XPO Logistics puts employee safety first during Covid-19

XPO teams are working in unprecedented circumstances to move critically important goods through supply chains, including medical products, personal protective equipment (PPE), food and beverages, telecommunication devices, household staples and business supplies. The company provides essential support to industrial, retail and institutional customers, as well as municipalities and government agencies.

Bradley Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of XPO Logistics, said, “I’m beyond proud of the way our employees have stepped up to fulfill our responsibilities in serving communities around the globe. We’ll continue to prioritize the physical, mental and emotional well-being of every person on our team.”

Nearly all of XPO’s sites continue to operate, with short-term shutdowns for deep cleaning as needed. Customers have uninterrupted access to the company’s full range of transportation services: truckload, less-than-truckload, last mile, expedite, intermodal, drayage, managed transportation and global forwarding.

In New York City, the US epicenter of the pandemic, XPO has partnered with the municipal Emergency Management Department for the emergency distribution of life-sustaining supplies.

XPO moved quickly to deploy comprehensive operating protocols that prioritize employee safety while meeting the company’s responsibilities as a designated provider of essential infrastructure services.

• XPO employees worldwide are working remotely if able to do so. For employees who need to work on site, the company follows the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and its own health and safety protocols.
• XPO has added Pandemic Paid Sick Leave to its US and Canadian benefits packages, giving affected full-time employees up to two work weeks (80 hours) of additional sick leave in addition to standard annual paid time off.
• XPO continues to cover the cost of COVID-19 testing and provide access to free tele-medicine through a virtual clinic with a 24/7 nurse hotline for medical concerns. These free services complement the company’s other US healthcare benefits.
• Employees globally are guaranteed up to three days of 100% pay continuation if a facility is closed temporarily for deep cleaning or sanitization. These paid days are in addition to XPO’s Pandemic Paid Sick Leave and standard paid time off. Third-party specialists in COVID-19 deep cleaning ensure that each site is disinfected.
• The company automatically grants workplace accommodations for pregnant employees under the terms of its progressive Pregnancy Care Policy and continues to make alternate work arrangements for employees when medically advisable.
• XPO has made free counseling sessions available to all US employees and their dependents during the crisis through its Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP formerly required that an employee be enrolled in an XPO healthcare plan to receive this mental health service.

XPO has introduced online programs in seven languages to help employees manage change during the pandemic. These include video sessions on health and safety, stress management and working remotely, as well as information on special policies in effect.

• Social distancing guidelines are in effect in all XPO workplaces. Where possible, sites have erected barriers between workstations and use demarcations on floors to limit contact between employees. Visitors are restricted from accessing XPO offices and field locations.
• Employees must affirm their health status before beginning a shift, stay home if they are ill and be tested if they believe they have been exposed to COVID-19.
• Site management, senior team members and human resources staff participate in meetings prior to the start of each shift to emphasize social distancing and the importance of leaving work immediately if feeling sick. These policies are reinforced by signs posted throughout the facilities.
• XPO’s drivers and transportation contractors perform no-contact deliveries whenever possible, using digital image verification as proof of delivery and managing capacity on the company’s digital freight platform.
• XPO has arranged for additional cleaning measures inside its workplaces and provides personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitization supplies to employees, with procurement measures in place to monitor inventory levels.
• XPO has created a dedicated COVID-19 portal where employees can access safety information, company policies, preventative measures and benefits information online.