Pandemic News: COVID-19 Messages from ASSL

Update: Wednesday, May 13th 2020:

Update: Tuesday, May 12th 2020:

Update: Tuesday, April 21st 2020:

A Message from the Chief Human Resource Officer: COVID-19 Relief Measures

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a truly unprecedented situation which affects us all. The Executive and Management of Amalgamated Security Services Limited (ASSL), is aware that this is a difficult time that is full of uncertainty and anxiety for everyone, as a result of which we are committed to putting our employees first. Therefore Management would like to take this opportunity to inform of the additional measures being taken to ensure the safety, good health and well-being of you our valued employees and your families.

1. EARLY PAY

In an effort to assist our employees and provide some relief, Management is pleased to advise that salary for the month of April will be available in your respective bank accounts on Wednesday 22nd. April 2020.

2. DEFERRAL OF PAYMENT TO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

All deductions have been processed however these will not be released until April 25th. 2020 If you have a deferral agreement, please submit this to the HR Department before April 25th. 2020, so that the monies could be released back to you. Once we do not hear from you, we will be making your payments on the April 25th. 2020.

You can contact us via our Employee Care Hotline at 330 – 1133 during 8:00a.m to 4:00p.m. Monday to Friday.

Employees are encouraged to contact their respective financial institutions (Banks, Credit Unions or other Finance house) to make personal arrangements for deferral of their loan payments/commitments, if required. Some banks are willing to defer payments for periods of three to six months. However it is to be noted that each case is to be assessed individually on its merit, which is why you are required to make personal representation to your Bank or Credit Union.

3. ASSISTANCE WITH APPLICATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT RELIEF GRANTS

In addition, the company has collected all the information you may need to apply for government grants and services and to advise of the various measures being put in place to ease the burden of the staff whilst we continue to work with you throughout this period as the situation evolves. In this regard the following is provided for your information and can be accessed based on your current need.

4. LOSS OF EARNINGS DUE TO REDUCED HOURS OF WORK AFTER 16TH. MARCH 2020

Persons who incurred a reduction of working hours which resulted in loss of earnings for March and April 2020, due to the Novel Corona virus (Covid – 19), are eligible to apply for the following Government Grants of Social Assistance for a period not exceeding three months:

Rental Support up to a maximum of $2500.00
Food Support up to a maximum of $500.00
Income Support Grant of a maximum of $1500.00/ month

Can I apply for all three grants at once?

Yes you can apply for all three grants at the same time, or you can also apply for only one of the grants, provided that you would have been retrenched, suspended from work or incurred a reduction in income during the period 16 March to 30 June 2020.

Rental Support

You are a tenant of a rental accommodation paid for by you.
To qualify for rental support, applicants are required to submit a rental agreement, Evidence of most recent payment and a copy of the landlord’s or landlady’s ID card payment will be made directly to the landlord or landlady).

Food Support

A family whose child/children is/are registered with the School Feeding Programme and are not in receipt of a Food Card will be eligible for receipt of a temporary Food Card for a period of three (3) months.
Persons will be contacted by their MP Offices, to be informed of the collection of Food Cards once they are deemed by the government agency to be eligible. The government has made this very easy for you to access and you will not be required to visit any office to obtain this benefit.

Income Support

Persons wishing to apply for only the Income Support Grant of $1500.00/ month, can do so using the attached NIS form. This will allow for faster processing of this single benefit if this is all being applied for.

The grant applies to employees and their family members as detailed in the Guidelines from the Ministry of Social Development. It is also applicable to persons who experienced an income reduction or earnings loss as a result of having to care for Dependents (children, parents or family members) or due to Self-isolation/self-quarantine orders from the Ministry of Health. Evidence of such will be required in support of your application.
Total income of the households must not exceed Ten Thousand dollars ($10,000.00) after statutory deductions which are PAYE (Tax), NIS and Health Surcharge.

5. WE WILL HELP YOU PROCESS YOUR APPLICATION

To ensure that the application is processed timely, please enclose copies of the following

documents with the completed assessment and declaration form attesting to the accuracy and truthfulness of the information provided:

1.National Identification (NOT Driver’s Permit or Passport) for each affected employee

2.Non-national must provide their Certificate of Registration;

3.Where there are employed members of the family, apart from the applicant, proof of actual earnings must be submitted such as a payslip and job letter

Persons wishing to access this government facility are urged to submit their applications to their respective Divisional Managers or directly to the Human Resource department, Head Office Macoya, on or before Saturday 25 April 2020 with all supporting documents. Please refer to the blank application (click here).

