The Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation is advising businesses and essential service providers to closely liaise with relevant government branches on how to respond to COVID-19.

The Federation says the safety of Fijians in any working environment is paramount and employers have been urged to have measures and continuity plan in place.

FCEF CEO Kameli Batiweti says they are encouraging employers to prioritize the safety of their employees with some organizations already taking extreme measures such as a temporary shutdown.

“What they did was that they closed the office down for two days. They sanitized the office and sprayed the door knobs, the sinks and all and they made sure they sanitized all of them. They got all the employees checked at the hospitals and then they reopened the office again on the third day after all the testing are completed.”

Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission Chief Executive Joel Abraham says they are working with the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation as well as the Ministry of Employment in developing strategies that will help businesses, traders and Employers cope with COVID-19.

“One is putting up a guidance note for workplace on COVID-19 along with a sample business continuity plan. Along with this we’ve got a preparedness action plan to say we’ve got a continuity plan but what will we do in case something does happen. The third thing is employment advisories.”

FBC News understands that a surveillance team will be send to conduct contact tracing if a person in a working environment displays symptoms of COVID-19.

Several attempts to get a comment from the Employment Ministry regarding the matter have so far proven futile.