We’re in the middle of flu season. The flu and other
communicable diseases present a number of challenges for employers.
What’s your duty to prevent the spread of contagious diseases
in your workplace? Can you require an employee who may be
contagious to stay home? How do you react to suspicions within the
workforce that a coworker may have a communicable disease?
Balance OSHA duty with employee’s ADA, FMLA
rights
Under occupational safety and health laws, employers owe a duty
to maintain a safe workplace. That duty includes taking reasonable
measures to prevent the spread of disease. All employers,
regardless of their size or industry, should do basic things to
prevent the outbreak of contagious diseases, such as making tissues
and antibacterial soap available to employees. Encouraging hand
washing, disinfecting the workplace, offering yearly flu shots, and
urging employees to get immunizations are also good practices.
Usually, simple common sense serves as the
