As a result of the attention surrounding the ongoing Ebola outbreak, many employers are wondering how to handle situations involving communicable disease. Not much medical testing of employees is allowed. If however, a pandemic is widespread and is a direct threat, public health authorities say employers can monitor closely for symptoms and illness. Employers can respond to threats of outbreak by asking workers to stay home.
Some employers will take this opportunity to revise their employee handbook and fleshing out its communicable disease policy, attorneys from Proskauer Rose LLP said in an Oct. 21 webinar.
While the Ebola outbreak is creating some unease in the workplace, employers can relieve some of the stress by: (1) addressing Ebola in the context of a bigger communicable disease policy; and (2) communicating that policy and educating employees. Employers not in the medical fields should have general policies like:
- Establish an infectious disease response plan, which would include identifying leaders and designating an employee communications liaison.
- Include protocols for several levels of threat, ranging from moderate situations to pandemic outbreaks, taking into consideration potential business closures and employee absenteeism.
- Modify pay, leave, safety and health policies as needed during pandemic situations.
- Consult federal, state and local agencies such as CDC, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Labor and the World Health Organization; and the California and New York State Departments of Health.
- Implement practice and engineering controls such as no-touch trash cans, decontamination procedures and minimizing contact between employees, and administrative controls like encouraging employees to remain home and discontinuing business travel to high risk areas.
- Communicate incident response protocols to employees, including steps to take in the event an ill person needs assistance. Depending on the situation, employers may need to provide employees personal protective equipment.
Should an employee become ill (do not reveal the ill person’s identity) or the workplace exposed to the virus through a sick customer, the employer should immediately alert all employees as well as contact public health authorities.