Concerns about H1N1 Influenza are beginning to creep back into everyone’s consciousness as summer is drawing to a close. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued updated guidance for businesses and employers, which can be found at:
CDC Guidance for Businesses, Employers, and Workplaces to Plan and Respond to 2009 H1N1 Influenza
Preparing for the Flu: A Communication Toolkit for Businesses and Employers
Employers should be ready to implement strategies to protect their workforces while ensuring continuity of operations. Most of the recommendations boil down to simple common sense:
- Encourage workers who are sick to stay home (or go home if they’ve reported to work);
- Encourage good hygiene in the workplace;
- Prepare for increased numbers of employee absences due to illness in employees and their family members, and plan ways for essential business functions to continue;
- Prepare for the possibility of school and daycare dismissal and closure; and
- Encourage workers to get vaccinated.