Is Your Workplace Prepared for H1N1?

I don't know about your workplace, but ours has seen a lot of absenteeism this year. I'm not sure how much of it is related to H1N1 because we don't ask employees to account for why they are using their PTO. But, several of my family members and friends have reported flu-like symptoms and several have had doctors confirm swine flu. Fortunately, their cases were only mildly debilitating.

Continuing to make news, H1N1 (swine flu) is a major workplace issue. People spend a lot of time at work in close quarters with potentially ill coworkers. Employees all use the same door handles, shake candidates' hands, push elevator buttons, and just in general, put themselves in harm's way.

I've written several times about how employers can prepare their workplaces for any contagious illness including H1N1. Today, I'll share several additional resources about H1N1 Swine Flu.

SHRM in Conjunction With the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP)

With contractual financial support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), today released a new toolkit, Doing Business During an Influenza Pandemic: Human Resource Policies, Protocols, Templates, Tools, & Tips.

"We're beyond theory and onto execution. The pandemic is here. And we need every business to recognize the impact it can have. It's not too late, but time is of the essence," said Michael T. Osterholm, Ph.D., M.P.H., an international authority on pandemic influenza and business preparedness and CIDRAP director.

The toolkit, designed for organizations of all sizes, is intended to:

• Help HR professionals new to pandemic planning come up to speed quickly on high-priority HR issues related to operating during an influenza pandemic.
• Provide concrete ways that organizations can implement federal guidance.
• Offer new ideas that can be used to improve existing plans.
• Serve as a reference for benchmarking.

The H1N1 toolkit is available free of charge as a PDF document from CIDRAP or from SHRM.

Swine Flu on About.com

• Vince Ianelli, M.D., the About.com Guide to Pediatrics, has created a comprehensive resource for parents and families: Swine Flu Symptoms. Swine Flu News.
• Kristina Duda, R.N., the About.com Guide to Colds and Flu, presents an outstanding guide to swine flu H1N1 including day-to-day symptoms, resources, and more.
• Trisha Torrey, the About.com Guide to Patient Empowerment, offers frequently asked questions about H1N1 Swine Flu.

Health Matters at Work

Offers podcasts about health matters in the workplace, arthritis, and other workplace and personal wellness issues. The website introduces today their new podcast series about H1N1 swine flu with advice about how employers should be addressing H1N1 at work and with employees.

Preparis.com

Asks whether your workplace is prepared for an outbreak of swine flu and hazards the guess that, if you are like most employers, you are not. Here is a comprehensive guide to preparing for H1N1 in your workplace.

H1N1 isn't going away anytime soon, so check out these fine resources and make sure your workplace is prepared.

_{Image Copyright Randy Plett Photographs}

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