Swine flu - guidance for employers

To help employers keep up to date with the swine flu pandemic, we have gathered together the latest information from XpertHR on the subject, along with links to external resources for employers. 

The answers to a number of employers' questions on swine flu have been added to the XpertHR FAQs section. The questions consider issues including whether or not employers can insist that employees with swine flu symptoms stay away from work, the issue of pay for employees off work in relation to swine flu, employers' responsibilities to particularly vulnerable employees, and measures employers can take to cover staff shortages due to swine flu. 

Subscribers can suggest further questions on swine flu in the workplace by clicking on the suggest a question tab in the FAQs section. 

 

On this page:
Video: swine flu FAQs
Swine flu updates
Sources of swine flu information
XpertHR model policies
FAQs on swine flu in the workplace
Flu pandemic advice and information on XpertHR

 

Video: Swine flu FAQs

 

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Swine flu updates

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) provides a weekly national influenza report and a weekly epidemiological update, which may assist employers in predicting, and planning for, absence levels. 

 

Sources of swine flu information

Directgov - Pandemic Flu Service
Government swine flu website to find UK swine flu information and get treatment or advice if you have flu-like symptoms. 

Swine flu - everything you need to know
Information from Directgov on what swine flu is and what the Government is doing to help combat it. 

Risk to pregnant women arising from Influenza A infections (PDF, 44 KB)
Health Protection Agency a ssessment of the risk to pregnant woman from Influenza A infections. 

Swine flu - practical guidance for business
On the Business Link website. 

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009
World Health Organisation guidance. 

Pandemic flu - guidance for unions
On the TUC website. 

 

 

XpertHR model policies

Model flu pandemic contingency plan
A system for an organisation to plan for, respond to, and recover from a pandemic. 

Model infectious diseases in the workplace policy
Guidelines for managers and employees on minimising the risk of staff contracting diseases at work and on dealing with infections if contracted. 

 

 

FAQs on swine flu in the workplace

> If an employee has swine flu symptoms, or has been in contact with someone with swine flu, can he or she be instructed not to come to work?

> Is there any duty on employers to close their workplace during the swine flu pandemic to prevent the spread of the virus?

> If, in order to prevent the spread of swine flu, an employer instructs its employees not to come to work, does it have to pay the employees in full?

> If an employee has flu symptoms, can the employer insist that he or she is tested for swine flu?

> Can an employer insist on its employees having a flu vaccination?

> Should employees who are absent due to swine flu be required to get certification from their GP to confirm that they are ill?

> If an employee has a child at a nursery that is closed due to swine flu, must the employee be given time off if he or she cannot arrange childcare?

> If an employee cannot get to work because swine flu has affected the public transport system, must the employee still be paid?

> Can employees be required to work from home during the swine flu pandemic?

> Can an employer insist that someone with swine flu symptoms comes to work?

> If an employee has exhausted his or her entitlement to contractual sick pay, is the employee entitled to be paid if the absence is due to an instruction by the employer not to come to work to prevent the spread of swine flu?

> Do employers have a duty to take special measures to protect those employees who are most at risk if they catch swine flu, such as pregnant employees or those with asthma?

> Do employees have the right to be told if a colleague has swine flu or flu symptoms?

> If an employer has a high proportion of employees absent due to swine flu, can it require other employees to work extra hours to cover the work?

> Can an employer require its employees to take on different roles to cover absence due to swine flu?

> What medical evidence can an employer insist on from employees who are absent due to swine flu when government advice is that people with swine flu symptoms should not attend their GP?

> Should a policy triggering disciplinary action after a certain amount of absence be suspended in relation to employees with swine flu?

> Can front-line health or social care workers in the priority group for vaccination refuse to have the vaccine?

We will continue to add FAQs on swine flu in the workplace to the site in response to questions suggested by employers. 

 

 

Flu pandemic advice and information on XpertHR

Swine flu: containing the virus
With swine flu now officially confirmed as a global pandemic, what steps can be taken to limit the spread of the virus? Joan Lewis, barrister, and Linda Goldman, employment law consultant, report. 

Swine flu warning for vulnerable employees
Employers must ensure they are protecting members of the workforce who could suffer from more serious consequences of catching the swine flu virus. 

Occupational health and the swine flu pandemic threat
As the number of swine flu cases continues to rise, what role should occupational health be playing in the workplace? 

Survey: Business continuity planning
IRS looks at how employers can prepare for the events that could lead to the disruption of their business, by examining the practices of 51 organisations. 

How to survive a flu pandemic
Practical steps employers can take. 

Policy clinic: handling swine flu issues
With the flu season proper about to hit, employers need to re-double their efforts to ensure they’re as prepared as they can be for large-scale swine flu outbreaks. 

Swine flu puts pressure on OH
Occupational health departments are under increasing pressure as swine flu spreads in the UK. 

Met Police considers swine flu vaccinations on-site for officers
The Metropolitan Police Service is considering arranging for a local nurse to administer the swine flu vaccination on-site to officers when it becomes available, to cause minimum disruption to police work. 

Run this search on XpertHR for further information on pandemic flu.