Dear ASE Members:
The Coronavirus pandemic is unlike anything any of us have experienced. ASE is closely monitoring the guidance of the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state health agencies regarding the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Our focus is to meet our members’ needs while doing our part to keep you, our employees, and our communities healthy and safe.
This situation calls for proactive thinking, calm action, and creative problem solving. We’re in this together and we know our members have the resilience to adapt to these extraordinary circumstances.
Please know that you can rely on ASE for support during these uncertain times. Here’s what you can count on from ASE:
1. ASE will continue all member services.
- Our offices remain open during our normal business hours and all staff members will be available. Our employees are totally equipped to work remotely. We launched our remote work policy a year ago. If you need any assistance in implementing a remote work policy for your organization, please contact Kevin Marrs.
- All member meetings will be transitioned to virtual meetings to comply with recommended guidance to reduce face to face interaction.
- The HR Hotline will be available and manned by a live HR advisor as always.
- All events with 100 or more participants will be cancelled until further guidance from state.
2. ASE will keep our members informed of the latest guidelines and recommended actions related to the rapidly evolving Coronavirus situation.
- We are scheduling complimentary webinars to address many of the compliance-related questions that employers have around the COVID-19 response. Please watch for dates.
- We will notify you of upcoming virtual Coronavirus roundtable/discussions where members can:
o share answers and recommendations to the most frequently asked questions that ASE Advisors are receiving.
o discuss a spectrum of options available to ASE employers: what’s mandatory, what’s expected, what’s optional?
o offer an opportunity to gather (remotely) with colleagues across industries to share tips, ideas and strategies.
- Please watch your inbox for an ASE survey aimed at gauging employer’s response and reactions to COVID-19.
3. ASE will continue to deliver our public training courses as scheduled. Our top priority is the health and safety of all who enter our building and attend our events. Based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as state recommendations and mandates, we are doing the following:
- We are implementing daily cleaning of our classroom tables and chairs, bathrooms, break rooms, and common areas where the coffee machines are located with strong disinfectant.
- Maintain small class sizes well under current guidelines.
- We are actively exploring options to convert some of our in-person content to a virtual live online format where it is feasible.
- If we need to close any of our locations (Livonia, Troy, Mid MI, or Macomb), we will alert class attendees and put an announcement on our website.
ASE’s core purpose is to support our member organizations and empower Michigan employers. Our mission in times like this is to equip our members to wisely respond to change as you lead your organization through these dynamic circumstances. We will continue taking a preemptive, proactive stance and urge you to do the same.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please email me at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Mary E. Corrado
President & CEO
ASE