Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania: COVID-19 Building 100 Staff Protocols

Mandatory Vaccine Policy

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (“Ben Franklin”) takes the health and safety of its employees, their families, and the greater community in which we operate very seriously and continues to monitor applicable laws and available guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) and local health authorities addressing COVID-19 as circumstances continue to evolve.

On or about August 23, 2021, the FDA granted full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine. As you may also be aware, there has been a recent uptick in COVID-19 illness due to the spread of the Delta variant.

In light of these developments and business needs, Ben Franklin is implementing this policy and requiring all employees working in the office to receive an FDA-approved vaccination against COVID-19 and be fully vaccinated by October 29, 2021, subject to applicable law and the reasonable accommodations as outlined below.

For purposes of this policy, fully vaccinated means two weeks after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one week after receiving the J&J vaccine. We are continuing to monitor the guidance and data related to booster shots beyond this current definition of fully vaccinated, and we may update this policy as appropriate to address booster shots in the future.

Employees should submit a copy of vaccination card/attestation of their fully vaccinated status to Ann-Marie Rutherford on or before the earlier of (i) the first time such employee enters Building 100 after the effective date of this policy or (ii) October 29, 2021. If requested, we will assist employees in receiving their vaccine by identifying sites where employees may receive the vaccinations and, if needed, covering the cost of the vaccine if the employee does not have access to health insurance or a free vaccine option.

Reasonable Accommodations

The only exceptions to this vaccine mandate are:

(1) a sincerely held religious belief;

(2) pregnant women concerned about the effect of the vaccine on fetal development; or

(3) a medical condition for which it is recommended by a medical provider that the employee not be vaccinated.

If you believe you fall into one of the categories above, please contact Ann-Marie Rutherford as soon as possible to discuss your proposed exception. Additionally, if you fall into category (3) above, please provide documentation from a medical provider stating your impairment, how it specifically prevents you from being vaccinated against COVID-19, and how long the impairment is expected to last (i.e., can you never get a vaccine or is there some reason you cannot get it right now).

If we approve your exception, you may be required to comply with additional obligations, such as providing us with on-going proof of negative COVID tests. We’ll discuss such additional obligations with you if you request an exception.

Additional Protocols

Do not come to the office if you are not feeling well or may have been exposed to COVID-19.

  • Even if you are fully vaccinated or recently received a negative COVID-19 PCR test, the best action if you are not feeling well is to stay home.
  • COVID-19 infection symptoms and the Delta variant may mirror common allergies or colds; be safe and stay home if you have any symptoms. The current CDC COVID-19 symptom list can be found here: Symptoms of COVID-19 | CDC.
  • If someone in your household or you have had significant contact with in the past 14 days is diagnosed with COVID-19, is being tested, or is displaying symptoms, get tested (even if you are vaccinated) and do not come to the office.
  • Anyone who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should quarantine for 14 days after their last exposure to that person, except if they meet the following conditions:
    • Someone who has been fully vaccinated and shows no symptoms of COVID-19 does not need to quarantine. However, fully vaccinated close contacts should:
    • Wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until a negative test result.
    • Get tested and show proof of negative test within 5-7 days after close contact with someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
    • Get tested and isolate immediately if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
  • You must promptly notify Ann-Marie Rutherford at annmarie.rutherford@sep.benfranklin.org if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or become aware of an individual who was in Building 100 and has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
  • You may return to the office ONLY if you provide proof of a recent negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test.

Please continue to follow existing COVID-19 protocols when working in-person.

We will continue to follow all applicable federal, state and local rules and guidance regarding COVID-19, and we will provide updates to all staff of any future changes to such rules and guidance.

  • In compliance with Philadelphia Health Department guidance, wear a mask whenever you are in a common area or the elevator or not alone in an office or room.
  • Maintain physical distancing of six feet whenever possible, and physical social distance while riding the elevator (not more than two people) whenever possible.
  • Maintain proper hygiene, including regularly washing your hands.
  • Although our office space is regularly cleaned, touch common surfaces as little as possible. Refrain from using hands to touch doors and entry ways to the extent possible.
  • Avoid potentially high-transmission areas in our suite (such as congregating in our lobby or other common areas) when possible.

Please adhere to the following additional procedures each time that you enter Building 100.

  • Prior to arriving at Building 100 each day, log in to register your intent to access our Building, and to register any guests for that day. You and your guests also will be required to complete certain tasks when you arrive at our Building, as described below.
  • Initially, not more than a total of 20 staff and guests will be permitted each day to access our suite. The maximum number may change from time to time as circumstances continue to evolve. When registering your intent to access our Building, you also will be able to see if we have reached our maximum number for a specific day. If we have reached our maximum number for a specific day, you and/or your guests may not be permitted access to our suite unless and until the number of individuals in our suite falls below the maximum number for that day.
  • We also will establish a maximum occupancy for each conference room, which will be posted at the entrance to each conference room. You and your guests must comply with the posted restrictions.
  • You should reach out to teammates in your work area to coordinate with them how all of you will use the work area on a particular day (especially if you are sharing a work area with another teammate). In the event of scheduling issues, please contact Johnson Eapen at johnson.eapen@sep.benfranklin.org.
  • Each day upon arriving at Building 100, you must complete the following:
    • Take your temperature (using our temperature checking device) and receive a “normal temperature” reading.
    • Sign-in at our reception desk, and satisfactorily answer certain questions regarding your recent health/travel status.

Each day upon arriving at Building 100, guests must complete the following:

  • Take their temperature (using our temperature checking device) and receive a “normal temperature” reading.
  • Sign-in at our reception desk, and satisfactorily answer certain questions regarding their recent health/travel status.
  • Provide documentation, satisfactory to us, that the guest is fully vaccinated or has a recent negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test. For purposes of this procedure, fully vaccinated means two weeks after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after receiving the single-dose J&J vaccine.