Employees will be concerned about balancing their health and their families' health against absenteeism that could negatively affect household income and job security. In addition to concerns about their health and their family's and employee's health, employers will be concerned about employee absenteeism and potential staff shortages, decreased revenue, financial stability and interrupted service from pharmaceutical, service and equipment suppliers.
In-depth guidance and resources for pandemic planning are available at PandemicFlu.gov. Some basic guidelines are described below, and their implementation should be based on the level of risk associated with the state of the pandemic. The primary goals of planning are to reduce the number of people who become ill and to preserve the continuity of your practice.
OSHA: Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses
OSHA Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Guidance for Healthcare Workers and Healthcare Employers
OSHA Employer Guidance: Reducing All Workers' Exposures to the 2009 H1N1 Flu
OSHA FactSheet: What Employers Can Do to Protect Workers from Pandemic Influenza
(CDC) Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to the 2009-2010 Influenza Season
(CDC) Preparing for the Flu: A Communication Toolkit for Businesses and Employers
(National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Occupational Health Issues Associated with H1N1 Influenza Virus