The Zika virus has been the topic of much discussion and anxiety
for many weeks. The United States Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) has now issued travel warnings for more than two dozen
countries in the Caribbean, Central America and South America and
cases have been reported in at least 13 states and Washington,
D.C. This anxiety has, not surprisingly, crept into
workplaces, including those with employees that travel to the
affected areas. This post addresses some of the employment
issues raised by the Zika virus.
What is the Zika Virus?
The Zika virus is a mosquito-borne illness that causes fever,
rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis for one in five infected
people, and lasts less than a week. Despite these mild
symptoms, a pregnant woman can also spread the Zika virus to her
unborn baby, and there have been reports that it may result in a
brain birth defect. While the link has not been confirmed,
these reports have raised both awareness and
