Pandemic Preparedness for Credit Unions

Coronavirus Outbreak Fraud Precautions

Opportunistic fraudsters will exploit anything for personal gain, including the fear, anxiety and the unknown surrounding the coronavirus. Fraud attempts can come via phone calls, texts, emails, websites, and even mail or faxes.

Email and phone scams include phishing for personal information by impersonating health officials. Donation requests to fund emergency plans have also been reported. Emails falsely claiming the virus is in the recipient's area encourage clicking a link and entering an email password to read more.
How can you prevent being a target of a phishing scam?

• NEVER respond to an email asking you to verify or update your personal information.
• Delete any unsolicited email in your email accounts – don’t even open them!
• Never give out your personal or financial information on the phone or online unless you initiated contact.
• Verify the HTTPS on the address bar.
• Check the email address by hovering over it.
• Watch for suspicious or misleading domain names.
• Hang up and call back if you receive a phone call with a known phone number.
• Research the company and their phone number; do not use any number or link that was given in an email.
• Update security software/firewalls.
• Back up your data.

Visit the Federal Trade Commission website for more information on "How to Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams."

Pandemic Preparedness

Credit unions should be taking steps to ensure their pandemic preparedness plans can be activated, if needed, and that those plans represent an effective response. The NCUA has issued guidance on several occasions related to pandemic preparedness and planning. Letters to Credit Unions 10-CU-10, 09-CU-13; 08-CU-01; and 01-CU-21.

• A preventative program to reduce the likelihood the operations will be significantly affected by a pandemic event;
• A documented strategy which provides for scaling pandemic efforts;
• A comprehensive framework of facilities, systems, or procedures to continue critical operations if a large number of staff are unavailable for prolonged periods;
• A testing program to ensure the pandemic planning practices and capabilities are effective; and
• An oversight program to ensure ongoing review and updates are made to the pandemic plan.

[LEARN MORE] (Password required. Register here if you need one.)

Flu Season. Coronavirus. How Managers Can Handle Sickness, Paranoia at the Office

The threat of a virus spreading at work raises a perennial issue: What can a manager ask employees to do when they're showing signs of being sick? Or when their employees are worried about being exposed to a contagious illness?

Though the chance of contracting the coronavirus in the United States is still low, employers are on high alert for how best to keep employees healthy given that the virus has spread to all but one continent and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now expects it to spread within the US. Not to mention the fact that this is already a bad flu season and influenza thus far has been far more of a risk for US workers.
Where can a manager with questions go for help?

Managers who aren't sure how to handle a health situation involving an employee should go to their HR representative or the company's employee safety director, Clayton said.

And they can keep abreast of the latest guidance for businesses on the coronavirus and other active health concerns by checking the sites of the CDC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

[LEARN MORE]

CDC Resources

The CDC has also shared several suggestions for employers and businesses to consider when planning for the potential spread of coronavirus. Employers' objectives may include reducing the spread of illness among staff, protecting people at higher risk for infection and complications, maintaining business operations, and minimizing the impact on supply chains. Suggested considerations include disease severity in the local community, the impact of illness on employees at a higher risk for infection or complications, the possibility of increased employee absences, and coordination with state and local health officials. Visit the CDC's website for its complete list of planning considerations.

In sharing these weekly updates, we are relying on information from the World Health Organization* (WHO) and the CDC. We continue to encourage you to go to these organizations as trusted sources of information and invite you to explore their respective websites:

• https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Society for Human Resource Management FAQs

Good information on dealing with a pandemic response from an employment law/human resources standpoint. Visit https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/pages/coronavirus-information-and-faqs.aspx