What kinds of information should be conveyed to employees to prepare them for the issues that are likely to be of concern to them should a pandemic occur? What is the best way to communicate this information?

Employees need to know what a pandemic influenza is, how it might impact them at work and at home, and how your workplace pandemic influenza plan will reduce exposure at work.

Communicating good hygiene and infection control practices will help keep your workforce healthy.  You should share materials that educate employees on the fundamentals of pandemic influenza (e.g., symptoms of influenza, modes of transmission); personal and family response strategies (e.g., hand hygiene, coughing/sneezing etiquette, contingency plans); and community and workplace mitigation strategies (e.g., social distancing, provision of infection control supplies).  Tools from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to aid your communication, as well as Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s workplace safety and health guidance are available on Flu.gov.  Remind employees of the resources available to them, e.g., Employee Assistance Programs, vendor provided benefit counseling, etc. 

Training employees on the workplace precautions in your pandemic influenza plan and how/when to implement them during a pandemic will ensure that everyone in your workplace is prepared.  Proactive communication will also help gain employee trust, and prevent employee fear, anxiety, rumors and misinformation.  Ensure that your communications are culturally and linguistically appropriate.  There are various platforms of communication, and the best ones for your employees will depend upon your business.  Hotlines, dedicated Web sites, brochures, posters, and telephone trees are just a few ways to communicate pandemic status and actions to employees in a consistent and timely fashion. 

Also, as part of your pre-pandemic planning, you may want to consult with your bargaining unit representatives if you have a labor union.

Note: As an overall matter, employers should be guided in their relationship with their employees by federal, state, and local employment law, and by the company-specific application of these laws as reflected in employee handbooks, manuals, and contracts (including bargaining agreements).

Not all of the employment laws referenced apply to all employers or all employees, particularly state and local government agencies. For information on whether a particular employer or employee is covered by a law, please use the links provided for more detailed information. This information is not intended for federal agencies or federal employees -- they should contact the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for guidance.

Last Reviewed: 08/31/2011

• During an flu pandemic, can a healthy employee refuse to come to work, travel, or perform other job duties because of a belief that by doing so, he or she would be at an increased risk of catching the flu?
• May employers treat essential/critical employees different than other employees such as providing transportation to and from work or giving them antivirals when there is a limited supply?
• Once a pandemic begins, may employers mandate alternative work schedules (e.g., flex-time, staggered shifts) or alternative work arrangements (e.g., telework) to promote social distancing?
• If an employer establishes a child care center at the workplace for children who have been dismissed from school, will it violate the CDC’s community social distancing strategies for children?

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