Freeth Cartwright lawyer advises businesses to prepare now for possible swine flu outbreak
FREETH CARTWRIGHT LAWYER ADVISES BUSINESSES TO PREPARE NOW FOR POSSIBLE SWINE FLU OUTBREAK
With the number of swine flu cases rising in the UK and the World Health Organisation’s [WHO] alert level now pointing to a pandemic, Midlands law firm Freeth Cartwright LLP is urging employers to educate their workforce and take early-stage action to minimise the impact on the workplace of any viral outbreak.
“Forewarned is forearmed”, said Freeth Cartwright’s head of employment in Birmingham Vanessa DiCuffa. “According to WHO, we are on track for a pandemic, which could lead to 30 to 40 percent of the population becoming ill in the next six months.
“Clearly, this will have a major effect on both employees and their employers. Although employers can’t stop the virus taking hold, there are steps that they can take to help their workforce as well as minimise the massive disruption it could make to business operations.
“Employers should follow the lead of the Department Of Health and advise employees with flu-like symptoms who have recently returned from an affected country to quarantine themselves and seek advice from a GP. They should also make it clear that if swine flu is suspected, the employer should be advised immediately so that the wellbeing of other employees can be safeguarded.
“In the event of quarantine being advised, employees should ask their GPs for a sickness notification in the usual way, and the business’s normal sickness rules will apply.
“It may also be sensible to ask all staff members to notify HR if they have recently visited Mexico or an affected country, even if no swine flu symptoms are displayed. This would allow employers to consider their obligations to other staff and, in particular, pregnant employees or those with a respiratory weakness.”
Vanessa Di Cuffa believes that there is also an education role to be carried out by employers to prepare staff for a potentially swift outbreak of the flu in the workplace. She states that this is particularly important for high-risk workplaces such as hospitals, medical offices, schools, and workplaces that provide services to high-risk populations.
She continued: “One of the most effective steps to take is to draw up a written communicable illness response plan, which can then serve as a comprehensive guide for both employer and employee.
“For those businesses who already have such a system in place, now is the time to review, update and activate it. For those employers who do not yet have such a programme, now is the time to implement one. Waiting until a crisis occurs is definitely waiting too long.”
ends - 8 May 2009
For more information contact Vanessa DiCuffa
Tel 0845 634 2584
email: vanessa.dicuffa@freethcartwright.co.uk