6. QUICK HELP FOR COMPLETION OF APPLICATION

Where assistance is needed in any aspects of your application please contact our Employee Care Hotline at 330 – 1133 during 8:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. Monday to Friday. Someone will be available to guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have.

The Management of ASSL is taking every precaution to ensure that transitioning through this very difficult period is made as painless as possible for all of us. It is for this reason that we have made available to all employees and their families, face masks, sanitization products at all work locations, provided Covid – 19 Health and Safety awareness sessions and continue to keep all employees updated on developments as and when they occur.

Our team at the Human Resource department is quite willing and ready to assist you in completing the relevant application to access this and any other benefit for which you may qualify.

Should you require assistance in any aspect of your individual or family circumstance related to Covid 19, please do not hesitate to contact our Employee Care Hotline at 330 – 1133 during 8:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. Monday to Friday.

#Practice Safety- wear face masks.

#Practice hygiene-wash hands.

#Practice good citizenship- adhere to the government’s orders and respect the protocols of social distancing at all times.

We will get through this together caring for our Amalgamated Family

Update: Monday, April 20th 2020:

Message # from the Chief Security Officer

In an earlier communication, I advised you all of the recommendations of the World Health Organization and of our own Ministry of Health. I am referring of course to the importance of frequently washing hands and to the wearing of face masks when in public, as we combat the deadly COVID 19 Virus.

In that regard I informed you already of the following:

ASSL will issue to all Officers cloth face masks as follows:

Each Officer is being issued with two cloth face masks for his own use.
Each Officer is being provided with one cloth face mask for each member of his immediate family.

I am pleased to inform you that cloth face masks have been distributed nationwide inclusive of Tobago. Every single Division and Department has been issued cloth face masks for distribution to employees and their families.

However, you are hereby reminded that it is your duty to wear these masks as recommended and instructed:

Face masks must be worn at all times whilst in public, whereby

In public means: on your way to and from work and whilst on duty at the customer’s location.
This is to ensure your own safety and that of the customer and the wider public.
Please advise members of your family and loved ones that they too must exercise a sense of civic and personal responsibility and wear their masks once leaving the safety of their homes.

If for any reason you have not been issued masks either for yourself or for members of your immediate family, please immediately inform your Manager or Head of Department for rectification.

Please also be reminded that:

At Locations where running water is available we have provided soap.
At Locations where running water is not readily available and/or the opportunity to wash hands frequently is not feasible, we have provided hand sanitizers.
At locations where Officers are engaged in reading body temperatures etc. or are employed at banks we have provided Face Shields.

You are again reminded that you must inform your Manager and/or administrative staff should your stock of hand soaps or sanitizers become diminished or is about to be finished, so that replenishment can be provided.

I shall end by reminding you all that this virus, COVID-19, does not respect anyone of us and that therefore we are all in this together. Together we will get through this.

Keep Safe! Protect Yourself!

Regards,

Lyris Graham Williams

Chief Security Officer

Update: Thursday, April 16th 2020:

Pandemic News: COVID-19 Messages from ASSL

Update: Wednesday, May 13th 2020:

Update: Tuesday, May 12th 2020:

Update: Tuesday, April 21st 2020:

A Message from the Chief Human Resource Officer: COVID-19 Relief Measures

1. EARLY PAY

2. DEFERRAL OF PAYMENT TO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

You can contact us via our Employee Care Hotline at 330 – 1133 during 8:00a.m to 4:00p.m. Monday to Friday.

3. ASSISTANCE WITH APPLICATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT RELIEF GRANTS

4. LOSS OF EARNINGS DUE TO REDUCED HOURS OF WORK AFTER 16TH. MARCH 2020

Rental Support up to a maximum of $2500.00
Food Support up to a maximum of $500.00
Income Support Grant of a maximum of $1500.00/ month

Can I apply for all three grants at once?

Rental Support

You are a tenant of a rental accommodation paid for by you.
To qualify for rental support, applicants are required to submit a rental agreement, Evidence of most recent payment and a copy of the landlord’s or landlady’s ID card payment will be made directly to the landlord or landlady).

Food Support

A family whose child/children is/are registered with the School Feeding Programme and are not in receipt of a Food Card will be eligible for receipt of a temporary Food Card for a period of three (3) months.
Persons will be contacted by their MP Offices, to be informed of the collection of Food Cards once they are deemed by the government agency to be eligible. The government has made this very easy for you to access and you will not be required to visit any office to obtain this benefit.

Income Support

Persons wishing to apply for only the Income Support Grant of $1500.00/ month, can do so using the attached NIS form. This will allow for faster processing of this single benefit if this is all being applied for.

