Update on Novel Coronavirus COVID-19

10th May 2021

The office has re-opened to the public. Track and trace registration with our reception will continue to be mandatory for the time being.

12th April 2021

We are delighted to say that our teams are all returning to working from the office! Some of our staff will continue to work from home and/or work hybridly.

Client visits to the office will be by appointment only, and registration of your details with reception will be mandatory.

4th December 2020

Due to increased case numbers in Jersey and local regulations our offices are closed to the general public. All of our colleagues are working from home with the exception of staff who are essential to the running of the office.

Our colleagues will not be meeting clients face to face until further notice. All of our colleagues have access to video call facilities and secure document portals.

13th October 2020

Our offices are open to clients although we continue to follow States of Jersey guidance including one metre physical distancing and other hygiene measures as well as keeping a ‘track and trace’ register.

Meetings are therefore limited to no more than four people (in addition to one PKF BBA representative) and we continue to encourage virtual meetings when possible.

If you plan to visit our offices we would kindly ask you to call beforehand to arrange a time so we can safely accommodate you and in doing so you confirm you are not suffering from any COVID 19 symptoms nor come into contact, in the previous 14 days, with anyone you are aware has tested positive.

23rd March 2020

Further to the measures described on 13th March 2020 below the following additional measures are now in place:

• Our offices will be closed to the general public from today, 23rd March 2020.

• The maximum number of staff on any floor of the office is limited to one.

• From 30th March 2020 the maximum number of staff in the office will be two.

Our staff continue to work from home with full remote access to all of our systems. Please email your usual contact, or call the office on 01534 858490 and your call will be automatically redirected.

13th March 2020

With the uncertainty of the situation surrounding novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continuing to evolve, we understand that it is affecting businesses in many different ways. We want to assure you that your team at PKF bba is fully committed to the safety and health of our employees and our community while ensuring minimal disruption to our work and client service during this critical time.

We have always had a strong infrastructure in place to support our business continuity efforts. We are making the most of our resources and policies and strengthening them where necessary to ensure our firm and our clients are in the best position to succeed without interruption during this time. Some of the specific steps, resources and policies we’ve introduced are:

• We have the technology infrastructure for our entire firm to work remotely. We performed a full test of all remote access systems and processes with a mandatory work from home day for all employees on Wednesday 11th March 2020. No critical system issues or impact on our employees’ ability to work were identified.

• We have implemented a maximum office employee attendance rate of 50% with effect from Monday 16th March 2020. A minimum of half of our employees will be required to work from home in order to allow distancing within the office. Employees are actively encouraged to work from home and are being paid a home working allowance.

• We are bolstering resources on video conferencing and remote communication strategies to all employees.

• We are re-planning our on-island assignments, including audits, to be performed remotely where possible.

• We have communicated to our staff that if they have symptoms such as fever, sneezing, coughing, etc. we request that they stay home.

• We have communicated to visitors to our office (including clients) that if they have symptoms, they should reschedule their meetings with us or meet remotely.

• We have restricted all employee travel to on-island only.

We will continue to update you on the specific steps PKF bba is taking as the situation evolves. We also want to make sure that your business is as prepared as it can be during this time of uncertainty. To that end, several of our colleagues have documented considerations and best practices to help businesses protect their critical assets in the face of this changing dynamic. We have attached two of those key resources here:

Factoring Coronavirus into your Business Continuity Plan, by Mark Bednarz, CPA, CISA, CFE, Partner at PKF O’Connor Davies

Dealing with the Cybersecurity Challenges of Coronavirus, by Thomas J. DeMayo, Principal, Cyber Risk Management at PKF O’Connor Davies

We also direct your attention to guidance issued by various Jersey authorities here:

Advice for businesses on coronavirus (COVID-19), Government of Jersey

Information for regulated businesses – Coronavirus (COVID-19), Jersey Financial Services Commission

We hope you find these helpful as you plan for what’s to come. As always, the team at PKF bba is here for you. We will continue to monitor this challenging situation on an hour-by-hour, day-by-day basis and communicate with you as needed. Thank you for continuing to put your trust in us. Stay safe and well.