their living area clean.
5. Daily monitoring of employees body temperatures and health for any symptoms and requesting they not come to work sick.
6. Following CDC guidelines for sanitizing work areas, buses, housing and, all equipment.
  • Bringing in additional buses so that workers can follow social distancing guidelines.
7. Outdoor tailgate meetings using training resources from the CDC, AgSafe Food and Farms.
8. Posting CDC COVID-19 prevention resource materials at our housing facilities and in our buses in Spanish 
9. Educate workers and communities we work in daily via Facebook groups on washing hands, social distancing, shelter at home and other important information:  10. Monitor the number of workers going out to purchase essential items at local grocery stores to a safe number. Set up delivery services when possible.
11. Isolation plan for workers who are ill or show any symptoms:
  • Additional housing set aside for isolation and quarantine.
    • 35 rooms set aside in Monterey County.
    • 4 additional room set aside the The Grower Shipper Association in partnership with Monterey County Health to provide twice-daily checks for employees who may have more complicated symptoms.
  • Our trained safety personnel are monitoring employee symptoms daily.
  • Paid sick leave for employees who become ill from COVID-19.
12. Posting a sign outside our housing facilities that provides a company representative to contact with questions or concerns and a way to stay informed via our Facebook group, ​H2a’s and the communities we work in
13. Support and care through our Chaplain Program - Workforce Chaplaincy
For our Full-Time Employees and Company Management:
1. Following CDC guidelines for sanitizing our offices and workspaces.
2. Employees have been advised to not come to work sick and follow CDC recommended steps until the criteria to return to work are met.
3. Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and follow CDC recommended precautions.
4. Employees are checked for symptoms before entering company offices and thermometers are available for monitoring.
5. Employees are to wear masks while at work.
6. All common areas that are frequently used or touched, such as bathrooms, break rooms and conference rooms, door handles, light switches and railings are cleaned and disinfected throughout the day per CDC recommended guidelines.
7. Employees are reminded to wash their hands frequently and hand sanitizers have been placed throughout the workplace and in common areas.
8. Employees have been asked to cancel all nonessential travel and avoid crowded public places.
9. The following social distancing procedures have been implemented:
  • Avoid face-to-face meetings and communicate via telephone, online conferencing, email or instant messaging as much as possible.
  • If face-to-face meetings are unavoidable, minimize the meeting time, meet in a large conference room and stay at least 6’ apart.  All participants must wear a mask.
  • Do not congregate in work rooms, pantries, copier rooms or other areas within the office. 
  • If you do not go home for lunch, bring your own food and eat either at your desk, in your car or at one of the outdoor tables.  Avoid congregating with others during breaks.
  • Encourage vendors and others to request information via phone orders and e-mail in order to minimize person-to-person contact.  If deliveries or pickups are unavoidable, arrange for materials and information to be ready for quick handling.​
10. Social gatherings of all types, including training and industry events have been postponed.
We welcome your interest in learning the facts about how we take care of our employees and the communities we work in through this crisis and always.  Many of our employees are neighbors in the communities we serve so doing our best to keep everyone safe is our priority. We encourage your questions and comments at wecanhelp@sfcos.com.  By working together we can accomplish great things, stay informed and stay well!

Stay informed of what we are doing daily by joining our Facebook Group: ​H2a’s and the communities we work in

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​COPYRIGHT SCARONI FAMILY OF COMPANIES · 2016