As we get deeper into influenza season, fear of the flu in general and the H1N1 swine flu virus in particular is on the rise. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that as of this week, flu activity is on the upswing, and is “widespread” in 41 states. Meanwhile, the H1N1 vaccine is limited and difficult to obtain. This is causing public reactions from “caution” to “concern.”

You may be wondering why there is so much fuss about the flu this year. Regular influenza kills as many as 36,000 Americans every year, but this year we have that problem plus the issue of swine flu, which may explode onto the scene. The 2009 H1N1 virus (a.k.a. “swine flu”) is particularly dangerous because:

• It is a new combination (made of human, swine, and avian elements) and virtually no one has natural immunity to it
• The vaccine is not yet widely available
• This strain attacks the young and healthy population in disproportionate numbers

Is your organization ready to deal with a pandemic flu? You should be planning on two different levels, advises the Pivotal HR Team blog:

So how does an organization address what could be the “Perfect Storm” as it relates to flu season?  A suggestion is to take a two-phased approach:

Phase 1 is all about Flu Prevention – Provide your employees and managers with practical tools to help prevent the transmission of the flu (seasonal and H1N1).

Phase II is all about a Business Continuity Plan – This assumes a severe flu outbreak whereby business continuity is threatened in certain markets or regions.  This phase requires that you give careful thought to how you would continue to operate under a severe labor shortage.

How can you plan for a possible crisis caused by pandemic flu? The CDC has just issued an information packet designed to help businesses plan their response to the 2009-2010 influenza season. I highly recommend that you download it at this link. It has everything from prevention information to appropriate response strategies, and is very broad in scope.

One quick fact you’ll need to know is that the CDC advises: “If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Stay away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.”

This seems like common sense, and it is echoed by the majority of workers. In fact,  91% of Americans said that they want their co-workers to remain at home if they are infected with the H1N1 flu virus, according to a survey released this week by Mansfield Communications, Inc. If someone does report to work with the flu, 83% of the survey respondents said that they would be likely to inform a fellow colleague or senior management. The same organization ran a poll last month that found that 69% of workers said they had received no communication about policies in the workplace pertaining to H1N1.

These numbers show that people expect to have their exposure minimized to the flu… but how to accomplish this? The HR Superstar blog recently published a sample of a corporate flu policy, gleaned from a friend in another organization. It could be a good starting point for crafting your own policy, if you feel one is warranted. It follows the CDC guidelines I referenced above, and it reads:

If an employee is sick with a fever (100 degrees F or above), do not come to work. Please remain at home until the fever is below 100 degrees for 24 hours. The fever should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications. Managers, if an employee comes to work and has flu like symptoms (fever-flushed appearance and cough or sore throat) they should be sent home and remain home until they have not had a fever (100 degrees or above) for 24 hours. If a person, that is living in the same household of an employee, has H1N1, the employee should notify their manager and stay at home for a period of 24 hours to see if they develop flu like symptoms. If the employee is able to work at home during this time, then it can be arranged. If they do not develop flu like symptoms in 24 hours, they are able to return to work. In both circumstances, the manager should notify HR Compliance of the incident.

The law and human resources blog HR Briefcase asks if people should bring doctors’ notes to HR after they have been home with the flu. The answer to this is actually “no.” The CDC recommends that employers waive this requirement during a pandemic due to strain on the healthcare system. However, each employer is allowed to follow their own policies and adapt them to the situation.

There is a great deal you can do now, before anything happens. Visit the flu.gov website for extensive materials (even some in foreign languages) to help you get your organization prepared for seasonal influenza and swine flu.

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