Covid19

COVID 19 Response Plan Last updated January 8, 2021

1. Purpose

This document summarizes Edifecs’ plans for operating during the current state and potential spreading of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our priority is the health and safety of our associates, customers and partners, apart from meeting the needs of our customers with a minimum of disruption, and ensuring Edifecs is able to support core business processes and functions.

The important context here is that, while we are planning for a worst-case outcome, we don’t expect to see anything like that in reality.  

Edifecs is following guidance from CDC.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html

2. Crisis Management team

We have a standing Crisis Management Team continually reviewing new information as it comes in.  We have established a four-tier escalation ladder (from Tier 0 to Tier 3) for responding to changes that impact Edifecs’ offices. The primary criterion for moving up the ladder is the number of community transmission events within a commute radius of an Edifecs office.

Currently Edifecs Offices are at Tier 3.

Tier 0 includes increased building sanitation measures (both in terms of office cleaning and in terms of making things like hand sanitizer available) as well as continuous risk monitoring via a crisis management team.

At Tier 1, we will encourage as much work from home as possible, limit in-office meetings, visits and services and make or review concrete plans to move critical workflows to offices that are not impacted.

At Tier 2 we close the office to non-essential personnel/activities/events and execute those workload movement plans.

At Tier 3 we lock down the office entirely, and go to 100% mandatory work from home (WFH).

We’ll continue sharing weekly updates on the coronavirus situation.

Core Team:

The Incident Management team is responsible for all executive decisions regarding identifying, enacting, managing, and resolving a pandemic incident that requires the enactment of this contingency plan

3. Current Situation (January 8, 2021)

3.1 Impact to Operations

• Low impact to all delivery functions as Edifecs is always prepared for Work-from-home as a business continuity plan.
   
• Moderate impact to business travel
   
• Moderate impact to facilities

3.2 Edifecs Guidance to Associates:

Edifecs has completed planning a phased Return To Workplace for all our associates at our global facility locations. On June 2, 2020, Edifecs published its intended RTW playbook as the initial plan and guidance for all Associates, partners and vendors. The playbook outlines Edifecs’ protocols, measures and policies to ensure a safe working environment at its facilities across the globe subject to guidance from local and national authorities.

3.3 Edifecs Guidance to Associates:

• 100% of Edifecs Associates are now WFH.
   
• Associates should “self-assess” for symptoms and follow precaution and safety measures as published by the CDC.
   
• All Edifecs operated facilities are in complete lockdown and no Associates, visitors or deliveries are allowed.
   
• General guidance around taking personal safely measures is abundantly available across all media sources (emails, web, television broadcast, public display.  Through our daily communication we will keep reminding associates about these practices.

3.3.1 Bellevue Office

While the state of Washington’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” expired on May 31, 2020, the Governor announced a phased approach to re-opening of businesses. As an abundance of caution and concern for the health and safety of our Associates, Edifecs’ Bellevue, WA HQ will remain closed thru April 5, 2021 after which the RTW  will commence. No associates, visitors or deliveries will be permitted in the building. All associates will continue to work from their home location. At this time, there is no impact to any team operations.

3.3.2 Atlanta Office

The state of Georgia has re-opened business and facilities as of April 24, 2020. At this time, there is no impact to any team operations. As an abundance of caution and concern for the health and safety of our Associates, Edifecs has directed all Atlanta, GA based associates to continue to work from their home location thru April 5, 2021 after which the RTW will commence.

3.3.3 India Office (IDC – Fully Owned Subsidiary of Edifecs, Inc.)

The Government of India has ended the nationwide lockdown and directed local authorities and state governments to plan re-opening of business facilities. Edifecs’ Mohali IDC has been in complete lock down since March 23, 2020 and will continue to remain closed until April 5, 2021. Until then and the commencement of the RTW, all Associates will continue to work from their home base.

Associates in customer facing roles in the Product Support, Operations, Hosting Services and IT teams will also continue to WFH. Work transition to US based associates has been completed for production operations support of Edifecs hosted solutions where production data access (PHI) cannot be made from outside an Edifecs office location. All Associates have been provided or have verified Internet connectivity is optimal from their home location and does not hinder work productivity.


Edifecs operations will continue to will operate with reduced operational SLAs for Severity 3 and 4 items. Edifecs does not expect any impact to SLAs for Severity 1 and 2 items as the volume of such items is historically quite low across customers.

3.3.4 Moldova Office (MDC - Fully Dedicated Subcontractor)

In compliance with the countrywide state of emergency declaration since March 17, 2020 – now scheduled to end June 30, 2020 - from the Ministry of Health and the Parliament of Moldova, All Associates will WFH until Aprl 5, 2021 after which the RTW will commence.

3.3.5 Home offices

Nearly 30% of Edifecs’ workforce in the US operates from home offices and now 100% of Edifecs Associates are WFH.

3.3.6 Travel

• All business travel continues to be suspended until further notice.
   
• All international travel continues to be suspended until further notice.

4. Business Continuity

Edifecs is well equipped to continue to operate throughout the pandemic and expects to be able to provide required support / services to customers as usual.

Since Edifecs already employs a significant remote workforce, the company is well-positioned to expand remote work across its entire workforce.

Regardless of Edifecs’ facility location, the standard business continuity plan for Edifecs is in effect and business operations continue with 100% of Edifecs Associates at all Edifecs locations are WFH.

5. Status of Critical Functions

<As of January 8, 2021>