In the event of pandemic influenza, businesses will play a key role in protecting employees’ health and safety

as well as limiting the negative impact to the economy and society. Planning for pandemic influenza is critical.

To assist you in your efforts, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed the following checklist for large businesses. It identifiesimportant,

specific activities large businesses can do now to prepare, many of which will also help you in other emergencies.

Further information can be found at www.pandemicflu.gov and www.cdc.gov/business.

BUSINESS PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PLANNING CHECKLIST

1.1 Plan for the impact of a pandemic on your business:

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Identify a pandemic coordinator and/or team with defined roles and responsibilities for preparedness and 

response planning. The planning process should include input from labor representatives.

Identify essential employees and other critical inputs(e.g. raw materials,suppliers,sub-contractor services/

products, and logistics)required to maintain business operations by location and function during a pandemic.

Train and prepare ancillary workforce (e.g. contractors, employees in other job titles/descriptions, retirees).

Develop and plan for scenarios likely to result in an increase or decrease in demand for your products

and/or services during a pandemic (e.g. effect of restriction on mass gatherings, need for hygiene 

supplies).

Determine potential impact of a pandemic on company business financials using multiple possible

scenarios that affect different product lines and/or production sites.

Determine potential impact of a pandemic on business-related domestic and international travel (e.g.

quarantines, border closures).

Find up-to-date, reliable pandemic information from community public health, emergency management,

and other sources and make sustainable links.

Establish an emergency communications plan and revise periodically. This plan includes identification of 

key contacts (with back-ups), chain of communications (including suppliers and customers), and processes

for tracking and communicating business and employee status.

Implement an exercise/drill to test your plan, and revise periodically.

1.2 Plan for the impact of a pandemic on your employees and customers:

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Forecast and allow for employee absences during a pandemic due to factors such as personal illness,

family member illness, community containment measures and quarantines, school and/or business

closures, and public transportation closures.

Implement guidelines to modify the frequency and type of face-to-face contact (e.g. hand-shaking,

seating in meetings, office layout, shared workstations) among employees and between employees and 

customers (refer to CDC recommendations).

Encourage and track annual influenza vaccination for employees.

Evaluate employee access to and availability of healthcare services during a pandemic, and improve 

services as needed.

Evaluate employee access to and availability of mental health and social services during a pandemic,

including corporate, community, and faith-based resources, and improve services as needed.

Identify employees and key customers with special needs, and incorporate the requirements of such

persons into your preparedness plan.

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1.3 Establish policies to be implemented during a pandemic:

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Establish policiesfor employee compensation and sick-leave absences unique to a pandemic (e.g. non-punitive,

liberal leave), including policies on when a previously ill person is no longer infectious and can return to work 

after illness.

Establish policiesfor flexible worksite (e.g. telecommuting) and flexible work hours(e.g.staggered shifts).

Establish policies for preventing influenza spread at the worksite (e.g. promoting respiratory hygiene/ 

cough etiquette, and prompt exclusion of people with influenza symptoms).

Establish policies for employees who have been exposed to pandemic influenza, are suspected to be ill,

or become ill at the worksite (e.g. infection control response, immediate mandatory sick leave).

Establish policies for restricting travel to affected geographic areas (consider both domestic and 

international sites), evacuating employees working in or near an affected area when an outbreak begins,

and guidance for employees returning from affected areas (refer to CDC travel recommendations).

Set up authorities, triggers, and procedures for activating and terminating the company’s response plan,

altering business operations (e.g. shutting down operations in affected areas), and transferring business

knowledge to key employees.

1.4 Allocate resources to protect your employees and customers during a pandemic:

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Provide sufficient and accessible infection control supplies (e.g.hand-hygiene products, tissues and

receptacles for their disposal) in all business locations.

Enhance communications and information technology infrastructures as needed to support employee 

telecommuting and remote customer access.

Ensure availability of medical consultation and advice for emergency response.

1.5 Communicate to and educate your employees:

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Develop and disseminate programs and materials covering pandemic fundamentals (e.g. signs and

symptoms of influenza, modes of transmission), personal and family protection and response strategies

(e.g. hand hygiene, coughing/sneezing etiquette, contingency plans).

Anticipate employee fear and anxiety, rumors and misinformation and plan communications

accordingly.

Ensure that communications are culturally and linguistically appropriate.

Disseminate information to employees about your pandemic preparedness and response plan.

Provide information for the at-home care of ill employees and family members.

Develop platforms (e.g. hotlines, dedicated websites) for communicating pandemic status and actions to

employees, vendors, suppliers, and customers inside and outside the worksite in a consistent and timely

way, including redundancies in the emergency contact system.

Identify community sources for timely and accurate pandemic information (domestic and international)

and resources for obtaining counter-measures (e.g. vaccines and antivirals).

1.6 Coordinate with external organizations and help your community:

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Collaborate with insurers, health plans, and major local healthcare facilities to share your pandemic

plans and understand their capabilities and plans.

Collaborate with federal,state, and local public health agencies and/or emergency respondersto participate in 

their planning processes,share your pandemic plans, and understand their capabilities and plans.

Communicate with local and/or state public health agencies and/or emergency responders about the

assets and/or services your business could contribute to the community.

Share best practices with other businesses in your communities, chambers of commerce, and

associations to improve community response efforts.