Has anyone in your company been sick this year? Have employees had to stay home with sick children? Have employees come to work sick and spread germs to others just because you didn’t have any other way to stay in business?
When we think of disasters, we usually think of flooding or winter storms. The recent flu scare was a bit of a wake up call to some. Sick employees can be a disaster that will cause businesses to suffer, and in this economy most can’t afford to be closed even one day.
Previously we have discussed what small businesses can do to stay in business immediately following a big storm stressing the importance of having a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). If your business does not have a COOP you may find yourself floundering when your employees call in sick.
To make sure your business continues running smoothing with fewer employees, include a section of information in your COOP that addresses this issue. When you write your epidemic COOP, a few questions that need to be answered are:
• Who will be in charge and who will take over if that person is not available?
• Who can work from home?
• Which staff, materials, procedures and equipment are absolutely necessary to keep the business operating?
• Do you have an emergency fund to get through tough times?
• How can you provide good customer service and meet deadlines with fewer employees?
More information about COOP plans is available on the Internet and Oregon Emergency Management would also be happy to assist. Planning ahead can save you money.
Showing posts with label sick employees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sick employees. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Calling in sick a good idea
Do you dread calling in sick? Whether it's the fear of a judgmental boss or just concerns about missing out on important happenings, health experts want to put you at ease. There are times when making the call is a must. Confused about whether staying home is a good idea? Here are five signs that a sick day is in order...
According to a recent Glamour.com poll, only 21 percent of readers say they make a point to stay home when they're sick. The rest of you do sometimes or not at all.
Guys! The world will not end if you stay home and a.) rest and recover so you can get well again, and b.) prevent the spread of your germs to others.
More article -
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/5-reasons-why-its-a-good-idea-to-call-in-sick-518206/
According to a recent Glamour.com poll, only 21 percent of readers say they make a point to stay home when they're sick. The rest of you do sometimes or not at all.
Guys! The world will not end if you stay home and a.) rest and recover so you can get well again, and b.) prevent the spread of your germs to others.
More article -
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/5-reasons-why-its-a-good-idea-to-call-in-sick-518206/
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
CDC Leery of Estimates About Swine Flu's Toll
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/08/26/health/AP-US-MED-Swine-Flu.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print
Filed at 4:38 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Government health officials are urging people not to panic over estimates of 90,000 people dying from swine flu this fall.
''Everything we've seen in the U.S. and everything we've seen around the world suggests we won't see that kind of number if the virus doesn't change,'' Dr. Thomas Frieden, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a C-SPAN interview taped Wednesday.
While the swine flu seems quite easy to catch, it so far hasn't been more deadly than the flu strains seen every fall and winter -- many people have only mild illness. And close genetic tracking of the new virus as it circled the globe over the last five months so far has shown no sign that it's mutating to become more virulent.
Still, the CDC has been preparing for a worst-case flu season as a precaution -- in July working from an estimate slightly more grim than one that made headlines this week -- to make sure that if the virus suddenly worsened or vaccination plans fell through, health authorities would know how to react.
On Monday the White House released a report from a group of presidential advisers that included a scenario where anywhere from 30 percent to half of the population could catch what doctors call the ''2009 H1N1'' flu, and death possibilities ranged from 30,000 to 90,000. In a regular flu season, up to 20 percent of the population is infected and 36,000 die.
''We don't think that's the most likely scenario,'' CDC flu specialist Dr. Anne Schuchat said of the presidential advisers' high-end tally.
What's really expected this year? CDC won't speculate, finding a numbers game pointless as it tries to balance getting a largely complacent public to listen to its flu instructions without hyping the threat.
Along with how the virus itself continues to act, the ultimate toll depends on such things as vaccinations beginning as planned -- currently set for mid-October -- and whether the people who need them most get them. CDC also is working to help hospitals keep the not-so-sick from crowding emergency rooms and to properly target anti-flu drugs to the most vulnerable.
What is likely: A busy flu season that starts earlier than usual, Schuchat told The Associated Press. This new H1N1 strain never went away over the summer, infecting children at summer camps in particular. Already clusters of illnesses are being reported at some schools and colleges around the country,
Filed at 4:38 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Government health officials are urging people not to panic over estimates of 90,000 people dying from swine flu this fall.
''Everything we've seen in the U.S. and everything we've seen around the world suggests we won't see that kind of number if the virus doesn't change,'' Dr. Thomas Frieden, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a C-SPAN interview taped Wednesday.
While the swine flu seems quite easy to catch, it so far hasn't been more deadly than the flu strains seen every fall and winter -- many people have only mild illness. And close genetic tracking of the new virus as it circled the globe over the last five months so far has shown no sign that it's mutating to become more virulent.
