Author: sking

08/07/2020 

Email #26 – COVID-19 – Pandemic Planning – Travel Advisory to States Reporting Positive Testing Rates

It has been over two months since we returned to full production and in that time we have had only two positive COVID cases in the plant.  In both cases, neither resulted in the spread of the virus to other employees.  Our many thanks to both employees for doing the right thing by not coming to work and immediately notifying us of their symptoms.  A special thanks to Teri Baker, our nurse, for diligently following through on these cases as well as the continuous care and follow-up with all of our employees that she has helped navigate through these new and difficult times. 

As you all know by now, the U.S. is seeing substantial increases in the number of cases across the country.  One of the measures that the State of Ohio is monitoring is the positive testing rates in all states.  A positive testing rate of 15% or higher brings with it an advised self-quarantine request of 14 days to ensure that there is no risk of spread.  Currently these states are Mississippi (25.8%), Alabama (20.6%), Florida (18.4%), Nevada (19.0%), Idaho (18.3%), Arizona (18.2%), South Carolina (15.0%).  The Occupational Safety & Health department will keep us all be updated on this list weekly with any changes issued by the State. 

As a Company, we will be following the Governor’s quarantine recommendation and will require all employees that choose to travel, for personal reasons, to the states listed on the positive testing rates list to self-quarantine for 14 days immediately upon return.  When in quarantine, employees will have the choice of either using PTO or going unpaid (note that the Company will not approve unemployment) and will not be permitted to return to work until having been cleared by Nurse Teri.  Employees that chose to travel to other states and contract the virus will fall into the same situation – PTO or unpaid with no approval for unemployment and the inability to come back until cleared by Nurse Teri.

BILSTEIN is also following these guidelines for all business-related travel, including any states that are at or above a 10% positivity rate. We are reviewing specific county COVID rates as well as an extra precaution. We ask that if you are considering personal travel to a state or county with a positivity rate higher than 10% you inform us.

We make these decisions and requests with the best intent to protect the health of our employees and the continued operation of our business.  We ask you all to use good judgement in these difficult times and avoid traveling outside of the state unless absolutely necessary.  The only way to stop the spread and do away with this virus is to be vigilant in our efforts to fight it now.  

Based on our continuous improvement value & mindset, we are committed to continue working on improvements and safeguards to protect our employees and provide the safest possible working environment.  We ask you to support in this initiative by submitting your ideas to our COVID email hotline Covid19@bilsteinus.com and our hotline 513-301-2311 (please leave a message).

06/01/2020 

Email #24 – COVID-19 – Pandemic Planning – Additional Precautions Being Taken to Keep Employees Healthy 

With the reopening of the country, we now face an even greater battle to protect our employees and our business.  The relaxing of state and local restrictions will increase our social interactions outside of the workplace.  With every social interaction comes the possible risk of infection from the COVID19 virus.  Please be extra diligent in your personal life to protect yourself, your co-workers and all our families in the coming months.

We feel that we have been both extremely successful in the steps we have taken to protect our employees and lucky that we have not had a confirmed case sooner than last week.  In conversations we have had with the County Health Commissioner, she had some good insights as to how this virus is being spread.  As a result, we are implementing additional precautions to take our social distancing efforts to the next level in halting any potential spread within the plant.

Effective immediately, the following are either highly recommended or now required expectations when working in the plant:

·         Unless related to or living together, we highly discourage employees from carpooling to work.  If you must carpool to get to work, please wear your mask at all times while in the car.

·         More recently, medical professionals are advocating that the COVID virus can be contracted via air borne droplets through direct interactions with others who are infected.  Because of this, we have taken more tables and chairs out of the breakrooms where people need to take their masks off to eat and will be encouraging employees to eat outside.  To that end, we are purchasing more tables for employees to sit outside and eat while the weather is nice.  The more you are outside the less chance you have of breathing in the droplets as they dissipate or are blown away easier in the breeze or air currents.  We strongly recommend that all employees eat outside/or in their cars, by themselves.  Do not sit in your car with other employees and eat as you are not distancing yourselves and will be more susceptible to the virus.

