Updated guidance released in August by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages employers to plan now for the impact that seasonal and H1N1 influenza could have this fall and winter on their employees and operations.

Employers should work with employees to develop and implement plans that can reduce the spread of flu and to encourage seasonal flu vaccination, as well as H1N1 vaccination when the vaccine becomes available. Some actions that can be taken are:

• Regular and frequent hand washing and routine cleaning of commonly touched surfaces
• Making leave policies flexible for workers who may have to stay home with ill family members or if a child’s school is closed
• Encouraging sick employees to stay home
• Sending employees home who are experiencing flu-like symptoms at work and encouraging them to seek medical treatment
• Offering vaccine against seasonal flu and encouraging employees to be vaccinated against seasonal and H1N1 flu
• Canceling non-essential face-to-face meetings and travel
• Spacing employees farther apart in work settings and during meetings
• Allowing employees who are at higher risk for flu complications to work from home or stay home if the flu is severe

More information can be found at www.flu.gov.