Category: Values

03/31/2020

We continue to monitor the spread of the corona virus and the implications in our industry.  This communication will detail decisions that we have made regarding the startup of Aftermarket production, extending the OE production shutdown and reductions in the workweek for all back office employees.

First, we would like to thank you all for supporting the efforts of the State 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.  By following the directives of Governor DeWine and his team, the State of Ohio has been able to slow the number of new cases and thus reducing the possible number of deaths that could occur. 

As you may know, businesses like ours that are working to support the Transportation Industry are identified as “Critical Manufacturing”, as such are permitted to operate by the US Department of Homeland Security CISA guidelines.  Additionally, we have customers that require us to return to work in the coming weeks.

The steps detailed below will help ensure we will regain our momentum as quickly as possible after this crisis is over:

1.    1. SPV production (essential business) will continue.

2.    2. The Aftermarket, will commence production with the “A” shift on Monday morning, April 6 beginning at 6:00 and ending at 5:30 pm.  The night shift will be “D” shift starting at 6:00 pm and will end at 5:30 am Tuesday. (new shift times apply to A,B,C and D shift!).  As part of our steps to protect the health of our employees, hourly employees are not to clock in or out so that they are not touching the time clocks and not keeping the correct social distance.  Supervisors and managers will take attendance at the beginning of the shift and clock everyone in and out until further notice.

3.    3. OE production will continue to be shut through April 10.  During this week, all affected employees can use either PTO, go unpaid or borrow up to 40 hours of PTO if they have not done so already.  This will be the last time the option to borrow PTO will be extended. Please let your manager or supervisor know how you would prefer to handle the time off. This will apply to all OE production employees and support staff.  Customer activities and project work will continue on an as needed basis.

We are planning to start OE production the morning of Tuesday, April 14.  We will move the Good Friday paid holiday from April 10 to Easter Monday, April 13 allowing an additional day with pay before OE employees come back.  Upon returning, the same directive not to clock in and out goes for hourly OE and support personnel as well. 

4.    4. In light of the current Industry wide crisis and in anticipation of lower short term customer demand, beginning the week of April 13, all salary and hourly support staff (OE, AM, SPV, general) will begin working four-day workweeks.  All affected groups – HR, Purchasing, Controlling, Sales & Marketing, IT, Engineering, Logistics, Quality, and Program Management – will not work on Fridays.  We anticipate this change through the end of May. Affected employees can either use PTO or take the time unpaid.  During this time no PTO loans will be given.

Any employees that are not comfortable coming back to work at this time may either take PTO or take the time as excused unpaid time off.  You must contact your supervisor or manager if this is how you feel and they will work to accommodate your request.

A note on unemployment; if an employee’s hours are either partially or fully reduced from their full-time workweek, they may be eligible for unemployment through the State as long as they meet all other eligibility requirements. The State is encouraging applicants to apply on-line at https://unemployment.ohio.gov/PublicSelfServiceChoice.html and to be patient. A step-by-step guide on how to fill out the form can be found at http://jfs.ohio.gov/ouio/pdf/QuickTipsAndStepByStepGuide.pdf

Prior to and during the shutdown we have taken steps to make our work environment as safe as possible prior to a return to work. We are continuing this week and next week to implement additional safeguards and you will be asked to follow strict new guidelines in the workplace (most of them will be temporary until this is over).  The safe guards that we have put in place in both common areas and on the production lines will be reviewed in a separate email later this week. 

We are all looking forward to returning to work.  In the meantime, please be safe and continue to practice social distancing skills and washing your hands. We count on your continued commitment and support of the company during this unprecedented situation.

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 Governor of the State of Ohio announced Sunday a statewide “stay at home” Order in an attempt to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. The move, which asks all Ohioans to remain at home or place of residence, unless they have an essential reason for going out, follows other such moves by the states of California, New York and Pennsylvania. Effective 6:00 pm tonight, March 23, we will shut down all operations in the plant for two weeks. 