·         Employees are no longer permitted to eat at their desks in the common areas such as the OE, AM & OPX office areas, Front Office, HR, Engineering Department, Quality Lab, etc. This means you are not to eat anything at your desk.  If you have a private office, you are permitted to eat in your office as long as you wipe down your desk immediately afterward. 

·         Employees are highly discouraged from going out to lunch together. 

·         All drinking cups are to have a lid.  This includes coffee cups, water glasses, etc.

·         To make the plant more comfortable we have reduced the temperature several degrees in all areas of the plant and the warehouse. 

·         If you are in an area with a lot of background noise such as the tube department, please avoid shouting at each other or getting close to hear others.  The louder you speak the more droplets you expel.  Instead, move to a quieter area to communicate.  We know that this may take more time but it will help reduce the spread.

·         All fan’s in the plant will be reviewed and most likely removed as a temporary measure. 

We encourage all employees to comply with these changes and to be patient and understanding with the steps we are taking to protect everyone.   We recognize that it is difficult and in many instances just plain inconvenient.  But please remember, the masks and the distancing keep from spreading the virus.  Everyone’s health is important.  Please do your part to keep yourself and others safe and healthy!

Based on our continuous improvement value & mindset, we are committed to continue working on improvements and safeguards to protect our employees and provide the safest possible working environment.  We ask you to support in this initiative by submitting your ideas to our COVID email hotline Covid19@bilsteinus.com and our hotline 513-301-2311 (please leave a message).

05/27/2020 

The purpose of this email is to inform you that we have the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Plant Hamilton.  It is important to protect the privacy of all our employee, as such we are not at liberty to provide the name of the employee or the area that they work.  We can share that the employee in question did all of the right things.  At the onset of symptoms, he/she contacted Nurse Teri and went immediately to an Urgent Care to be tested.  While waiting for the results he/she monitored their symptoms and quarantined.  Once he/she received the results, he/she contacted Teri and informed her at which point she informed the appropriate management of the case. 

As required, we have been in contact with the Hamilton Health Commissioner and are following all mandated State protocols required in the event of a confirmed case.  We are currently working through the contract tracing process to determine who this employee had contact with so that we can inform these employees of possible contact and establish appropriate quarantine measures. 

Despite this unfortunate development we will maintain all our measures and continue to communicate the most up to date safety protocols to keep yourself and your co-workers safe.  We must reiterate to all of our employees the need to be diligent in stopping the spread of the virus to others.  Please be sure that you are washing your hands regularly and not touching your face, maintaining a social distance of a minimum of 6 feet at all times and wearing your mask from the moment you get out of your car in the parking lot until the moment you get back in your car at the end of the shift.  Wearing a mask helps reduce the potential spread of the virus.  Please keep the mask is worn correctly – pulled up over your nose and mouth – it does not help to have a mask that is below your nose or mouth and around your neck.

While we cannot tell you what to do outside of work, we hope that you continue to be as responsible and use good judgement to keep yourself and others safe.

We will continue to work through all the steps to address this quickly and will keep you informed of any new information.

Based on our continuous improvement value & mindset, we are committed to working on improvements and safeguards to protect our employees and provide the safest possible working environment.  We ask you to support in this initiative by submitting your ideas to our COVID email hotline Covid19@bilsteinus.com and our hotline 513-301-2311 (please leave a message).

05/15/2020 

With the middle of May approaching we have begun to see our OE customers resume production with some level of unpredictability e.g., Mercedes just announced that they are closing their plant for another week after opening on April 27^th.  Based on volatility in our customer’s production we anticipate significant changes to our weekly production schedule over the next 8 to 12 weeks.  We are informing you of this now so that we all know ahead of time that we need to be prepared to flex our work schedules and assignments with little to no notice.  Until the industry has settled back into some form of normal operations, we will do everything we can as an organization to ensure that Bilsteiners are not negatively affected.    

OE production will be starting back up this coming Monday morning, May 18^th with the first shift.  As you come back to work, please be aware that we have put into place measures to ensure the health and safety of all of our employees.  These measures are that everyone is to wear a mask at all times, maintain social distancing of 6 feet from others, wash hands regularly and sanitize work areas throughout the day.  Please consider your coworkers and their families when following these and understand that all Bilstein employees share the responsibility of strict compliance to these safety measures.

If Monday is your first day back to the plant you will be required to follow the steps listed below upon entering the plant:

As you drive into the facility parking lot, a Bilstein staff member will greet you.  You will receive a face mask – if you do not already have one – and an information packet.  After parking and before exiting your vehicle please put on your mask.

·        
Enter the plant only through the main employee entrance from the parking lot.

·        
Maintain social distancing of a minimum of 6 feet away from all other employees at all times.

·        
As you enter the building you will be directed to follow the green footprints on the floor down the hall and around through the café to get your temperature taken.   If there is a line, stop at the last set of footprints that are empty and stand on them.  When the line moves, move up to the next set of footprints.  Do not stand anywhere else.  Maintain social distancing of a minimum of 6 feet away while in line.

·        
When you get to the temperature reading station, a member of the staff will help you through the process.  It is completely hands free and very easy.  If your temperature is below 100 degrees you will receive a verification sticker.  This sticker is to be placed where it is visible while you are in the facility.  Our suggestion in on your badge.  The sticker is date coded so that it expires each day requiring you to get a new one at the start of each shift.

·        
Every day that you come into work, you will be required to get your temperature taken in this fashion before going to work.

Once you have completed the temperature check, a member of the OE management team will review the packet of information with you that outlines the requirements and guidelines that we have implemented in the plant.

Based on our continuous improvement value & mindset, we are committed to working on improvements and safeguards to protect our employees and provide the safest possible working environment.  We ask you to support in this initiative by submitting your ideas to our COVID email hotline Covid19@bilsteinus.com and our hotline 513-301-2311 (please leave a message).

We are pleased to welcome you back to work.  If you have any questions about what we have done in the plant to ensure employee safety, please ask your supervisor, a member of the HR department or the Occupational Safety and Health Department.  As always, please work safe and smart.

Attachment: COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (Thermal Scanning)

05/01/2020 

The coronavirus is still here and is as dangerous as it has ever been.  Let’s not let our guard down as we have done an exceptional job at staying vigilant in our fight against this virus.  Our collective actions, along with those of our fellow Ohioans, has slowed the spread enough to make the reopening of the state possible.  Social distancing, washing hands, sanitizing areas and wearing a facemask remain crucial for the governor’s plan to be successful.  At BILSTEIN, we have adopted these measures and will continue to require them as part of our work culture for as long as it takes to rid our community of this risk.  A full review of these and additional steps we have taken to keep the plant safe and our employees healthy is viewable by pressing the blue button below.

04/30/2020

The “Stay at Home” Order announced by the Governor two months ago will end Friday, May 1^st. 

Updates on the ramp-up of full production throughout the plant

SPV & Aftermarket – All SPV and Aftermarket employees that have not already returned to work during the Stay at Home Order are to return to work on their first scheduled shift beginning Friday May 1^st.  If you have not been directly contacted, please reach out to your supervisor or manager ASAP to let them know of your intentions to return or if you are unsure when you are to report to work.

OE – The ramp up to full production in OE will be in a “phased” approach necessary to accommodate our customer’s production schedules.  The first phase of the ramp up will start Monday morning 1st shift May 18^th.  We apologize for the delay in communication of this date but the decisions around when to bring back employees and start production is solely dependent on our customers. As such, we just heard from Toyota last night and Tesla/Firestone today with updated demand.   Please continue to check www.bilsteinrocks.com throughout next week for further updates. 

