Covid-19 : US employers navigate pandemic without firm guidelines

Garfield working from home in New York. Authorities from New York to California have called on employers to allow those who can to work from home in a bid to slow the spread of the virus. Garfield said she gets more done without the constant office interruptions. — AP

NEW YORK: It started with extra hand sanitiser and wipes for keyboards and headphones. Then came the directive for employees to lug their laptops home every night just in case. Finally, the memo arrived urging all employees to work from home – just not in their pajamas.

The scene at New York real estate firm SquareFoot is playing repeatedly across the US as workplaces make a mass shift toward allowing employees who can to work remotely in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus.