We are staying up to date on the latest developments. The actions we are taking include monitoring resources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the World Health Organization; the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); and our local public health department.
As you know, this is one of the busiest times of the year for accounting firms with tax filings and financial statement regulatory deadlines rapidly approaching. Below are some of the features of the plans and actions we are taking:
- Understanding the risk: This is a rapidly evolving situation, and we are monitoring reports from the CDC and other health agencies to enhance our knowledge and understanding of the spread of the coronavirus. We are tracking regional transmission in affected areas, and are actively taking steps to support our employees, clients and our surrounding communities. We have frequent communications with our employees, which include instructing them to stay home if they feel sick, how to recognize COVID-19 and its symptoms, the benefits of social distancing, and reminders about proper hygiene and other mitigations strategies.
- Ensuring access to our firm: Based on current guidance and our own standards and practices, our firm will continue to remain open for business. Out of an abundance of caution and respect for the many messages about the need for “social distancing”, our firm has approved a work-from-home approach. While we will have many employees in the office, some team members will be fully and capably working from home with all security protocols intact. We have implemented enhanced cleaning measures for our office(s) for theprotection of our employees and clients in accordance with the current guidelines put out by the CDC and other health agencies. If you wish to meet with us, we ask that you call and schedule an appointment with us that will be done via a teleconference meeting or in-person.
Our firm is also prepared, in the event we are required to operate from outside of our office(s) with the necessary equipment, as well as backup systems and technical support, that will allow our workforce to work remotely in compliance with our Disaster Recovery Plan and other policies. We remain committed to maintaining our firm’s quality control standards.
Our top priorities are the health and safety of our employees and clients. We will continue to monitor guidance from health experts and government recommendations and will do our very best to maintain the quality and timeliness of our services to you. We appreciate your flexibility and support during this time, and our thoughts remain with everyone affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
Sincerely,
Abeles and Hoffman, P.C.
