What measures can employers adopt during a pandemic to alter the workplace and keep employees healthy?
Category: Workplace Safety and Health Issues
Answer:
Enhancing communications and information technology infrastructures as needed to support employee telecommuting and remote customer access will reduce contact amongst employees and between employees and customers. This will reduce the chances of spreading influenza from person-to-person, while keeping the business operational. Implementing procedures to minimize contact between employees and between employees and customers, such as telework, eliminating face-to-face meetings, increasing the distance between workstations and employees, and discouraging hand-shaking, will help to control the spread of infection.
Refer to the CDC’s recommendations for a more complete list of helpful procedures (www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/community/community_mitigation.pdf). In addition, the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has provided workplace safety and health guidance that will help employers prepare for an influenza pandemic. The measures taken by employers should be communicated to employees. (See also: “What kinds of information should be conveyed to employees to prepare them for the issues that are likely to be of concern to them should a pandemic occur?"
Note: As an overall matter, employers should be guided in their relationship with their employees not only by federal employment law, but by their own employee handbooks, manuals, and contracts (including bargaining agreements), and by any applicable state or local laws.
Not all of the employment laws referenced apply to all employers or all employees, particularly state and local government agencies. For information on whether a particular employer or employee is covered by a law, please use the links provided for more detailed information. This information is not intended for federal agencies or federal employees -- they should contact the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for guidance.
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Last Updated: 01/25/2008
