Freres COVID-19 Announcement

COVID-19 Update

October 1st

Two employees have tested positive for Covid, and are currently under quarantine. The last employee who tested positive earlier this month is out of quarantine and back to work.

COVID-19 Update

September 17^th

Another employee has tested positive for Covid. Safety procedures and protocols have been followed and the employee is currently off work under quarantine.

COVID-19 Update

September 4^th

A summary of COVID related issues to date:

• We have had a total of 5 positive test results.  The last employee who tested positive came back to work on August 31st.
• We have had 26 employees who have been paid benefit time due to exposure to someone who had the virus.  
• We have had 3 employees who have been out in order to care for a family member who were tested but not positive results.  All 3 are back to work.
• We have had 6 employees who have been paid benefit time because they were not able to get childcare – all 6 have returned to work.

We appreciate the effort all of our employees have gone through to make sure we have a safe workplace.

COVID-19 Update

August 14^th

Offices are still restricted due to the Governor’s order at the end of June. Visitors can contact office staff and may enter when necessary, but masks will be required unless a 6’ separation can be maintained. We were notified Monday, August 10th that an employee who had previously tested negative had a positive retest. COVID related safety procedures have been followed and other employees in contact with this individual were notified. Two other employees are on self-imposed quarantine due to contact outside of work.

Our updates re: COVID-19

July 17^th

Based on the Governor’s order at the end of June, our office doors have been locked. Visitors can contact office staff and may enter when necessary, but masks will be required unless a 6’ separation can be maintained. We are not aware of any new cases of Covid in our employee community. The Governor’s order does not require employees to wear masks at work, but disposable masks have been made available and each employee has been provided with a complimentary Freres Lumber gaiter for their use if they choose.

Our updates re: COVID-19

June 7, 2020

To date we have had three positive cases of Covid-19 throughout our company, and no new cases since the middle of May. All of those employees are healthy and able to return to work. Five employees remain on Covid-19 related leave, such as a family related quarantine or issues related to childcare. All Covid-19 related safety measures remain in place and we encourage all employees to continue following social distancing measures.

Our updates re: COVID-19

May 13, 2020

Two employees notified Freres Lumber that they tested positive for COVID-19. Employee 1 reported a positive test result on May 12; employee 2 on May 13. Freres’ HR and Safety managers are working on contact tracing, alerting anyone who was in close contact with the employee(s). We are also referring these employees to the CDC website and suggesting they call their physician. These cases occurred after a week of downtime, so there was limited workplace contact.

Employees who test positive for COVID-19 will be:

• Instructed not to report to work.
• Advised to contact his or her healthcare provider.
• Quarantined with pay.
• Asked to identify all coworkers with whom they have worked in close proximity in the last 14 days. The company will notify these team members without identifying the employee.

These measures protect our employees, customers and the community at large.

Protecting the Freres Lumber family

• Employees are recommended to maintain social distance, 6 feet of separation from each other. In cases where employees work in close proximity to each other shields or barriers have been utilized to provide opportunity to social distance.
• Supervisors are regularly cleaning high-traffic areas. We have increased the frequency of professional contracted cleaning services.
• Employees are instructed not to report to work if they are sick or exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.
• Freres has provided thermometers, rubber gloves, masks and guidance for their use at each plant.
• Freres will continue employee health benefits.
• Freres has relaxed attendance policies to eliminate any punitive effect for missing work due to COVID-19.
• Freres has posted COVID-19 information in employee break rooms.
• The company is continually resupplying work areas, offices and break rooms with sanitizer and/or disinfectant wipes.

Supporting our community

In addition to supporting nearly 500 local employees in our plants, many suppliers, contractors, and customers rely on our business, as well. We have a responsibility to their families, as well as a responsibility to help our communities as we weather this health and economic storm together.

Freres Lumber recently gifted Santiam Canyon School District a $100,000 donation as well as a $150,000 in-kind donation of Mass Plywood Products as a show of support to our Santiam Canyon communities and families. With distance learning in place, SCSD was able to move their new school construction timeline up to get those projects completed early while students are at-home for the rest of the school year.

In addition, Freres employees, contractors and family members are supporting Santiam Hospital’s SIT Mobile program that helps deliver essential goods to local families in need.

#FLCGrowingCommunity