Exceptions to the Order will be SPV and limited shipping & receiving functions in our BLC.  Both are considered essential critical infrastructure workforces by the state and federal government. SPV is critical to the production and continued supply of components for the building of military vehicles. The shipping & receiving function is critical to the shipment of components to automotive repair and maintenance facilities to repair damaged vehicles for consumer and commercial vehicles.

Any work that is required to maintain any other essential customer activities and project work will continue on an as-needed basis by designated employees from home. Unless otherwise directed by the State during the next two weeks, we will start production as of the 1st shift, Tuesday, April 7.

This Order by the State is not a medical quarantine but a stay at home or stop working Order. With the Stay at Home Order by the State, employees will be paid per the options on the Questions & Answers blog. If, after reading through the information you still have questions, please reach out to any senior manager in the Company.    

Over the next two weeks, please stay at home, as we have been asked to do by the Governor and continue to practice good personal hygiene – wash your hands thoroughly, stay away from large groups and practice social distancing of six feet or more. 

Finally, we would like to thank you all for your dedication, efforts and support. It is truly amazing to see how we as an organization come together and support each other during these difficult times. We must be proud of that and together, as ONE, we will overcome this situation. 

Now more than ever, employee safety is our key focus. We will continue all safety measures that have been communicated and put into place in response to the current situation.

We appreciate your understanding and support during these times. 

Bilstein and Bilsteiners Rock!

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.

03/20/2020

The last several days have provided us with a better understanding of the state of the automotive industry with the pandemic and the resulting market volatility.  In our ongoing efforts to keep you informed of the decisions we are making, the following is information that we have received from our customers and what our next steps will be.

Before we get into the details, we would like to thank you for your dedication, efforts and support. It is truly amazing to see how we as an organization come together and support each other during these difficult times.  We must be proud of that and together, as ONE, we will overcome this situation. 

We have received the following from our customers, this is current as of March 20, 2020:

FCA, GM, Ford, Mercedes, Toyota –   Shutdown for two weeks through April 4^th. Tesla – California has enacted a “shelter in place” order state-wide for the next four weeks shutting them down.

We have made the decision to shut down OE production for two weeks beginning this Sunday night, March 22, through Saturday, April 4.   This will apply to all OE production employees and support staff.  Customer activities and project work will continue on an as needed basis.

Here is a Question & Answer to help explain how the affected employees in these areas are impacted.  If, after reading through the information you still have questions, please reach out to any senior manager in the company.  We have tried to think of all the questions employees might have but to be honest with you, we are as new to this as you are. 

All temporary employees were released as of yesterday in both OE and AM to assure that only Bilstein employees are filling open production requirements. We anticipate we will open the opportunity for about 15 – 20 OE employees to work in the AM area on the 4-shift model over the next two weeks.  OE and AM management are working together to determine the skill set that will be needed in the AM and we will reach out to employees that meet the requirements necessary to work over the shutdown.  All co-ops, unless otherwise notified, are on furlough (unpaid) for the next three weeks.  We will be in contact with all co-ops prior to the end of the three weeks, or April 12, about their return to work.

Over the next two weeks, please stay at home and continue to practice all that you have been told by the State health Agency, seen in the news and here at work – wash your hands thoroughly, stay away from large groups and practice social distancing of six feet or more. 

Now more than ever, employee safety is our key focus.  We will continue all safety measures that have been communicated and put into place in response to the current situation.

We appreciate your understanding and support during these times. 

BILSTEIN and Bilsteiners Rock!

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.

03/20/2020

Effective immediately and until further notice, we will be reducing the access to the BTC to only those employees that work there and those that have an absolute business reason for being in the building. 

We have made this decision as another step in the attempt to limit the possible exposure and spread of COVID-19.  The BTC maintains minimal inventory and is required to meet customer prototype and testing milestones for new projects and does not have the ability to move employees from other areas to cover for those that are taken ill. 

