ISPA Snapshot Survey Report March 2020: COVID-19 Response | Seite 20

Please share any details you can relating to efforts put into place by your spa to
implement the closure (i.e. handling of employees pay and benefits,
communications to customers, community partnerships, etc.).
Given the rapid pace of changes to state and local mandates, several respondents noted that their
closure processes were still being developed at the time they completed this survey. However, most
respondents were able to outline at least one measure being put into place as part of their closure.
Two weeks was most often mentioned as a preliminary closure period, though some respondents
specified a longer closure period as mandated by state or local authorities.
Some of the most commonly cited steps taken involved employee pay and benefits. Many
respondents noted that staff would be paid in some form, but a significant number said that
employees would not receive pay during a closure (especially in the case of hourly workers). Though
there was some overlap in practices, responses showed a high degree of variance. The responses in
the lists below are representative of the types of steps most often identified.
 Continuation of normal pay (including approximate commissions and gratuities) for a pre-
determined amount of time, most commonly ranging from one to four weeks
 Continuation of hourly pay (not including commissions or gratuities) for similar durations
 Ceasing wages for employees unable to work
 Continuation of benefits without penalties for those unable to pay insurance premiums
 Continuation of benefits with penalties (employees will pay back premium payments owed through
payroll deductions or payment plans upon reopening)
 Allowing employees to participate in “special projects” such as reorganization, updating policies
and procedures or cleaning and sanitation while closed to earn hourly pay
 Up-front payouts of existing vacation, PTO or sick leave
 Mandating or encouraging staff to exhaust existing vacation, PTO or sick leave immediately
 Encouraging furloughed or laid off staff to file for state unemployment benefits and providing
direction or assistance in some cases
Some respondents mentioned establishing private websites, Facebook groups or the equivalent as a
centralized way to update staff, share resources and stay connected. One respondent noted the
creation of an employee assistance fund created by diverting a percentage of all gift card sales.
Respondents who provided details about customer communications shared similar feedback about
their processes, with most saying that they either called customers on the phone or they used their
websites, email or social media to communicate about closures and reschedule or cancel guest
appointments.
Respondents whose spas are part of a larger entity that also houses one or more restaurants
mentioned providing food care packages for employees or members of the community.
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