TechnologyMay 01, 2026
Gemist, Saban Onyx Partner on Retailer-Focused Customization OfferingTheir partnership combines Gemist’s customization technology with Saban Onyx’s U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities.
IndependentsApr 23, 2020
What to Consider When Screening Employees for COVID-19
During a webinar Wednesday afternoon, an attorney who specializes in employment litigation gave a list of dos and don’ts for employers to consider as businesses reopen.
New York—While much of the country remains under lockdown, there are a handful of states allowing businesses to reopen right now, with more set to follow on May 1.
For businesses reopening now, or looking to do so in the next month, there is much to consider.
They need to worry about, among other issues, how to clean and keep employees and customers safe, and the local laws regarding how many people can be let in the store at one time.
There’s also this: how to screen staff for COVID-19 without violating any employment laws and what to do with the information if an employee tests positive.
On Wednesday, an attorney who specializes in employment litigation helped clear up those issues.
Tom McCormick, a partner in the Columbus, Ohio office of law firm Vorys, was part of a five-person webinar presented Wednesday afternoon by Centurion titled “Navigating the Key COVID-19 Legal Issues Impacting Jewelers.”
Tiffany Stevens, president, CEO and general counsel of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, moderated the panel.
McCormick outlined what employers can, and cannot, ask of employees when they return to the store following the shutdown.
According to McCormick, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say employers can:
—Take employees’ temperature at their place of work;
—Ask if they’ve been tested for COVID-19; and
—Do targeted screening of employees, but, McCormick cautioned, only if there is a credible belief based on objective evidence that they might have the coronavirus, like a hacking, persistent cough.
“Otherwise, you should not be targeting any employees,” he said, noting all EEOC guidance on workplace discrimination continues to apply.
Employers cannot discriminate against employees based on age, race, sex, disability, etc.
McCormick said employers also can ask their employees if they’ve come in contact with anyone who has, or has had, COVID-19, but they cannot ask them specifically if family members have contracted or are exhibiting coronavirus symptoms.
He also suggested employers consider having their employees fill out a wellness certificate when they arrive to work stating they took their temperature before they left the house that day and are otherwise symptom-free.
One of the retailers on the panel, Michael Richards, vice president of Underwood Jewelers, which operates three stores in Florida, said the company has purchased forehead thermometers for testing.
If employers discover one of their staff has COVID-19, McCormick said they can:
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
—Require them to stay at home;
—Instruct them to follow CDC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines for self-isolation and returning to work;
—Ask when it started and which other employees they’ve had contact with;
—Notify coworkers that “a colleague” has COVID-19; and
—Share the name of the infected employee with public health agencies.
But, he noted, employers are not allowed to tell their staff exactly who it is who has COVID-19, as that information is confidential and should go into a confidential medical file, not into the employee’s general file.
During Wednesday’s webinar, McCormick also went into the requirements of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), passed and signed into law by President Donald Trump in March.
The FFCRA, which went into effect April 1, requires employers with 500 or fewer employees to provide staff with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave when they have issues related specifically to COVID-19.
McCormick said the act requires two weeks of paid emergency sick leave for employees who qualify and expands the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
The law runs through Dec. 31, 2020 and dictates that as of April 17, employers must have this poster displayed at their places of business outlining the requirements of the act.
The poster is available in additional languages on the U.S. Department of Labor’s website.
—Instruct them to follow CDC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines for self-isolation and returning to work;
—Ask when it started and which other employees they’ve had contact with;
—Notify coworkers that “a colleague” has COVID-19; and
—Share the name of the infected employee with public health agencies.
But, he noted, employers are not allowed to tell their staff exactly who it is who has COVID-19, as that information is confidential and should go into a confidential medical file, not into the employee’s general file.
During Wednesday’s webinar, McCormick also went into the requirements of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), passed and signed into law by President Donald Trump in March.
The FFCRA, which went into effect April 1, requires employers with 500 or fewer employees to provide staff with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave when they have issues related specifically to COVID-19.
McCormick said the act requires two weeks of paid emergency sick leave for employees who qualify and expands the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
The law runs through Dec. 31, 2020 and dictates that as of April 17, employers must have this poster displayed at their places of business outlining the requirements of the act.
The poster is available in additional languages on the U.S. Department of Labor’s website.
More on Independents
The Latest
CollectionsMay 01, 2026
A ‘Hidden Garden’ Emerges in Tiffany & Co.’s 2026 Blue BookOur Piece of the Week, the “Butterfly” necklace, showcases a 7.02-carat oval diamond set between diamond, platinum, and 18-karat gold wings.
