Total Articles: 28
Superbug Reminds Employers to Get a Pandemic Policy.
Employers heard the word “pandemic” more often then they’d ever imagined during last year’s outbreak of the H1N1 strain of the flu, also known as Swine Flu. While the World Health Organization declared an end to the H1N1 pandemic in June 2010, employers should still be aware of the ways that a pandemic can impact a workforce. The flu is not the only reason to have a pandemic policy in place in your office.
A Flu Update: Proactive Employer Preparations in Advance of a Potential Pandemic.
Government health officials predict millions of Americans will contract the novel H1N1 flu virus, commonly called the Swine Flu. No business will be immune from the effects of this virus. Employers should prepare for the impact of a pandemic on the workplace with a sense of urgency. Proper planning for this serious employment challenge will be essential to protect the health of employees while avoiding disruption of operations.
FAQs About Swine Flu in the Workplace.
A year ago at this time, it seemed that every other phone call or e-mail I received from a client was a question about layoffs and downsizing. This fall, the main questions coming my way have been about swine flu (also known as H1N1). Following are answers to the most common questions I've been asked.
Preparing for Pandemic Influenza: Re-Thinking Employee Health & Wellness Before a Crisis Affects Your Workplace
An influenza pandemic could have a major effect on the economy and all areas of commerce and employment. Business planning for pandemic influenza is essential to minimize a pandemic's impact. In the event of an influenza pandemic, employers will play a critical role in protecting employees' health, safety, and overall well-being.
Better Safe than Sorry: 5 Commonsense Considerations for Employers in the Face of the H1N1 Outbreak.
Panic or pandemic? Right now,
nobody can say for certain what
course the H1N1 virus will take
in the upcoming months. It may
end up like the Bird Flu scare,
having little discernible impact.
Or, our worst fears may be
realized with a widespread
pandemic and disruption to our
daily lives. One thing is certain,
we are already feeling the
effects with mass school
closings, long lines for flu shots,
and chaos in many
pediatricians’ offices.
If A Pandemic Strikes...
With the advent of the H1N1 flu, businesses are preparing for the worst, and hospitals are not exempt from this preparation. While other employers will practice "social distancing," or keeping away from other people's germs, hospitals will be treating the worst H1N1 cases, exposing employees to the virus. Hospitals must have a continuity plan in place so that the facility can operate as normal. Pandemics can create staff shortages due to absences of sick employees and employees taking time off to care for sick family members. Suppliers may be short staffed too, and deliveries of products may be interrupted.
Swine Flu Threat Good For Unions?
Using scare tactics to drum up fear has long been used by unions to generate unhappy employees, and to provide a good environment for unionization. Some unions are now using the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, to create controversy, rather than unifying and assisting hospitals and other industry employers in preparing for a possible pandemic. Finding a topic to exploit with workers is nothing new, and using a topic that scares many and can create a panic is just icing on the cake.
Pandemic Planning - Are You Prepared For This Year's Flu Season?
The H1N1 virus, commonly known as the swine flu, has grabbed headlines and worried millions. The federal government has taken an active role in helping to educate the public regarding prevention and containment of the flu. Most employers have felt the impact of H1N1, and even more are wondering the extent to which their operations will be affected as we approach the heart of the flu season. As a result, employers are preparing pandemic flu plans and taking precautions to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus.
PREPARING FOR THE FLU SEASON: NEW EEOC GUIDANCE.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
("EEOC") has issued technical assistance guidance to help employers prepare for a potential pandemic of the H1N1 flu ("the swine flu"), without running afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"). When employees become ill or travel to parts of the world affected by certain illnesses, employers are often left questioning how they may proceed to protect the workplace and its employees, without violating individual rights.
EEOC Published Flu Pandemic Guidelines.
Wondering what it is okay to say and do with regard to employees who have, or might have, the flu? The EEOC has stepped up with information to clarify with information about flu-related issues based on the principles of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA. The World Heath Organization posts periodic updates on the status of the H1N1 pandemic, which has been in phase 6 (sustained community-level transmission of the virus is taking place in more than one region of the world) since June 2009. Delaware is one of the states that the United States Center for Disease Control currently considers to be experiencing a “widespread” H1N1 flu outbreak.
H1N1 Q&A (pdf).
26 questions and answers about H1N1 and workplace law.
A Flu Update: Proactive Employer Preparations in Advance of a Potential Pandemic.
Government health officials predict millions of Americans will contract the novel H1N1 flu virus, commonly called the Swine Flu. No business will be immune from the effects of this virus. Employers should prepare for the impact of a pandemic on the workplace with a sense of urgency. Proper planning for this serious employment challenge will be essential to protect the health of employees while avoiding disruption of operations.
Government Urges Employers to Encourage Sick Employees to Remain at Home During Influenza Season.
Three federal agencies recently issued a joint press release announcing the release of a new guidance to help businesses plan for and respond to the upcoming flu season. The press release issued by the Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano urges employers to "set the right tone in the workplace" including implementing common sense measures to reduce the risk of spreading the flu and encouraging workers who are sick to stay home. The press release notes that the guidance will help employers prepare for the upcoming influenza season, which will help ensure business continuity necessary to keep the economy functioning. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued the guidance and a communication toolkit to assist employers in preparing for influenza.
Swine Flu Pandemic - Advice for Employers.
