H1N1 Influenza

Information for Businesses and Employers

H1N1 influenza has been identified in Multnomah County. Businesses and other employers can play a key role in protecting employees' health and safety as well as limiting damage to health and to the economy.

What You Can Do

Public health officials ask that businesses review their contingency plans and modify or expand them as needed. Current strategies to reduce the spread of disease include the following:

• Asking ill people to remain at home voluntarily, and not return to work or school until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100° F or 37.8°C) or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
• Asking household members of patients with influenza to remain at home voluntarily until the period of risk for influenza is past (about 7 days).
• Consider changing workplace environments and schedules to decrease close contact (about 3 feet) to the greatest extent possible without disrupting essential services.
• Adopt sick-leave policies so that sick people can stay home to take care of themselves or family members.

Planning Resources
CDC Guidance for Businesses and Employers
CDC Communication Toolkit for Businesses and Employers

Teach Others

Download posters, fact sheets and videos to teach and remind employees and colleagues about healthy habits at your workplace.

What information should I share if an employee is sick with flu-like symptoms?

• In general, it is important for employers and employees to be aware when people are sick at work.
• General communication, without specific names, can be made to employees that co-workers are at home ill with flu-like symptoms— whether or not they are confirmed H1N1 cases—as a reminder that sick people should stay home when ill.
• General communication about the numbers of cases in your area are a good reminder that people who are sick with flu-like symptoms may be infected with H1N1 influenza and should stay home.

Page updated February 4, 2010