Update to Sebis information regarding the COVID-19 virus.
As the COVID-19 virus event continues, many Sebis clients and stakeholders have been in communication and have brought questions and concerns. Since the Pandemic is unprecedented, some of these concerns and questions have never been raised.
I am sure all of you have been watching the news and may be wondering how the spread of the COVID-19 virus might affect the important work that we do for you.
Sebis, and companies like us, play a very important and critical role in the United States commerce. We facilitate 100’s of thousands of important transactional documents and information per day. Sebis must continue its important work and do its part to prevent enlargement of this problem by adding economic distress. Sebis considers ALL business to be essential as the value created generates income used by all people to support themselves and their families.
We are closely monitoring Coronavirus (COVID-19) and following the current guidance from the The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure that we are taking the right actions to protect our customers and employees.
Epidemics such as this are a new reality. We need to accept it and keep moving forward. I can assure you that we have no intention of shutting down the important work that we do.
It is prudent for us, along with other firms and households, to take precautionary measures. This is to protect us as well as all those people and organizations that depend on us.
| Item | Detail |
| Stay at Home Orders Issued in the States Sebis Operates in | A Shelter in Place order was issued by the State of Illinois on March 20, 2020. Likewise the State of Ohio issued a Director’s Stay at Home Order on March 22, 2020. Sebis is exempted in numerous ways by the orders issued in all states. Sebis has instructed its’ workforce that it provides essential services and is to remain open and operating throughout the effective term of these orders. Both of these orders offer extensive content on the concept of defining what essential work or activity is. But is it so easy for policymakers to judge what is “essential” and “nonessential” business activity? Take supermarkets. They are essential as the main food source for people self isolating or working from home. But if supermarkets and their supplies are essential, so are their goods’ manufacturers, the producers of plastic and cardboard carrying the goods, the company’s accountants and financial advisers, cleaning companies that serve the stores, cleaning products used by said companies, the truckers who ferry the goods, gas stations, rest stops, farms, farm equipment manufacturers, mechanical service stations for trucks and farm equipment, and more. No central planning committee has knowledge sufficient enough to understand the complexities of the US economy well enough to decide what is essential. The State of Ohio was able to include a newly created document issued by the department of Homeland Security. Titled: Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience in COVID-19 Response. This nine page document identified industries and workers responsibilities that are considered essential. See below: HEALTHCARE / PUBLIC HEALTH Workers that manage health plans, billing, and health information, who cannot practically work remotely. COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Sebis participates in about 50% of the activities noted in the section. FINANCIAL SERVICES Sebis participates in all aspects of these services noted in the section. |
| Communication With Employees | A large amount of information is being distributed from a vast number of sources. We have seen examples of over reaction such as stocking up on supplies, etc. We see communication with employees at large and on a one-by-one basis as very important. Sebis is a small organization so the lines of communication are short. Sebis has always been a transparent organization and that policy will propagate during this event as well. Sebis employees know and understand that we perform critically important roles in the cycles and function of business. Upper management will continue to reinforce this information and the importance of the work that we perform. Sebis conducted a meeting of all employees. A great deal of information was exchanged and risks were identified and discussed. Additional company-wide meetings will be held as the situation evolves. |
| Attendance Policies | Sebis has a modern approach to attendance and will make any adjustments as the virus epidemic evolves. Sebis will extend paid sick leave to anyone who is sick or tests positive for the virus. |
| Supply Chain | Sebis is communicating with its supply chain partners to identify any potential problems or interruptions. Sebis is not aware of any anticipated USPS disruptions. Sebis will stay updated with its senior contacts at the USPS facilities it works with. |
| Equipment Readiness | Sebis is making sure that all equipment is fully operational at 100% of design specifications. Seldom used equipment is being cycled and checked for service. |
| Cross Training | Additional cross training is being performed to increase our ability to fill shortages in personnel due to possible absenteeism. |
| Facilities Maintenance | Sebis is retaining additional services to clean and sanitize work areas. |
| Support CDC Recommendations | Sebis is posting CDC recommendations in its facilities and encouraging employees to seek information from this resource. Sebis continues to point its employees to CDC information and recommendations. |
| Communication With Clients | Sebis has always believed that bad news does not get better with age. If we do see a problem on the horizon or in the present, Sebis pledges to communicate quickly and transparently to clients. Together we can better arrive at solutions to problems if they occur. |
| Identification of Non-Essential Activities | In the unlikely event of resource shortages, cessation of non-essential activities will allow resources to be applied to more critical activities. Applications such as those involved in banking (checks) and delivery of critical information would be considered the most essential. |
| Additional Personnel | Sebis is actively adding production personnel to further bolster human resources. |
Over the recent period, a number of questions and concerns have been communicated to Sebis. The following is a summary of these items along with Sebis comments and answers.