Employee Safety & Expectations for Returning to the Plant – Prior to and during the shutdown we have continued to take steps to make our work environment as safe as possible. The safe guards that we have put in place in both common areas and on the production lines are attached.  

 The following requirements are mandatory for all employees while in the plant until further notice and will be strictly enforced:  

1.    Masks will be worn at all times with the exception of when eating and drinking.  All employees that have not been in the plant since the Stay at Home went into place will receive their mask along with training on its use and care as well as expectations for working. 

2.    Hourly employees will not clock in.  Supervisors will clock employees in and out until we have been able to get new clocks installed that do not require use of a finger to clock in.

3.    All employees must adhere to social distancing guidelines including remaining 6 feet apart at all times.

4.    All flat services and tools are to be thoroughly cleaned prior to the start of the shift, before lunch and at the end of the shift.  This goes for desks, keyboards, mice and such in the office areas.

5.    In an effort to protect our employees we are working towards a thermal imaging process that will automatically check employee’s temperature upon entering the plant before each shift.  Some imagining scanners are in place and are being tested now.  More on this to come.

6.    Until the thermal imagining process described in point 5 above is tested and in place, all employees are required to check their temperature each day at home prior to coming into work.

Based on our Continuous Improvement value & mindset we are committed to working on improvements and safeguards to protect our employees and provide the safest possible working environment.  We ask you to support in this initiative by submitting your ideas to our COVID email hotline Covid19@bilsteinus.com and our hotline 513-301-2311 (please leave a message).

Please continue to practice social distancing and wash your hands frequently while out.  Your continued focus on your health and the health of your families and friends is important to all of us. More information to come out next week.  Be well.

If you have any questions that have not been answered on this page, please email questions here and someone from Leadership and/or HR will respond.The State of Ohio only allows you to apply after the week you were furloughed. You may register with the State during your furlough week but not file for unemployment until the Sunday after your furloughed week.

Below are frequently asked questions and answers about furloughs for salaried employees.  These questions and answers will help those that will be on a furlough understand how they work and what can and cannot be done while on a furlough.  Additionally, we have included information from the State of Ohio and the State of Michigan on how to apply for unemployment if furloughed workers choose to do so.  

Question #1 – What does it mean to be furloughed?

A furlough is a mandatory, temporary leave from work that is not paid and is for a set period of time. In our case, all salaried employees have been furloughed for a minimum of two to three weeks beginning the week of April 12th through June 5th.

Question #2 – Am I paid while on furlough?

No.

Question #3 – Can I use PTO while on furlough if I have it?

Yes. If you have PTO, you may use it. If you use PTO, then you do not qualify for unemployment since you will have been paid your full weekly salary. If you do choose to use PTO as a salaried employee, per the FLSA, you are able to engage in work if you choose to since you will have be paid your full salary.

Question #4 – Can I work while on furlough?

No. Furloughed salaried employees must not do any work on behalf of the Company whatsoever. Well-meaning employees are not to engage in activities that may inadvertently trigger the “no work rule” as mandated by the Act.

Question #5 – Can I apply for unemployment while on furlough?

Yes. In the State of Ohio to maximize state and federal unemployment subsidies during a furlough you can file an application online at unemployment.ohio.gov or by phone at 877-OHIO-JOB (1-877- 644-6562). To speed up the process, use the following mass layoff & shutdown number when applying – 2000180. If you need help applying, call the Bilstein Assistance Team at 513-301- 2111 and a member of the HR staff will call you back or come into the HR lobby, Monday thru Friday from 8:00 am until 5:00 and a member of the staff will help you apply on-line using one of the lobby computers. 

