The Dollar General Distribution Center in Fulton closed for part of July 1-2 following the detection of COVID-19 cases among workers.
"We can confirm three Dollar General employees in the Fulton distribution center tested positive for COVID-19 last week," Dollar General spokesperson Crystal Ghassemi said. "Upon learning of the confirmed diagnoses, we took proactive and preventative measures to halt operations at our Fulton distribution center."
Ghassemi said the center remained closed while a third-party leaning company carried out "extensive and thorough" sanitizing. During that time, employees missing work due to the closure were paid for their regularly scheduled hours. Employees were notified of the closure through an employee app and "departmental meetings on the warehouse floor where managers used microphones to allow for social distancing measures," Ghassemi said.
"Contrary to allegations, employees were not gathered into a conference room, and no department has more than 100 employees," she said.
Ghassemi said social distancing measures, temperature checks and extra cleaning precautions were already in place at the distribution center prior to the detection of the three cases.
However, though the closure ended July 2, it wasn't until Sunday the company began requiring employees to wear masks inside the facility. Previously, they were allowed to do so if they wanted. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends wearing cloth face coverings as a method of controlling viral spread.
The company is also providing gloves and hand sanitizer for employees, though their use is not mandated.
"There's a very large list of precautions," Ghassemi said.
Ghassemi said, under current corporate policy, any employee who has developed symptoms consistent with the CDC's list of potential COVID-19 symptoms (bit.ly/3ea7NW9), or who has been in direct contact with someone who has tested positive, may go and get tested and remain at home with full pay until they receive test results. If the test is positive, they must stay at home until the disease has run its course.
"If we have an employee that's been impacted by COVID-19, or if they have it personally or have a sick immediate family member or household member that they're caring for, they're paid regularly scheduled hours during those times," Ghassemi said. "We have them go home and stay at home for at least 14 days unless a medical professional (clears them to return to work)."
Ghassemi said that any time a case is detected at the distribution center, it will shut down for cleaning and other employees at the location will be notified of the positive case.
"We've been very upfront with our employees and transparent and honest and all of that to make sure employees safety and health remain our top priorities," she said.
If employees are told something that runs contrary to corporate policy, they may escalate the issue through management, the Dollar General whistleblower hotline, an HR person or an employee relations group, she added.