| Does your company have a formal Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery (BC/DR) plan? | Sebis has a formal Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery Plan. |
| Does your BC/DR plan specifically address risks and actions to take in case of a pandemic outbreak in your geographic location? | The current events are unprecedented to Sebis. There are no specific plan elements that address a pandemic outbreak that would affect all of its facilities. |
| Does your company have specific contingency plans to minimize disruptions to services due to employee illness and/or absenteeism in the event of a pandemic? | The planning that is in effect currently addresses excessive absenteeism. In the event of a significant loss of resources, Sebis would focus on the most critical business processes it services and relax attention on those service that are not so critical. Of course, this would be done in close cooperation with partners. |
| Has your company provided relevant communications and training to your employees as it relates to a pandemic and its potential disruption of business activities? | Sebis is communicating with employees regularly regarding their needs, Sebis business issues, health and production related issues. |
| Does your company rely upon any critical third parties (i.e., your own vendors) to deliver normal operations and business processes relative to servicing clients? If so, what are the associated activities/processes, the vendors providing these activities/processes, and their relevant BC/DR plans with regard to COVID-19? | Sebis has a critical supply chain. This includes the United States Postal Service. Sebis is in constant communication with these organizations and is reviewing their plans and accommodations. |
| Who is the primary BC/DR point of contact at your company as it relates to a potential pandemic occurrence (name, title, phone, email, etc.)? | In a pandemic situation no demise of premises is anticipated. All IT services including phones and internet are anticipated to remain in-service and active. Clients are to use their normal contacts through normal channels. All Sebis applications have a primary and a backup Account Manager. Clients are advised to use their already known contact information including phone and email. |
| If a pandemic were to occur in your area, what are the potential worst case service level and business disruptions that the company may experience as it relates to meeting contractual service requirements? What BC/DR preparations and actions are you planning in this regard? | The potential worst case scenario would be a temporary partial or total interruption of service. |
| Is Sebis an Essential Business? If a controlling government agency were to mandate no one but essential personnel report to work, what would Sebis do? |
Sebis considers any business that provides employment, customer value, provides jobs that supports people and their families, pays bills and contributes taxes to be an “Essential Business.” Without these businesses, we have no healthcare, housing, food and other essentials as well as quality of life goods and services. Life safety is provided by business and employment. All Business is Essential! Some government agencies have created their own definition of “Essential Businesses”. For the purposes of certain evaluating agencies, Sebis considers itself an essential business entity for several reasons. 1) Sebis is in the mailing business. Essential business communications are performed by Sebis in every media. 2) Sebis facilitates financial transactions and is an essential supplier to the banking industry. 3) Sebis is an essential supplier to the healthcare industry. 4) Sebis is an essential supplier to many government agencies from municipal to federal. This includes agencies of all types including the Veterans Administration. Sebis rejects the idea that any government agency can best centrally control the economy. However, Sebis is encouraged that the most restrictive action taken so far by a government agency as of March 17th is perhaps the San Francisco area “Shelter in Place” order. Sebis studied the order and it specifically makes the following statement regarding what “Essential Businesses” means: “x. Businesses providing mailing and shipping services, including post office boxes;” Sebis is conditioned IN as an essential business by the directing agency. |
| Is there a list of Essential Personnel? Who will be running client applications? | There is no list of essential personnel at Sebis. Sebis does not publish data on employee names that have specific responsibilities that have no ordinary client contact. If an emergency state exists, Sebis would weigh its options to employ non-compliant processes or personnel against the risk and outcome of an interruption of service. Of course any and all of these decisions would be made in cooperation with our client partners. |
| What are you doing to plan for a "Shelter in Place Order" in one of the cities that your facilities are? | See the Essential Business item above. So far, it appears that Sebis would be conditioned out of this type of order. |
| What are you doing to prepare for an employee testing positive for COVID-19? | Any employee testing positive for COVID-19 is required to stay home regardless of how symptomatic he/she is for the time period recommended by the CDC. |
| What if the local health department forces you to shut down for 14 days? | Sebis would need to see the specific order. As an essential business providing multiple forms of business services to healthcare, we believe that we could argue for our continued operation. In the event of the demise of one of its facilities, Sebis will transfer protected applications to the alternate facility. |
| What happens if the USPS shuts down? | Sebis is following USPS COVID-19 announcements. So far, we see no risk of a USPS shutdown. If the USPS shuts down in it’s entirety, then Sebis will not release new mail to the USPS. |
| We may not want to send statements for several months. Is this ok? | The first place to look for information here is in any existing contracts. Some clients are planning to relax collection policies. Sebis is always a willing partner that is nimble and willing to adjust its services to best meet client requirements. |
Sebis appreciates the trust and partnership you have placed in us to provide you the critical services that we do.
That relationship is our biggest asset. At this time, we do not anticipate problems in the delivery of these services. In the event that problems emerge that cause delays or interruptions, we trust that the partnerships we have will be key in any process, solution or accommodation that needs to be made.
Thank you very much for the trust you have placed in Sebis.
