Jacy Marmaduke | Fort Collins Coloradoan

Larimer County Department of Health and Environment, Fort Collins Coloradoan

The Qualfon call center in Fort Collins must close its doors by Sunday after a Larimer County health department investigation found the company violated the county's stay-at-home order.

More than a dozen self-identified Qualfon employees told the Coloradoan the call center was violating the county's stay-at-home order by requiring an estimated 150 or more employees of two departments to continue working at the south Fort Collins office.

County officials came to the same conclusion and told the company to close by Sunday, health department spokesperson Katie O'Donnell said. The company could face fines or legal action, but county officials "hope it won't come to that," O'Donnell said.

The call center serving various clients is permitted to transition the employees who were working on-site to remote work, as it previously did for some other employees. The county's stay-at-home order remains in effect through April 17 but could be extended.

Bethany Baker / The Coloradoan

Management gave the on-site employees “safe passage letters” on March 26, the day Colorado and Larimer County stay-at-home orders took effect, that identified them as “critical infrastructure” workers.

But the employees who contacted the Coloradoan said they’re not critical infrastructure workers. They provide outsourced customer service for a satellite radio company and travel concierge services for customers of a credit card company. They don’t provide technical support or manage financial or bank information.

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The employees told the Coloradoan they felt unsafe at the office and feared contracting coronavirus and passing it on to family and community members. Many of the employees who were required to work at the office are older than 60 or have health conditions that put them at elevated risk of coronavirus complications.

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O'Donnell said on Tuesday that the company appeared to be "trying to find loopholes" in the county's order, which permits only essential businesses to remain open through April 17.

Essential businesses include things like supermarkets, health care providers, banking and credit institutions, and tech support for online and telephone services. The state’s “critical infrastructure” category includes telecommunications and data centers.

Qualfon didn’t respond to Coloradoan requests for comment.

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