The swine flu pandemic means employers need to take steps to protect workers. In this article, Ford Harrison provides advice for employers on swine flu infection control procedures. We also discuss the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on employers' pandemic preparation efforts.
The Swine Flu Outbreak: Questions Answered, Practical Prevention Advice, And Planning If The Situation Gets Worse.
With the media focusing on the increasing number of swine flu cases reported in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere, employers need to be prepared to address their employees’ concerns.
Keeping Safe From Swine Flu While Complying With the Laws Is A Tall Order.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the event that the H1N1 virus (formerly known as swine flu) becomes a pandemic, businesses and other employers will play a key role in protecting employees’ health and safety, as well as limiting the negative impact to the economy and society. Proper planning by employers for this contingency is critical to successfully performing that role.
VIRAL MANAGING.
Employers are struggling to make ends meet under difficult economic conditions. They have reduced their workforces so that the remaining employees must do more with less help. The last thing we need is a flu outbreak.
EEOC Issues Guidance Regarding ADA-Compliant Workplace Preparation for the Swine Flu.
On May 4, 2009, the EEOC issued guidance regarding ADA-compliant workplace preparation strategies for the 2009 H1N1 flu virus (swine flu).
Pandemic Planning: Are You Prepared?
After dealing with the economic downturn and the new FMLA regulations, amended ADA obligations, and new COBRA requirements, HR and legal professionals now move on (or perhaps return) to pandemic planning. The media attention and public interest are intense, especially after the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to phase 5. As WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said, "[C]ertain actions should now be undertaken with increased urgency, and at an accelerated pace."
Preparing for Swine Flu Pandemic.
With world governments and health organizations
closely monitoring outbreaks of swine fl u, media and
public attention is again focused on the threat of a
pandemic fl u outbreak. These recent events present
a good occasion for employers to conduct a self-audit
of their own preparedness for human resourcesrelated
issues in connection with a pandemic outbreak
or any other emergency situation. These issues
include high rates of employee absenteeism, a need
to conduct off-site operations and general business
disruption.
Practical Pandemic Preparation.
Health experts have long warned that the question is not whether we will have a pandemic, but when one will strike. Now, world governments and health organizations are closely monitoring outbreaks of swine flu that have reportedly killed more than 150 people and sickened more than 1,600 across Mexico. As of April 29, confirmed U.S. cases of Swine Influenza A (H1N1) reportedly numbered over 60 in California, Kansas, Indiana, New York City, Ohio, and Texas which includes one death.
OSHA Issues Guidance on Pandemic Preparation for Healthcare Workers and Employers.
While all employers should take the possibility of a flu pandemic into account when creating disaster preparedness plans, professionals working in the healthcare industry would face an especially daunting challenge during such a global outbreak. Since hospitals, emergency medical personnel, and other health professionals will be the first responders to a viral outbreak, healthcare employers should craft a preparedness plan designed to maximize both the safety of their own workers and the effectiveness of their response. Citing these needs, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released a new guidance entitled "Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Guidance for Healthcare Workers and Healthcare Employers." The 104-page manual, now available on OSHA’s official website, http://www.osha.gov, provides a detailed plan for preparing for, and responding to, a potential influenza pandemic.
Leave Issues at the Forefront of Emergency Preparedness Planning (pdf).
Each employer faces unique issues in the event of an avian fl u outbreak or other pandemic. Are your employees more susceptible to infection because they handle raw poultry, may be traveling to locations where there have been outbreaks, or are health care workers who may treat contaminated patients? Does your organization provide critical infrastructure services, such as power, telecommunications, or healthcare and, therefore, has a special responsibility to plan for continued operation during a crisis? These are a few of the questions each organization must consider in preparing for a potential avian fl u epidemic. This bulletin discusses the most common issue all employers would face: how to treat employees who must or want to take time off during a pandemic or other crisis.
Emergency Preparedness Includes Consideration of a Work-at-Home Policy (pdf).
In the event of avian fl u or other health crisis, employers likely will face mass absenteeism of employees who become ill or must care for family members or friends or choose not to come to work for fear of becoming contaminated through exposure to other people. Employers may be able to mitigate the adverse effect of widespread absenteeism by allowing employees who are well enough to work from home. A telecommuting or work-at-home policy raises a number of legal issues that ought to be considered now before an employer is inundated with requests from employees who want to work from home and maintain a salary stream during a health or other crisis.
Start Thinking About a Communicable Disease Policy (pdf).
Although communicable diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis occasionally have raised concerns among companies and employees, the potential impact of avian fl u on the nation’s employers is a real concern to the United States government. The best time to plan and implement a communicable disease policy (CDP) is before it is needed.
Pandemic Planning: Are You Prepared? (pdf)
Preparing for the Avian Flu Pandemic (pdf).
In recent months, there has been growing concern about the possibility of a pandemic flu outbreak. As of June 29, 2006,
the deadly avian flu strain (H5NI reference) had been confirmed in 53 countries and linked to 228 reported human cases.
Although human-to-human transmission (a precursor to any pandemic outbreak) has not been detected, the continuous
mutation and reassortment of the virus makes this development likely, according to some experts.
Is Your Business Ready for a Flu Pandemic?
In light of the extensive news coverage given to the possibility of an Avian flu pandemic, many employers are concerned about their operations as well as potential legal obligations should such a pandemic occur. This Alert provides guidance for developing a plan to help ensure the safety of the workplace should a pandemic occur. Having operational as well as communication plans may also prepare the organization in the event of other emergencies.
