---
title: Did your employee contract COVID-19 at work? Why to investigate
description: When an employee claims they contracted COVID-19 at work, the employer must conduct an investigation for OSHA and workers' comp purposes.
---

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# [Did your employee contract COVID-19 at work? Why to investigate](https://stratus.hr/resources/contract-covid-19-investigate)

 Written by [Stacey Gibson, PHR, SHRM-SCP, Stratus HR Director of Human Resources](https://stratus.hr/resources/author/sgibson) | Jun 17, 2020 5:22:08 PM

While we are still in the middle of a pandemic with no herd immunity or vaccination, it’s likely a “when” rather than “if” employees will contract COVID-19. When it does happen, will it matter whether employees say they contracted it from work?

Yes, for several reasons.

If COVID-19 is contracted at work, it becomes an [OSHA reportable illness](https://stratus.hr/resources/2019/02/05/osha-summary-2019) that will need to be documented. There may also be implications for workers’ comp, and, depending on the severity of recovery, short-term and long-term disability options.

But given the nature of the disease, it may be difficult to determine where COVID-19 was contracted, especially since community spread is alive and well throughout the country. To help determine whether infection may be work-related, consider the following criteria [outlined by OSHA](https://www.osha.gov/memos/2020-05-19/revised-enforcement-guidance-recording-cases-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19) as part of your investigation:

- Ask the employee how she believes she contracted COVID-19.
- Discuss with the employee her work and out-of-work activities that may have led to the COVID-19 illness.
- Review the employee's work environment for potential COVID-19 exposure.
- Determine if there are any other instances of workers in the same work environment that have contracted COVID-19.

## The following types of evidence may weigh in favor of COVID-19 work-relatedness when there is no alternative explanation:

- When several cases develop among workers who work closely together.
- If the employee contracts COVID-19 shortly after lengthy, close exposure to a particular customer or coworker who has a confirmed case of COVID-19.
- When an employee’s job duties include having frequent, close exposure to the general public in a locality with ongoing community transmission.

## The following types of evidence may weigh against work-relatedness when there is no alternative explanation:

- If an employee is the only worker to contract COVID-19 in her vicinity and her job duties do not include having frequent contact with the general public, regardless of the rate of community spread.
- If the employee closely and frequently associates with someone outside the workplace (e.g., a family member, significant other, or close friend) who (1) has COVID-19; (2) is not a coworker, and (3) exposes the employee during the period in which the individual is likely infectious.

In the event you cannot determine whether or not exposure in the workplace played a role with an employee contracting COVID-19, you won’t be required to record the illness in your OSHA log. However, you should maintain records of your investigation to demonstrate a good faith effort in trying to discover culpability.

 

*Source: [OSHA.gov](https://www.osha.gov/memos/2020-05-19/revised-enforcement-guidance-recording-cases-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19)*

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- [SCOTUS Blocks Vaccine Mandate: “OSHA Lacks Authority”](https://stratus.hr/resources/2022/01/13/scotus-blocks-vaccine-mandate-osha-lacks-authority)
- [Benchmarking Employee Benefits: How Do You Compare?](https://stratus.hr/resources/2021/07/07/benchmarking-employee-benefits-how-do-you-compare)
- [Can Employers Ask for Proof of Vaccination?](https://stratus.hr/resources/2021/05/21/can-employers-ask-for-proof-of-vaccination)
- [What is the COBRA Subsidy? (And Do I Qualify?)](https://stratus.hr/resources/2021/04/30/cobra-subsidy-simplified)

[View full post](https://stratus.hr/resources/contract-covid-19-investigate)

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