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Business Planning
Seasonal Flu
Each flu season, nearly 111 million workdays are lost due to the flu. That equals approximately $7 billion per year in sick days and lost productivity.1 Through education and planning, you can help protect your employees from the seasonal flu.
Seasonal Flu Information for Businesses and Employees (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC))
Business/Employers Influenza Toolkit (Podcast – 5:10) (CDC)
Pandemic Flu
In a flu pandemic, employers play a key role in protecting employees' health and safety. Organizations can help limit any negative impact on the economy and society as well. Companies that provide critical infrastructure services, such as power and telecommunications, must also plan to continue operations in a crisis. As with any emergency situation, having a contingency plan is essential.
Guidance for Employers
- Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic (Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA))
- Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist (PDF – 151 KB)
Lista de Preparacion en Empresas para una Pandemia de Gripe (PDF – 276 KB) - Pandemic Preparedness Planning for US Businesses with Overseas Operations (PDF – 3.03 MB)
- Interim Pre-Pandemic Planning Guidance: Community Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Mitigation in the United States (PDF – 718 KB) (CDC)
- Considerations for Antiviral Drug Stockpiling by Employers in Preparation for an Influenza Pandemic (PDF – 497 KB)
- Interim Guidance on Environmental Management of Pandemic Influenza Virus
Learn more about how to clean and protect surfaces from the influenza virus. - Federal Employment Laws and Guidance
- An Employer’s Guide to Group Health Continuation Coverage Under Cobra (PDF – 102 KB) (Department of Labor (DOL))
- Meeting Your Fiduciary Responsibilities (DOL)
- Portability of Health Coverage (HIPAA) (DOL)
- The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) (DOL)
- The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (DOL)
- The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) (DOL)
Information for Employees
- How to Protect Yourself in the Workplace during a Pandemic (PDF – 27.2 KB) (OSHA)
Cómo Protegerse en el Lugar deTrabajo Durante una Pandemia (PDF – 40 KB) (OSHA) - Protect Yourself, Pandemic Flu Respiratory Protection (PDF – 26.1 KB) (OSHA)
Protéjase Contra la Gripe Pandémica Protección Respiratoria (PDF – 38 KB) (OSHA) - Federal Employment Laws
Critical Infrastructure Guide
Pandemic Influenza Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Guide for Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (PDF – 4.97 MB) (Department of Homeland Security)