ColumnistsApr 30, 2026
Peter Smith: A Sleazy Salesman and the Case for Regret Avoidance Smith uses a comment he overheard in the grocery store to remind retailers that their job is to inspire buying behavior, not just sell.
Brought to you by
Discover Timeless Treasures: A Showcase of Antique Jewelry & Timepieces in Las VegasGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
MajorsApr 30, 2026
Claire’s New Summer Campaign Is a Sensory Wonderland for Gen Alpha“A Girl SMR at Claire’s” celebrates girlhood through the five senses with stacked jewelry, slime toys, scented accessories, and ASMR.
Weekly QuizApr 30, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsApr 30, 2026
Vintage Cartier Watch Crashes Through Records, Selling for $2MBelieved to be one of three made in 1987, the Cartier London Crash was hot at the “Shapes of Cartier” sale at Sotheby’s Hong Kong.
CrimeApr 30, 2026
Masked Group Uses Hammers, Pepper Spray in Texas Jewelry Store RobberyOfficials are looking for a group that robbed Marc Robinson Jewelers at an outlet mall in Round Rock, Texas, in broad daylight on April 21.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
Supplier BulletinApr 30, 2026
OROAREZZO 2026: The B2B Event for Italian Excellence in Goldsmith, Jewelry and Silver ManufacturingSponsored by OROAREZZO International Jewelry Exhibition
TechnologyApr 29, 2026
The Thought Process Behind the Mother's Day Email Opt-OutSome retailers are taking a nuanced approach to marketing what can be a difficult holiday for many.
SourcingApr 29, 2026
De Beers’ Production Rises, Market Remains ‘Challenged’De Beers’ diamond production was up 17 percent in Q1, boosted by increased output at its mines in South Africa and Canada.
AuctionsApr 29, 2026
This'll Be the Day You Own John Wayne's RingA signet ring belonging to the Western film star of Hollywood’s Golden Age will be up for auction at Elmwood’s next month.
Policies & IssuesApr 28, 2026
Tariff Refunds: How to File, What to Expect Importers can submit claims now to receive money back for the IEEPA tariffs they’ve paid, with refunds expected to take up to 90 days.
SourcingApr 28, 2026
Doug Hucker Retires From ICAThe colored gemstone industry leader is heading into retirement after four years as the association’s CEO.
SourcingApr 28, 2026
NDC Hires Tapestry Exec to Head Global Marketing Susie Dewey joins the Natural Diamond Council as its new chief marketing officer.
AuctionsApr 27, 2026
12 Years Later, the ‘Ocean Dream’ Diamond Resurfaces at Christie’sThe largest known fancy vivid blue-green diamond could fetch more than $12 million at its second auction appearance.
ColumnistsApr 27, 2026
Stop Treating Mother’s Day Like an AfterthoughtEmmanuel Raheb says jewelers need to start marketing early and make it easy for customers to pick a gift for mom.
IndependentsApr 27, 2026
Longnecker Jewelry Celebrates 30 YearsIn honor of the milestone, the Nebraska jeweler has debuted Leslie & Co., its new in-house jewelry brand.
MajorsApr 27, 2026
JBT Re-Elects Jeff Corey as Board ChairThe trade organization, which held its annual elections earlier this year, also added five new board members.
SurveysApr 24, 2026
Mother’s Day 2026 Jewelry Spending to Top $7B, NRF SaysNRF’s annual survey found that 45 percent of consumers plan to purchase jewelry for a loved one this Mother’s Day.
TechnologyApr 24, 2026
TwentyFour’s Digital-Age Locket Is a Virtual VaultThe “Vault” charm, our Piece of the Week, expands on the memories that can be stored in a locket by connecting to your phone.
Events & AwardsApr 24, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Meet the Real Moms of Day’s JewelersThe jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.
Supplier BulletinApr 23, 2026
JM® Shipping Solution: Smarter Shipping for High-Value GoodsSponsored by Jewelers Mutual
Lab-GrownApr 23, 2026
Charles & Colvard May Sell Assets for $1.5MThe proposed agreement follows the moissanite maker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing last month.
AuctionsApr 23, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Fetches $1MThe Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece Astor brought aboard the ill-fated ship sold for double its estimate at a Freeman’s auction.
CollectionsApr 23, 2026
Adam Neeley’s High Jewelry Collection Steps Into Salvador Dalí’s GardenThe “Dalí’s Garden” collection was inspired by a surreal dream Neeley had after cooking a recipe from Salvador Dalí’s 1973 cookbook.