Still, the CDC has been preparing for a worst-case flu season as a precaution -- in July working from an estimate slightly more grim than one that made headlines this week -- to make sure that if the virus suddenly worsened or vaccination plans fell through, health authorities would know how to react.
On Monday the White House released a report from a group of presidential advisers that included a scenario where anywhere from 30 percent to half of the population could catch what doctors call the ''2009 H1N1'' flu, and death possibilities ranged from 30,000 to 90,000. In a regular flu season, up to 20 percent of the population is infected and 36,000 die.
''We don't think that's the most likely scenario,'' CDC flu specialist Dr. Anne Schuchat said of the presidential advisers' high-end tally.
What's really expected this year? CDC won't speculate, finding a numbers game pointless as it tries to balance getting a largely complacent public to listen to its flu instructions without hyping the threat.
Along with how the virus itself continues to act, the ultimate toll depends on such things as vaccinations beginning as planned -- currently set for mid-October -- and whether the people who need them most get them. CDC also is working to help hospitals keep the not-so-sick from crowding emergency rooms and to properly target anti-flu drugs to the most vulnerable.
What is likely: A busy flu season that starts earlier than usual, Schuchat told The Associated Press. This new H1N1 strain never went away over the summer, infecting children at summer camps in particular. Already clusters of illnesses are being reported at some schools and colleges around the country,
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Statesman Journal Column May 20
Businesses must plan for sick workers
Be prepared and know what to do when staffers are unable to come to work
Jennifer Bailey
Has anyone in your company been sick this year? Have employees had to stay home with sick children? Have employees come to work sick and spread germs to others just because you didn't have any other way to stay in business?
When we think of disasters, we usually think of flooding or winter storms. The recent flu scare was a bit of a wake-up call to some. Sick employees can be a disaster that will cause businesses to suffer, and in this economy most can't afford to be closed even one day.
Previously, we have discussed what small businesses can do to stay in business immediately after a big storm, stressing the importance of having a Continuity of Operations Plan. If your business does not have such a plan, you may find yourself floundering when your employees call in sick.
To make sure your business continues running smoothly with fewer employees, include a section of information in your Continuity of Operations Plan that addresses this issue. When you write your epidemic Continuity of Operations Plan, a few questions that need to be answered are:
-Who will be in charge, and who will take over if that person is not available?
-Who can work from home?
-Which staffers, materials, procedures and equipment are absolutely necessary to keep the business operating?
-Do you have an emergency fund to get through tough times?
-How can you provide good customer service and meet deadlines with fewer employees?
More information about Continuity of Operations Plan plans is available on the Internet, and Oregon Emergency Management would also be happy to assist. Planning ahead can save you money.
Jennifer Bailey, formerly of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is the Public Affairs Coordinator of Oregon Emergency Management. She may be reached at (503) 378-2911, Ext. 22294, or jbailey@oem.state.or.us.
Additional Facts
Learn more
Please send questions about emergency preparedness to be answered in this column to jbailey@oem.state.or.us. Other information may be found at www.oregon.gov/omd/oem or www.fema.gov.
Be prepared and know what to do when staffers are unable to come to work
Jennifer Bailey
Has anyone in your company been sick this year? Have employees had to stay home with sick children? Have employees come to work sick and spread germs to others just because you didn't have any other way to stay in business?
When we think of disasters, we usually think of flooding or winter storms. The recent flu scare was a bit of a wake-up call to some. Sick employees can be a disaster that will cause businesses to suffer, and in this economy most can't afford to be closed even one day.
Previously, we have discussed what small businesses can do to stay in business immediately after a big storm, stressing the importance of having a Continuity of Operations Plan. If your business does not have such a plan, you may find yourself floundering when your employees call in sick.
To make sure your business continues running smoothly with fewer employees, include a section of information in your Continuity of Operations Plan that addresses this issue. When you write your epidemic Continuity of Operations Plan, a few questions that need to be answered are:
-Who will be in charge, and who will take over if that person is not available?
-Who can work from home?
-Which staffers, materials, procedures and equipment are absolutely necessary to keep the business operating?
-Do you have an emergency fund to get through tough times?
-How can you provide good customer service and meet deadlines with fewer employees?
More information about Continuity of Operations Plan plans is available on the Internet, and Oregon Emergency Management would also be happy to assist. Planning ahead can save you money.
Jennifer Bailey, formerly of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is the Public Affairs Coordinator of Oregon Emergency Management. She may be reached at (503) 378-2911, Ext. 22294, or jbailey@oem.state.or.us.
Additional Facts
Learn more
Please send questions about emergency preparedness to be answered in this column to jbailey@oem.state.or.us. Other information may be found at www.oregon.gov/omd/oem or www.fema.gov.
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