If working in Michigan, refer to the attached fact sheet on the proper way to apply quickly. Under the federal CARES Act, individuals who are eligible for unemployment benefits will receive an extra $600 weekly benefit for all weeks of unemployment between April 5, 2020 and July 31, 2020. This is in addition to the amount the individual otherwise would be entitled to receive under State law. The State of Ohio and Michigan are both still setting up their systems to apply this payment. Once established, they will pay anyone that has applied and qualified for unemployment, during this time period, retroactively.

Question #6 – If I know I am furloughed later in the month can I file now?

No. Unemployment benefits are paid on a weekly basis. The State of Ohio only allows you to apply after the week you were furloughed. You may register with the State during your furlough week but not file for unemployment until the Sunday after your furloughed weekPlease note that you must apply for unemployment each week you are furloughed. During the application process, you will be assigned a PIN number. You must provide that PIN number, as identification, each time you apply after your initial unemployment application. Please retain this number.

Question #7 – Can I go into the negative on my PTO?

No. The option to go 40 hours negative on your PTO is no longer an option for any employee.

Question #8 – Do I have benefit coverage during while on furlough?

Yes. Furloughed employees retain access to all health and life insurance during the furlough.

Question #9 – How will my medical premiums be paid while on furlough?

For those that are out one week of a bi-weekly payroll period, the employee portion of the premium will be collected within that pay period. For those that are out over successive weeks, the employee portion of the premium will be deducted in an ensuing pay period, once you return to work.

If you have any questions that have not been answered on this page, please email questions here and someone from Leadership and/or HR will respond.The State of Ohio only allows you to apply after the week you were furloughed. You may register with the State during your furlough week but not file for unemployment until the Sunday after your furloughed week.

Our focus is to provide a work environment that is as safe as possible. Please find below a list of measures we have implemented to this end. We count on your ongoing support to keep everybody safe.  Please note that if you do not feel comfortable or safe returning to work at this time for reasons related to the virus, please notify your supervisor or manager immediately.  Your absence will not be held against you and you may take PTO to cover your absence or go unpaid.

Prior to the Order, we hired, in addition to our regular cleaning company, a second company to “deep clean” the plant.  The deep clean involved the use of a product called Sniper a non-harmful, biodegradable all-purpose cleaning and disinfectant for use on hard surfaces and textiles.  Since it is biodegradable, it is safe for all environments and situations.  This deep cleaning team has been on site throughout the shutdown and will continue in all common areas and offices.

As a next step, Jan Pro, came into the plant and used a product called EnviroShield.    EnviroShield is a spray disinfectant system that adds an electrostatic negative charge to the disinfecting solution, as it is applied, so that it surrounds and clings to the surfaces it touches, killing harmful bacteria. 

All offices and common areas, all production areas, including the BTC and BLC, were sprayed.  Upon returning to work, we will be focused on ensuring that all machinery and hard surfaces are cleaned before, during and the end of each shift as well as mandating and enforcing social distancing everywhere in the plant.

The common areas will continue to be cleaned by the cleaning crew and the cleaning of the production areas are the responsibility of the individuals that is explained fully in the training and expectations that we will be reviewing all employees before, during and that end of the shift.  We have provided disinfectant spray out on the production floor so operators can clean their workstations, as well as distributed more hand sanitizer dispensers on the floor. 

Several of the things that you will see immediately upon entering the plant will be the reduction in the number of tables and chairs in the breakrooms, and managers and supervisors will clock employees in and out so that employees do not have to touch the time clocks. Additionally, there are green lines on the floor in work areas to indicate 6-foot distances to maintain between operators, and red lines to indicate boundaries that you should not cross to maintain the 6-foot distance.

All employees entering and/or working in the plant will receive training on the expectations regarding social distancing and working in the plant under the requirements of the Order.  Further, each employee will receive a letter (2 copies) and an attachment that details our expectations.  Each employee is responsible to learn and understand the requirements and to confirm so by signing one of the copies and return it to their supervisor/manager. 

It is now be a requirement, while in the plant, to wear a mask or approved face covering.  The number of masks that we have is limited so we will be
instructing employees on how to wear and care for their mask to make them last.  We are working diligently every day to get more masks to the plant
for distribution.

Prior to coming to work each day, every employee is to take personable accountability and take their own temperature at home before coming into work. If you have a fever of 100.4º or more, we ask that you do not report to work and notify us.  Each employee’s health and safety is valuable to us. We are
asking that everyone do his or her part, and together, we can limit exposure to the virus. CDC considers a person to have a fever when s/he has a measured temperature of at least 100.4 °F [38 °C]: https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/maritime/definitions-signs-symptoms-conditions-ill-travelers.html#:~:text=CDC%20considers%20a%20person%20to,F%20%5B38%20%C2%B0C%5D.

All employees are not to report to work until their start time and must leave immediately upon the end of their shift.  All shifts will end a half hour prior to the next shift starting.  Supervisors will inform all employees when the shift has ended.  It is imperative that immediately upon the end of the shift that you collect your belongings, wash your hands, remove and care for your mask and leave the premises.  Do not gather inside or outside of the building.  Proceed directly to your car or ride and go home.  Please remember that during the month of April, we all are still on a Stay at Home Order, which means that we honor that request when not working. 

We have established a COVID hotline and email address that you can call or email questions to, make suggestions for improvements or to report any unsafe actions or situations.  The phone number is 1-513-301-2311 and the email address is Covid19@bilsteinus.com.  When calling the phone number, please leave your question or suggestion along with your name and a number that we can call you back on and someone will get back to you as soon as possible if required.  If reporting an unsafe action or situation you may do so confidentially and are not required to leave your name. 

In order to keep all of our employees safe and healthy, we have instituted many new things to maintain a clean and safe environment, but we need every employee to do their part as well, by maintaining social distance from one another.  This is not only an expectation of continuing to work at BILSTEIN, but a mandated government-enforced order that we must follow in order to keep production running. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action and/or termination.  Please hold yourself and others accountable when it comes to safety and social distancing – it is not an option!  

If you have any questions that have not been answered on this page, please email questions here and someone from Leadership and/or HR will respond.

We would like to thank you all for supporting the efforts in the fight to stop the spread of the coronavirus by staying at home the last two weeks.  It is certainly not something that any of you asked for and we know the burden that it places on you and your families. 

As you know we are dependent on our customers demand and we cannot run when our customers don’t.  Based on our current shutdown planning, we foresee that in the short-term our customers are not going to be providing enough demand for us to keep everyone working full-time.  With this in mind, we have been reaching out to other companies in the community who are in need of workers to try and generate temporary employment opportunities for Bilsteiners.

Our first success has been in developing a dedicated Talent Requisition process for current tk BILSTEIN associates with Kroger. 

If you are interested in part time short-term work with Kroger you can either scan the QR code on the flyer attached or click this link to get an application into the system: https://career8.successfactors.com/sfcareer/jobreqcareerpvt?jobId=1590279&company=Kroger&username=&st=4E07879DF6043DF9604EE39A60DB242F40E24285

In this application you can look  for opportunities or Kroger will reach out with available ones.  Kroger has a lot of applicants at this time, but they are trying to use this dedicated requisition to find people from trusted partners such as thyssenkrupp Bilstein. We are in contact with other companies as well and hope to be able to share additional opportunities with you all soon. 

We fully intend to doing everything in our power to preserve the BILSTEIN business in Hamilton that we have all worked so hard to build together.  We are and will continue to make every effort we can in an attempt to support our employees and their families in this current time of need.  Please know that if you have the ability to accept short-term work, such as the opportunity above with Kroger, as long as you remain a BILSTEIN employee you will continue to receive the healthcare benefits for which you are currently enrolled. 

We are looking forward to having you back in the plant as soon as possible.

If you have any questions that have not been answered on this page, please email questions here and someone from Leadership and/or HR will respond.