The grant applies to employees and their family members as detailed in the Guidelines from the Ministry of Social Development. It is also applicable to persons who experienced an income reduction or earnings loss as a result of having to care for Dependents (children, parents or family members) or due to Self-isolation/self-quarantine orders from the Ministry of Health. Evidence of such will be required in support of your application.
Total income of the households must not exceed Ten Thousand dollars ($10,000.00) after statutory deductions which are PAYE (Tax), NIS and Health Surcharge.

5. WE WILL HELP YOU PROCESS YOUR APPLICATION

To ensure that the application is processed timely, please enclose copies of the following

documents with the completed assessment and declaration form attesting to the accuracy and truthfulness of the information provided:

1.National Identification (NOT Driver’s Permit or Passport) for each affected employee

2.Non-national must provide their Certificate of Registration;

3.Where there are employed members of the family, apart from the applicant, proof of actual earnings must be submitted such as a payslip and job letter

6. QUICK HELP FOR COMPLETION OF APPLICATION

Our team at the Human Resource department is quite willing and ready to assist you in completing the relevant application to access this and any other benefit for which you may qualify.

#Practice Safety- wear face masks.

#Practice hygiene-wash hands.

#Practice good citizenship- adhere to the government’s orders and respect the protocols of social distancing at all times.

We will get through this together caring for our Amalgamated Family

Update: Monday, April 20th 2020:

Message # from the Chief Security Officer

In that regard I informed you already of the following:

ASSL will issue to all Officers cloth face masks as follows:

Each Officer is being issued with two cloth face masks for his own use.
Each Officer is being provided with one cloth face mask for each member of his immediate family.

However, you are hereby reminded that it is your duty to wear these masks as recommended and instructed:

Face masks must be worn at all times whilst in public, whereby

In public means: on your way to and from work and whilst on duty at the customer’s location.
This is to ensure your own safety and that of the customer and the wider public.
Please advise members of your family and loved ones that they too must exercise a sense of civic and personal responsibility and wear their masks once leaving the safety of their homes.

If for any reason you have not been issued masks either for yourself or for members of your immediate family, please immediately inform your Manager or Head of Department for rectification.

Please also be reminded that:

At Locations where running water is available we have provided soap.
At Locations where running water is not readily available and/or the opportunity to wash hands frequently is not feasible, we have provided hand sanitizers.
At locations where Officers are engaged in reading body temperatures etc. or are employed at banks we have provided Face Shields.

I shall end by reminding you all that this virus, COVID-19, does not respect anyone of us and that therefore we are all in this together. Together we will get through this.

Keep Safe! Protect Yourself!

Regards,

Lyris Graham Williams

Chief Security Officer

Update: Thursday, April 16th 2020:

Update: Tuesday, April 14th 2020:

Amalgamated Security Services Limited: CLOTH MASK DRIVE

Under its ‘Amalgamated Security Saving Lives’ initiative, ASSL has embarked on a “Cloth Masks Drive” that will see staff of the company producing cloth masks and distributing those cloth masks free of charge. The masks will not only be given to ASSL employees and their families but also to the wider communities that we serve and continue to protect throughout this crisis.

Amalgamated Security Services Ltd. (ASSL) has been and continues to provide the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all of its officers while at work, but this initiative extends beyond that. In keeping with the Government’s call for appropriate public health measures in wearing masks while in public, ASSL aims to give over 25,000 free cloth masks to staff along with their immediate household members, as well as our communities at large.

For ASSL staff who are not at offices due to the country wide “stay at home” mandate, the company is doing its very best to supply them with continued work opportunities. Those who have the sewing skill set, have been repurposed to work from home preparing and sewing cloth masks for free distribution to ASSL staff, families and communities at large. All materials necessary for producing these cloth masks are being provided to our employees at no cost. Through the “Cloth Mask Drive” Amalgamated Security is honoring its role as a corporate citizen of Trinidad and Tobago by assisting the country in reserving the critical supplies of the surgical and N95 masks for healthcare workers and other medical first responders.

While our country is facing these evolving and unpredictable circumstances, ASSL continues its commitment to the well-being and safety of all our staff, their families and the broader public that we serve. We are in the fight against this global pandemic with you. As a nation, we will do this together!

SAFETY TIPS FOR USING CLOTH MASKS:

Update: Monday, April 13th 2020: Easter Message from the Chairman: COVID-19

Update: Friday, April 10th, 2020: Message #1 from the Chief Security Officer

May I first thank you and all of your colleagues, without any exception, for your dedicated and unwavering service even whilst we are facing these challenging times.

