Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu 1

Get Your Workplace Ready 

for Pandemic Flu

April 2017
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Contents

Keep Your Workers Healthy and Maintain Productivity by Planning for Pandemic Flu ............................ 3

Pandemic flu is not seasonal flu..................................................................................................... 3

NPIs can help slow the spread of flu............................................................................................... 3

Personal, community, and environmental NPIs................................................................................. 4

Take Action to Help Slow the Spread of Flu and Illness ....................................................................... 5

Everyday preventive actions........................................................................................................... 5

NPIs reserved for a flu pandemic ................................................................................................... 5

Before a Flu Pandemic Occurs: Plan................................................................................................... 6

Update your existing emergency operations plan ............................................................................. 6

Address key prevention strategies in your emergency operations plan............................................... 7

Communicate about pandemic flu and NPIs .................................................................................... 8

Get input and support for your emergency operations and communication plans................................ 8

During a Flu Pandemic: Take Action ................................................................................................... 9

Put your emergency operations and communication plans into action ............................................... 9

Communicate frequently with those in your communication chain ................................................... 10

Take administrative action (as needed) to maintain operations....................................................... 11

After a Flu Pandemic Has Ended: Follow Up ...................................................................................... 12

Evaluate the effectiveness of your emergency operations 

and communication plans............................................................................................................ 12

Readiness Resources ...................................................................................................................... 13

Pandemic flu planning resources.................................................................................................. 13

Seasonal flu planning resources .................................................................................................. 14

Audience: Employers and workers responsible 

for planning for and responding to a flu pandemic and 

its recovery.

Purpose: This guide provides information about 

nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and their use 

during a flu pandemic. NPIs are actions, apart from 

getting vaccinated and taking antiviral medications, 

that people and communities can take to help slow 

the spread of respiratory illnesses like pandemic flu. 

Use this guide to develop a new contingency plan 

or modify an existing emergency operations plan for 

pandemic flu that reflects considerations specific to 

your workplace setting and community.

ICON LEGEND

Tips

Readiness Resources

Questions
Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu 3

Keep Your Workers Healthy and Maintain 

Productivity By Planning For Pandemic Flu

Influenza can spread quickly from sick workers to 

others who are nearby in the workplace. Seasonal 

influenza, also known as “the flu,” is a contagious 

respiratory illness caused by flu viruses that infect 

the nose, throat, and lungs (see flu symptoms and 

complications). Workers are often in close contact, 

sharing the same space, supplies, and equipment for 

long periods of time. As a result, there is an increased 

risk that workers will spread flu and other illnesses to 

each other. Flu spreads mostly by droplets containing 

flu viruses traveling through the air (up to 6 feet) when 

a sick person coughs or sneezes. Less often, people 

might get flu by touching surfaces or objects with flu 

viruses on them and then touching their eyes, nose, 

or mouth. 

The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu 

vaccine. CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for 

everyone 6 months and older. Vaccination can reduce 

flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work due to flu 

illness, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations. 

CDC also recommends that people practice everyday 

preventive actions (or personal NPIs) at all times to 

protect themselves and their community from flu and 

other respiratory infections (see Page 5).

Each year, seasonal flu is responsible for nearly 

17 million missed workdays and costs more than 

$10 billion in direct medical expenses;* these numbers 

may increase during a flu pandemic. Flu pandemics 

are much less common but can occur at any time. Do 

not let your workplace be caught by surprise! Just as 

you prepare for seasonal flu, you should prepare for 

pandemic flu. Establishing flexible sick-leave policies 

is the single most important action for employers to 

consider when preparing for flu pandemics. When sick 

workers are at work, they can spread flu to others 

and increase the number of people who become sick. 

Allowing sick workers to stay home until they recover 

reduces the risk of flu spreading in the workplace and 

supports business continuity of operations. 

Most workplace settings have developed an emergency 

operations plan that addresses a range of crises. 

Make sure your workplace has a contingency plan that 

includes policies and procedures that are flexible and 

can align with future public health recommendations 

that may occur during a flu pandemic. 

