Employers are struggling to determine how to respond to the 2019
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, which, while originating in
China, has swiftly turned into a perceived international crisis,
upending financial markets, and prompting government and
private-sector travel limitations and worry among local Chinese
populations worldwide. Companies whose employees travel to China,
whether on business or for personal reasons, are properly concerned
about safety and what they should be doing in the face of this
emergency.
The coronavirus poses particular concerns for employers for
several reasons, beyond the obvious need to protect employees who
may be at risk and the need to address employee concerns: the virus
might be transmittable in the workplace, and is serious; medical
experts are still searching for a test to detect its presence; the
incubation period after exposure but before symptoms appear is
believed to be a minimum of several days; and early symptoms