The Pandemic, COVID – 19 is sweeping through the Globe with a speed and impact that is indeed frightening. However, we at Amalgamated Security Services Limited, as an essential service, must continue along with the other essential services to provide peace and security not only to our clients but to our communities at large.

You are all being applauded for your tireless efforts to serve our customers and to support your peers and indeed for the service you provide to our communities and the nation at large.

We must be mindful though of our blessings amidst the turmoil, there are many community members whose jobs have been lost and who now are uncertain of a way forward. The management at Amalgamated Security continues to do all in their power to keep everybody fully employed for the time being, even as we are being impacted by the closure or reduction of services of many of our customers. Notwithstanding that so many of our Customers have closed their doors and discontinued our service, we have continued to ensure that all of us share in what’s left of the pie.

In that regard, many of you will experience a reduction of work hours as we seek to make sure that all of you continue to be employed and continue to receive income. Rosters are being amended and work days of some of you will be reduced. This will not be welcome news to any of you, but is necessary in the circumstances that we are in and is required to sustain the company that continues to pay our salaries despite the challenging times we are in. So therefore initial reductions will be from the existing rosters to five days and then to four days.

I ask all of you to be mindful of your colleagues and friends and to be generous of spirit as we hold together the Amalgamated Family, in order to ensure that all our family members will survive these challenging times.

Where the reduced hours will adversely affect you financially, please make contact with us after salaries are paid and the company will provide assistance through review on a case-by-case basis. The Company will grant a soft loan to be repaid once normalcy occurs. Note that this is a condition of you satisfying the criteria of working as scheduled and your financial issue was a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

May I also take this opportunity to remind you of and share with you the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO), particularly with regard to the washing of hands. Trust me, I too feel that I have never washed my hands so often before. It can seem tiring, overdone or time consuming but consider the alternative.

IT DOES SAVE LIVES.

In this regard, ASSL has instituted the following:

At Locations where running water is available we have provided soap.

At Locations where running water is not readily available and/or the opportunity to wash hands frequently is not feasible, we have provided hand sanitizers.

At locations where officers are engaged in reading body temperatures or the like we have provided additional face shields or whatever the specific location may require..

You are encouraged to advise your division when the stocks are low to aid with timely replenishment. You can also call the Employee Care Hotline and inform them of your need.

Additionally, ASSL has undertaken an initiative based on the advice of the Ministry of Health in respect of the wearing of cloth masks. This is a recommendation also held by the World Health Organization. The adoption of this practice can be seen in societies all over the world and so we have done the following:

Each Officer shall be issued with two cloth face masks for his own use.

Each Officer shall be provided with a cloth face mask for each member of his immediate family.

The face mask initiative is currently underway and is prioritized to ensure these masks are provided in the quickest possible time to all officers and their beloved families.

I shall end by reminding you all that this virus, COVID-19, does not respect anyone of us but that we are all in this together. We must therefore extend our arms to each other and be each our brother’s keeper.

No matter our religious persuasion or cultural origins it is at times like this we each singularly and collectively call out to God for his divine intervention. Let us continue to pray for each other and help each other through these trying times.

If you are experiencing any peculiar issue related to work caused by COVID-19 Pandemic, please call either

the CSO: Lyris Graham-Williams at 730-3120
or Deputy CSO: South Esther Lewis-Cummings at 730-0746
or Deputy CSO:East Natalie Woods at 730-0477.
Or Email CSO Dept (csodept@assl.com)

Regards,

Lyris Graham-Williams

Chief Security Officer (CSO)

Update: Thursday, April 09th 2020:

National Applause – ASSL Office: Chaguanas

Update – Saturday, 21st March 2020: Message #3 from the CEO

Update – Tuesday 17th March 2020 : Message #2 from the CEO

March 17 2020

MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO – COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Dear Staff

On behalf of everyone at Amalgamated Security Services Limited, our hearts go out to all those who’ve been affected by COVID-19. Our focus is, as always, on the health and safety of our employees, customers and communities.

The situation is changing rapidly, and to do our part in slowing the spread of the virus, please note the following:

Telecommuting policy effective from March 17, 2020. The Human Resource Dept. will communicate more details.
Individuals on vacation leave for foreign travel can reschedule within 12 months
Individuals on approved leave can proceed on leave but bear in mind that they may be called in for crisis response.
Initiate virtual meetings using technology based platforms. No physical meetings with more than 5 persons.
No inter-department movement (stay in your zone)
No children at workplace
Pay attention to physical HSE signs and guidelines
Maintain watch on ASSL Corporate site [https://dev1.assl.com]for RESPONSIBLE updates, preventive measures, etc.
Practice health rules at home as well
Report any need for cleansing beyond what is available to HSE Dept.
Stay away and report sick if you have flu-like symptoms
Notify HSE immediately if you have been told by official personnel to quarantine
Do not stay away from work if you are not sick
Wash your hands frequently.
We realize that individuals practice unconscious habits. Highlighted below are some of those habits:

