COVID-19 AEO Associate Resources

AEO is committed to keeping our PEOPLE, our most important asset, safe and healthy, both mentally and physically. This resource page is designed to address the constantly evolving situations caused by the health pandemic and provide you with the latest guidance.

When the onset of COVID-19 changed all of our lives, AEO’s long-standing commitment to the health and well-being of our associates and customers became even more apparent. We implemented best-in-class health and safety measures across our operations based on the direct advice of medical experts and guidelines from governmental agencies such as the CDC and Health Canada.

Click here to find a testing site near you.

NOTE: The resources and information on this page are not meant to be exhaustive and associates should continue to refer to and abide by all AEO policies and procedures. If you have any further questions or concerns about AEO’s response to COVID-19, safety procedures, benefits options, or your specific situation, please contact your supervisor or HR Business Partner (“HRBP”).

Recent Updates

This page has been updated as of September 7, 2022 with updates to:

Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines

Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines

Based on the latest CDC recommendations, below are AEO’s updated isolation and quarantine guidelines for all associates, effective immediately.

EXPOSURE SCENARIO	VACCINATION STATUS	RETURN TO WORK GUIDANCE
Exposed by a COVID-19+ person	Use guidance regardless of vaccination status or if you have had a previous COVID-19 infection.	If exposed, associates are not required to quarantine, regardless of vaccination status or if they were previously infected with COVID-19. However, if you report to work at an AEO location, you are required to wear a mask around others for 10 days and continue to monitor your symptoms. If symptoms occur, individuals should immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19. While not required, best practice is to be tested after day 5 after exposure. If you test positive, refer to the guidelines below.
COVID+ SCENARIO	ISOLATION GUIDANCE	RETURN TO WORK GUIDANCE
Tested Positive for COVID-19	Regardless of vaccination status, associates who test positive for COVID-19 must stay home for 5 days and isolate from others.	Associates may return to work after 5 full days if symptoms have resolved. You must continue to wear a mask through day 10. If symptoms persist on or after day 5, you must continue to isolate until your symptoms resolve. AEO reserves the right to require medical documentation and/or test verification to return to work.

Mask Guidance

All associates who work in our offices, DCs and stores should feel comfortable wearing a mask at any time. Many within our AEO community continue to care for immunocompromised family members or have children under the age of 5 who cannot yet be vaccinated.
AEO is following the CDC’s COVID 19 Community Levels tracker by county, a tool to help assess prevention steps using the latest data. Before coming to work, please check the status of your county’s COVID community level here. Masks are optional for fully-vaccinated associates working in New York City. Unvaccinated associates who work or travel to New York City and have an approved accommodation must continue to wear a mask.

Low: You are not required to wear a mask at work. However, you are not to report to work if you are experiencing symptoms, test positive, or have a known COVID-19 exposure.

Medium: You are not required to wear a mask at work. Wear a mask if you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness. If you live with or have social contact with someone at high risk for severe illness, consider testing yourself for infection before you get together and wearing a mask when indoors with them.

High: You are required to wear a mask at work. Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status or individual risk (including in K-12 schools and other community settings).

AEO will continue to follow all masking rules set by states and local jurisdictions, regardless of the CDC transmission level tracker. Please check with your state or local health jurisdictions for additional information.
Unvaccinated associates are strongly encouraged to continue masking in all offices, DCs and stores outside of New York City.
Masking on AEO’s corporate jet is required.

Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests

Each household in the United States can now order four at-home COVID-19 tests free of charge! To order yours, please visit www.covidtests.gov.

Booster Info

The CDC approved “mix and match” boosters, meaning you can receive a booster of any vaccine—even if you received your first (or second) dose of a different vaccine.

