What steps can businesses take to keep employees from getting sick, especially during flu season?

Businesses should take the steps below to keep employees from getting sick with flu.

Promote vaccination. Encourage all employees to get vaccinated for seasonal flu. Review the health benefits you offer your employees and consider including flu vaccination. If possible, you should offer seasonal flu vaccination opportunities at the worksite.
Advise all employees to stay home if they are sick until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, has a flushed appearance, or is sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medicines (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen). They should stay home until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, even if they are using antiviral medicines. Businesses should review their policies and practices to consider ways to allow flexibility for employees to stay home when they are sick.
Encourage hand cleanlinessby providing
- education and reminders about washing their hands, and
- easy access to running water and soap or alcohol-based hand cleaners.

Encourage "respiratory etiquette"by providing
- education and reminders about covering coughs and sneezes with tissues, and
- easy access to tissues and trash cans.
Routinely clean surfaces and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact with cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas. Additional disinfection beyond routine cleaning is not recommended.
Address travel concerns. Provide information to employees overseas about what to do if they become sick.

Last Reviewed: 09/01/2011

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