UNCONCIOUS HABITS

Wiping your mouth with your hands after eating. It is advised not to touch your face with unwashed hands since pathogens (bacteria, virus or other microorganism) picked up by your bare hands can enter your body through the eyes, nose and mouth.
Picking food from between your teeth with your finger or fingernails.
Rubbing your eyes with bare or unwashed hands.
Opening restroom doors with your bare hands. It is advised that you use a hand towel to open public restroom doors after washing your hands with soap and water.
Shaking hands upon meeting. We advise you to avoid physical contact (hugs, handshakes, kissing etc.) when greeting each other. If you need to acknowledge someone’s presence, it is advisable to follow the Japanese style of bowing or waving to the person.
Making cash payments. Paper currency is very dirty. You should therefore avoid making cash payments and, if possible, use your bank debit card. If handling cash is unavoidable, clean your hands with soap and water, a hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.
Eating at shared tables. It is recommended that you clean any shared table you plan to eat at with a mild disinfecting solution.
Not regularly cleaning your cell phone. The Coronavirus can exist on the glass surface of your cell phone. We recommend using your phone on speaker or through a headset or earbuds whenever possible. Use a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, to gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your cell phone, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces. Do not use bleach. Avoid getting moisture in any opening, and do not submerge your cell phone in any cleaning agents.
Placing your cell phone on counters or tables in public places. It is advised to keep your phone on your person rather than placing it on a shared surface.
Not disinfecting work surfaces before you use them.

Most importantly, you should share all COVID-19 prevention actions with the other members of your family to prevent the spread of the virus. There is no question this is a time of great uncertainty. While we don’t know exactly what the future may hold, we feel confident that by sticking together and supporting each other, we’ll emerge from this stronger than before.

Thank you for your loyalty

Pamela Hosein

Chief Executive Officer

Update – Saturday, 14th March 2020: Message from the CEO

March 14, 2020

MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO – COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN

Dear Stakeholder

The safety and health of our employees, clients, contractors and suppliers remain our top priorities in the current situation of the worldwide pandemic. At Amalgamated Security Services (ASSL), our response action involves full implementation of its EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN – PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS & RESPONSE PROCEDURE. We are actively monitoring the Covid-19 virus (Novel Coronavirus) situation in our region and we are taking the necessary steps to protect the safety and health of our employees, our customers and contractors, and their clients.

We would like to highlight a few precautions that we are taking:

Educating all employees on Covid-19 Virus (Novel Coronavirus) to increase awareness and sensitize them to precautionary measures.
Taking control measures to prevent the virus from entering all ASSL locations.
Limiting the spread of the virus by protecting healthy employees from potential sick employees/visitors/customers who may carry the virus.
Supporting any action taken by the Government and its Ministries on their initiatives in preventing/containing the virus outbreak.
Limiting the spread of the virus to clients, contractors and their customers, by requesting that any ASSL employee who shows up for work at your business place with flu-like symptoms, be immediately reported to our hotline 330-1133/681-7711 or to your responsible Customer Representative/Liaison/Account Executive or Human Resource Support Manager-Lenore Baptiste-Hernandez at 730-3269/335-4843.
PPE and sanitizing agents for officers conducting searches and handling access control equipment.
Specific to service delivery:
All transport vehicles are being sanitized before and after use with notices placed in vehicles for all passengers/employees
All equipment that is being used for service delivery eg. guns, metal detectors, etc. are being carefully sanitized before and after handling

We are aware of the seriousness of the Covid-19 situation and wish to assure you that Amalgamated Security will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of our employees, our clients and their employees and, our contractors, while maintaining business operations and ensuring minimal disruption to our service delivery as we have reserve staff on standby to meet our commitments.

Yours sincerely

Pamela Hosein

Chief Executive Officer

Update – How to keep your phone sanitized to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Click the link to learn:

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-keep-your-mobile-phone-clean-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/?ftag=TRE684d531&bhid=20851206320782712386746390559084

Coronavirus Resources – NSC

Cases of coronavirus, or COVID-19, have surpassed 117,000 worldwide, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, with more than 800 cases in the United States. The National Safety Council is committed to sharing relevant resources to help keep our members, our instructors and the public informed about this rapidly developing situation. This page will be updated as new information becomes available. [ref. National Safety Council Page]

To keep abreast of updates and guidelines for preparing workplaces for COVID-19, kindly click the link: