The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause havoc and throw curveballs at us. Even with vaccines and looser lockdown restrictions, there are clear indications that COVID-19 will present itself in peaks and valleys. For business owners in specific industries, the pervasive nature of COVID will make it wise for them to have stringent COVID liability policies in place for their protection. This post will highlight the industries where COVID liability will matter most and why business owners in these industries will need it. 

Why COVID Liability Will Matter In 2022, And Beyond

While many of us thought 2021 would be the last year of lockdowns and quarantine, it doesn’t look like we will be so lucky. Government officials worldwide are again in talks about different restrictions they might need to put in place to fight aggressive COVID-19 variants such as Omicron. This recent variant is hitting countries and communities hard, threatening to fill ICUs and overrun the healthcare system. 

This new variant, and variants to follow, place a significant risk factor on businesses and how safe their employees and customers are in the workplace. With COVID-19 not going anywhere any time soon, companies must be doing all they can to protect employees and their companies from COVID-19 workplace litigation. Proper protection includes COVID waivers and different liability waivers.

From January 1, 2020, to December 1, 2021, the United States alone has seen more than 4000 separate employment litigation cases. The most common case types include remote work and absence conflicts. When looking at the COVID-19 Employment Litigation Tracker And Insights report by Fisher Phillips, it becomes apparent that no industry is safe from having a COVID-19 lawsuit on its hands.

Industries Where COVID Liability Will Matter Most

Some companies can conduct most of their business online and avoid having to make too many tough decisions regarding COVID-19. But for the majority of companies, the pandemic has had a significant impact on their employees and their customers. Here are some industries where having COVID waivers in place can save them from a COVID liability nightmare.

Health & Wellness Centers

Any health and wellness center is at high risk for coming in contact with the COVID-19 virus. Patients might be coming in because they are sick and looking for help and treatment. Or maybe your clinic has high foot traffic due to the wide range of services offered. Anyone could bring in COVID-19 at any time, customer or staff so having a COVID waiver in place is vital for protecting employees.

One in every five COVID-19 employment cases across the US has been against a wellness/health care provider. A COVID waiver must be filled out by all who enter one of these facilities to help protect health care workers and help employers avoid expensive litigation.

Beauty & Hair Salons

Beauty and hair salons only work when different members of the public come together in close proximity. These beauty technicians have to be very close and, in most cases, physically touch the client to provide the service. Many of these salons see hundreds of clients every week and would be in a lot of financial danger if employees begin to feel unsafe or do indeed catch the virus. Negligence and wrongful death count for 3% of COVID-19 employment cases. Having a COVID waiver and liability waiver in place will help employees feel more protected and protect businesses in court.

Live Events & Venues

Venues that host concerts, festivals, and any other live, in-person events are all responsible for the safety of patrons and attendees. If these venues are not covering their bases, an outbreak of COVID-19 could lead to them having an expensive lawsuit on their hands. This can be particularly dangerous if an event you hold is deemed a ‘superspreader’ event, leading to many getting sick or even dying from catching COVID-19. COVID waivers and different liability waivers are a must.

Recreation Centers & Sports

With many people in one space, there is a risk that your center could become the location of an outbreak. If employees of a sports venue do not feel like their employer has done enough to protect them from COVID-19, they could sue. This is particularly true for smaller businesses and locally run recreational centers with less than 500 employees, as they seem to be targeted more often. Company event waivers, sport liability waivers, and COVID waivers are vital to protecting sports and rec centers from expensive litigation.

Hospitality 

Restaurants and hotels are at a considerable risk of liability issues regarding COVID-19. If an employee believes that they caught COVID-19 at their place of work in the hospitality industry, they might try to go after said business for lost wages, pain, suffering, etc. As of September 2021, the hospitality industry was facing more than 215 lawsuits from employees related to COVID-19.

Protect Your Business With COVID Waivers

One mistake or outbreak could cost many businesses, especially small businesses, everything. This is why we have created a range of COVID waivers. These waivers make it super simple for your employees and customers to sign as they are all digital. 

Waiver Forever’s COVID waivers, company event waivers, sports liability waivers, and more, are all simple to use and easy to set up. Include these waivers into your booking or sign-in process. These liability waivers streamline the liability safety procedure for your business. COVID waivers are one of the simplest ways to add an extra layer of protection to your business during these unprecedented times.