Only employees that work in the BTC are to park in the BTC lot.  All other employees are to park in the main parking lot and use the plant time clocks. 

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.

Questions & Answers for the State Ordered “Stay at Home” Order

3/23/20 thru 4/6/20

Question #1 – Why are we closing the plant?

The closure of our business is in response to the State of Ohio’s “Stay at Home” order that closes all businesses and operations in the State except for essential businesses and operations. As a manufacturer of dampers, our OE and AM businesses do not fall under the category of essential. However, both SPV and limited shipping/receiving functions are considered essential critical infrastructure workforces and will remain in operation. SPV will produce as long as they have the resources to do so. Any employees working in SPV or shipping/receiving that are not comfortable coming to work will not be required to do so and will be treated the same as all other employees that will not be working over the next two weeks.

Question #2 – What is a “Stay at Home” order?

To halt the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the State has ordered that all individuals living in the state stay at home or at their place of residence. Individuals may go outside for physical exercise or such items but must at all times maintain social distancing of at least six feet from any other person with the exception of family or household members.

Question #3 – When and how long will the plant be closed?

The Hamilton Plant will be closed, except for SPV and shipping/receiving, for two weeks beginning at 6:00 pm Monday, March 23 and ending on Monday night April 6. Pending any extension of the order by the State, production will commence with the 1st shift on Tuesday morning April 7.

Question #4 – Who is affected?

All employees, except those that work in or directly support SPV and specific identified individuals in shipping/receiving in the BLC.

Question #5 – Will I be paid these two weeks?

All employees, other than those employees designated by their managers as critical to the business and are to work, will be required to take 80 hours of PTO to cover the two-week shutdown. If you do not have 80 hours of PTO, you may go negative in your PTO bank up to a total of 40 hours. You will not be permitted to go negative for more than 40 hours. If you are already in the negative, you will only receive the difference. As an example, if you have an accrued balance of 32 hours PTO, you would receive 40 hours of pay for the first week of the shutdown and 32 hours of pay for the second week of shutdown. If you do not have enough PTO to cover all 80 hours, including the 40 hour PTO loan, any time not covered will be unpaid.

Please do not request PTO through the eTime system for the next two weeks as your supervisor/manager will enter all PTO for affected employees up to what you have accrued. Only HR, as system administrators, can add negative PTO to an employee’s time card and will do so to ensure that employees who want to go negative get a full 40 hours.

Question #6 – If I do not want to go into the negative on my PTO can I just take the time unpaid?

Yes. Please inform your manager/supervisor if you do not want to go negative on your PTO.

Question #7 – If I have PTO scheduled for later in the year, do I need to cancel it and take my PTO now?

Yes, if want to take PTO now and you do not have the required 80 hours of accrued PTO.

Question #8 – What if I do not want to use PTO and, instead, draw unemployment?

You cannot draw unemployment if you have PTO to cover the 80 hours as you will not be eligible per the State’s unemployment eligibility rules.

Question #9 – Can I apply for unemployment if I do not have enough PTO to cover the two weeks?

Yes.  State of Ohio has extended benefits to workers whose employers have temporarily shut down.  You can file and 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.

Question #10 – If I go negative on my PTO what will happen if I get sick later in the year?

We will address this question with each individual case when and if it happens.

Question #11 – How will we know when we should return?

If there should be any change to the return date mentioned above in Question #3, we will post new information on www.bilsteinrocks.com and record an announcement on the Call Off Line – 513.881.7881.

Question #12 – Do I have benefit coverage during the shutdown?

Yes.  There will be no disruption to your benefits.

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

03/19/2020

Coping with Stress and Anxiety Prompted by the COVID-19 Pandemic

It’s only natural that the events occurring in our world related to COVID-19 might cause increased stress and anxiety.

