RBA Hosts Session Aimed at Keeping Businesses, Community Informed

More than 50 participants attended a Rochester Business Alliance briefing session May 8, hearing from local experts about the recent outbreak of swine flu, also known as H1N1 flu, and what can be done to prepare for a possible outbreak here.

Three experts - Monroe County Health Director Dr. Andrew Doniger, RBA Health, Safety and Environment Consultant Chip Dawson, and Nixon Peabody attorney Michael Hausknecht - talked about what is being done at the state and local levels to prepare for a potential pandemic flu outbreak, how to create and maintain a disaster readiness plan for a variety of contingencies, as well as what legal actions a business can and cannot take.

Doniger said the county Health Department, which monitors seasonal flu, has not seen a recent spike in reports of the illness. He urged participants, "Don't panic, but stay alert."

Dawson said that if a pandemic were to hit, businesses can expect about 20 percent of their staff to be out of work. He encouraged businesses to adopt an emergency plan that's in line with the community's plan, and said businesses should adopt a medical leave policy that encourages ill employees to stay home, minimizes employee exposure, and includes stockpiling of needed supplies, such as soap and sanitizers.

Hausknecht stressed the importance of open communication between employers and employees over whether workers have travelled to places where the H1N1 flu (swine flu) is more prevalent, as well as awareness of what flu-like symptoms to watch for. He said employees may be covered under the Family Medical Leave Act in cases of flu-related illnesses such as when the employee is receiving an anti-viral treatment and meets the eligibility criteria, but encouraged employers to provide paid time off or allow affected employees to work from a remote location so as not to spread the illness.

The Rochester Business Alliance will continue to monitor the flu outbreak and provide updated information on how employers and workers can prepare. For the most recent information, click here for Swine Flu Resources.