Pfizer Recipients

If you received a Pfizer vaccine, you can receive a booster if:

You are 12 years or older
5 months have passed since you received your second dose

Moderna

If you received a Moderna vaccine, you can receive a booster if:

You are 18 years or older
6 months have passed since you received your second dose

J&J Recipients

If you received the J&J vaccine, you can receive a booster if:

You are 18 years or older
2 months have passed since you received your J&J vaccine

FAQs

The following documents are available to assist associates with their most frequently asked questions regarding common topics related to COVID-19.

Exposure Control Plans

Paid Time Off and Leave

Preparing For Work

All associates must self-assess and take a proactive, common-sense approach. If you develop flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath), you are instructed to contact your medical provider, are advised to quarantine or to isolate, do not report to work and contact your manager or supervisor immediately.

Guidelines for Self-Check for COVID-19: U.S. Stores and Distribution Centers, U.S. Stores and Distribution Centers (Spanish), Canada Stores and Canada Stores (French).
If you, or someone who resides in your home, is diagnosed with COVID-19 please call 1-877-322-0236 to report the diagnosis to the Global Asset Protection team.
If you believe that you have been exposed to COVID-19, please contact your supervisor and HRBP before coming to work.
CDC – How to Safely Wear and Take Off a Cloth Face Covering

Travel

Corporate associates are asked to limit all domestic travel to necessary matters only. If you have a question regarding planned or future business travel, please discuss with your manager.
All international business travel should be scheduled only as necessary and must be approved by a member of the Executive Leadership Team and Global Asset Protection. All international travel that is related to the normal course of business and does not impact business continuity is currently restricted. For the time being, we encourage all associates to utilize alternate methods of communication, such as video conferencing, instead of booking international travel.
If you have a question regarding planned or future business travel, please discuss with your manager. Additionally, if you are unsure about a planned or future meeting with an international vendor or business partner, please consult with your manager.
Any non-vaccinated associate that has traveled to and returned from domestic or International areas deemed high risk for COVID-19 (for work or personal reasons) should inform their supervisor and follow the test out procedures or self-quarantine by working remotely for 10 daysfrom the date of their return or as directed by state-specific guidelines.
For those who have started to travel for business, please note that we are continuing to comply with local requirements on both sides of your trip. If you have any specific questions about upcoming travel, please feel free to reach out to our Global Asset Protection team at aetravelsafe@ae.com.

Additional Resources

If you develop flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath), please do not go to the office and work from home until the symptoms are gone. In light of the coronavirus outbreak, Global Asset Protection presents the following resources for our associates.

World Health Organization (WHO) Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): WHO’s pages and resources on the virus, primarily for the public and health professionals.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Infection (CDC) 2019 Novel Coronavirus: CDC’s pages and resources on the virus, primarily geared to a U.S. audience, including resources geared toward businesses, travel, health professionals, laboratories, and the public.

Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019: Guidance from the CDC designed to help prevent workplace exposures to acute respiratory illnesses, including nCoV, in non-healthcare settings. The guidance also provides planning considerations if there are more widespread, community outbreaks of COVID-19.

OSAC Travel Tips: Coronavirus: The U.S. Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) offers tips to stay healthy when travelling abroad.

2019 Novel Coronavirus Hazardous Information Training Sheet (HITS): Developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Service, this HITS provides information on the evolving Coronavirus and tips for workforce protection and readiness.

Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering Coronavirus Map and Information: Presents a heat map of worldwide infections and the latest statistics of confirmed cases, fatalities, and recoveries.

Human Resources Support

Field Associates: For any additional questions, email a member of your HR Team at FieldHRCommunication@ae.com. To best support you, please be sure to provide your employee ID with your inquiry.
Corporate Associates: For any additional questions, contact your designated HRBP or email HRQuestion@ae.com.
Distribution Center Associates: For additional questions, contact a member of your local HR team.

Canada Associates

COVID19 & Temporary Layoff Resources

Health & Benefits Resources

For additional support, reach out to a member of our benefits team:

Email CanadianBenefits@ae.com or by phone at 289-562-8077
Distribution Center Associates: For any additional questions, contact a member of your local HR Team.