The FTC is taking a variety of measures to respond to the new and challenging circumstances associated with the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis. The two main priorities, as always, are the health and safety of people, their families, and the entities and individuals who appear before us; and the continuity of our mission to protect consumers and competition. To that end, we have implemented the following changes:
- First, most of our employees are working remotely, with limited exceptions for emergency personnel and staff who must be in the office to perform mission-essential work. By minimizing the number of people coming into our facilities, we can better protect those who do need to be here.
- Second, we have suspended non-critical FTC domestic and international travel. We have prohibited travel to those countries identified as high risk by the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of State. For travel to other destinations, staff may undertake official travel only in compelling circumstances, with the permission of top-level management. This will have implications for a range of activities, and we are in the process of identifying and evaluating those implications. For example, we are canceling participation in most conferences and other public events for the foreseeable future, and any participation likely will be remotely rather than in person.
- Third, we are suspending unplanned visitor access to FTC facilities. Almost all internal and external meetings will be handled by telephone or videoconference, and parties should assume that meetings will be held remotely, rather than in-person, until further notice.
We will continue to closely monitor the situation, and evaluate and update our practices as circumstances change. Despite these procedural changes, the FTC will be conducting the business of the Commission without interruption. Our work is as important now as ever, and we remain committed to protecting consumers and competition. You can learn more about consumer topics and file a consumer complaint online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).