Know the Signs of Stress
It’s not uncommon to experience the following examples of reactions in response to a significant crisis: 
•  Behavior :  irritability, trouble relaxing, excessive worrying, frequent crying
•  Emotions:  anxiety, depression, guilt, anger, sadness, vulnerability
•  Thoughts:  confusion, lack of concentration, difficulty making decisions

Know How to Relieve Stress
Take time to care for yourself; these strategies can help: 
•  Keep things in perspective. Focus on things you can control.
•  Get the facts. Consult trusted resources, like the CDC.
•  Keep yourself healthy. Eat healthy foods. Drink water. Get enough rest.
•  Use practical ways to relax. Talk with loved ones. Stretch. Breathe deeply.

Know When to Seek Help 
Get help through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which is free.
Lifeworks: 1-888-267-8126

Online: www.login.lifeworks.com

App Store: Lifeworks

User ID: thyssenkrupp

Password: eap

We are here to help support our employees through this time. Should you need help, please talk to someone in HR or Safety & Health.
 

T: +1 513-682-2077, M: +1 513-836-6122

stephanie.flannery@thyssenkrupp.com

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.

03/19/2020

Governor of Ohio Mike DeWine requested that every employer take the temperature of every employee every day before they come into work.  With 700 employees, this would prove to be logistically very difficult.  But to be fair to the Governor’s request we are considering how we might be able to comply.

In the meantime, we are asking each employee 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 their part, and together, we can limit exposure to the virus.

CDC considers a person to have a fever when he or she 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.

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.

03/17/2020

Effective with the 1st shift Wednesday, March 18^th and until further notice, we will be changing shift times for the majority of shifts in the plant in a continued effort to ensure appropriate social distancing between shifts. Attached are two PDF’s – one for all OE lines and one for SPV, AM and Logistics lines – dep the current shift start and end times and the new shift start and end times for each department.  In an effort to reduce the number of people in the main plant cafeteria, the OE PDF lists OE break times as well.  These schedules and break times are to be strictly adhered to.    

The following are essential when coming into and leaving work to ensure that we are doing everything that we can to protect from the spread of the virus:

1.     Arriving to Work – Do not arrive any earlier than 10 minutes before the start of your shift.  If you arrive earlier than 10 minutes and drove please remain in your car.  If you were dropped off, please wait in the cafeteria and distance yourself from others.

2.     Leaving Work – Upon clocking out, leave the building immediately and go directly to your car or ride and leave the premises.  Do not stand in the building or in the parking lot talking to others.

3.     Clocking Out – Time clocks have been temporarily modified so as to not point employees when they clock out early 5 minutes or less.  Please do not show up the time clocks and stand in line waiting to clock out.  Clock out immediately upon reaching the time clocks.    

For any questions or clarifications please contact the following:

OE: Christian Kirchen, Jim Hartzock, Jason Heinen, Tony Gajewski

AM: Florian Baumgarten, Vern Norris

SPV: Aldo Albieri

LOG: Jim Cecere

03/16/2020 

Effectively immediately and until further notice, we will be reducing the access to SPV to only those employees that work there and those that have an absolute business reason for going in. 

We have made this decision as another step in the attempt to limit the possible exposure and spread of COVID-19.  SPV maintains only seven days of inventory to build and does not have the ability to move employees from other areas to cover for those that are taken ill. 

03/16/2020 

Please find below some information on the additional cleaning measures we have put into place to ensure a healthy and safe workplace:

·       We have increased the frequency of cleaning in all areas; production and office.

·       A second cleaning crew has been retained effective immediately to support in the additional cleaning activities.

·       We will be using Hospital Grade Sanitizers to help combat the spread of germs in the facility.

o   Sanitizing Chemical: SNiPER.  Kills 99.9% of germs in less than 60 seconds.

·       All ‘high touch areas’ will be specifically targeted for daily sanitation.

In addition to the measures above please take an extra moment to observe surfaces around you.  We have cleaning supplies available in all areas. 

Facility sanitation is all of our responsibility.  Similar to our Quality Policy, “Every one of us is responsible for the cleanliness of our Workstations”.