Pandemic flu is not seasonal flu

A flu pandemic occurs when a new flu virus that is 

different from seasonal flu viruses emerges and 

spreads quickly between people, causing illness 

worldwide. Most people will lack immunity to the 

pandemic flu virus. Pandemic flu can be more severe, 

causing more deaths than seasonal flu. Because it is a 

new virus, a vaccine may not be available right away. A 

pandemic could therefore overwhelm normal operations 

in workplace settings. Read more about the important 

differences between seasonal flu and pandemic flu.

NPIs can help slow the spread of flu

When a new flu virus emerges, it can take up to 

6 months before a pandemic flu vaccine is widely 

available. When a vaccine is not available, NPIs are the 

best way to help slow the spread of flu. They include 

personal, community, and environmental actions. These 

actions are most effective when used together (see 

Page 4).

As an employer, you play a key role in flu readiness. 

Planning for and practicing NPI actions will help your 

workplace respond more effectively when an actual 

emergency occurs. Safeguard the health of your 

workers, customers, and the community by making 

sure your contingency plan includes provisions for 

pandemic flu. Most importantly, develop flexible 

policies and procedures that allow workers to stay 

home when they are sick during a pandemic.

*Molinari NA, et al. Vaccine 25 (2007)
4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Personal NPIs are 

everyday preventive actions

that can help keep people 

from getting and/or spreading 

flu. These actions include 

staying home when you are 

sick, covering your coughs and 

sneezes with a tissue, and 

washing your hands often with 

soap and water.

Community NPIs are 

strategies that organizations 

and community leaders can 

use to help limit face-to-face 

contact. These strategies may 

include making sick-leave 

policies more flexible, promoting 

telework, avoiding close contact 

with others, and scheduling 

remote meetings.

Environmental NPIs are 

surface cleaning measures that 

remove germs from frequently 

touched surfaces and objects.

CDC has created resources to help you plan for a flu pandemic.

Visit www.cdc.gov/npi for the latest information and resources about nonpharmaceutical 

interventions (NPIs). 

Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy’s Toolkit 

for Doing Business During an Influenza Pandemic

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/sites/default/files/public/downloads/cidrap-shrm-hrpandemic-toolkit.pdf
Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu 5

Take Action to Help Slow the Spread 

of Flu and Illness

CDC has developed recommended actions for preventing the spread of flu in workplace settings. Promote and reinforce 

the practice of everyday preventive actions at all times. Plan for and educate workers about additional community NPI 

actions that may be recommended by public health officials, if a flu pandemic occurs. 

Work closely with your local public health department before a pandemic occurs to establish a flexible contingency plan 

that includes actions to take during a mild, moderate, severe, very severe, or extreme pandemic. Be prepared to take 

actions that are appropriate for the level of severity of the local pandemic outbreak. The Before, During, and After

sections of this guide offer suggested actions to help you plan for and implement these recommendations.

EVERYDAY PREVENTIVE ACTIONS 

Everyone should always practice good 

personal health habits to help prevent flu.

Stay home when you are sick. Stay home 

for at least 24 hours after you no longer 

have a fever or signs of a fever without the 

use of fever-reducing medicines.

Cover your coughs and sneezes with 

a tissue.

Wash your hands often with soap and 

water for at least 20 seconds. Use at 

least a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer 

if soap and water are not available.

Clean frequently touched surfaces and 

objects.

NPIs RESERVED FOR A FLU PANDEMIC

Employers should be prepared to take 

these additional actions, if recommended 

by public health officials.*

Allow workers to telework, if feasible.

Be prepared to allow workers to stay 

home if someone in their house is sick.

Increase space between people at work 

to at least 3 feet, as much as possible.

Decrease the frequency of contact 

among people at work.

Modify, postpone, or cancel large work 

events.

Postpone or cancel non-essential workrelated travel.

*These additional actions may be recommended for severe, 

very severe, or extreme flu pandemics.

Planning for a flu pandemic is a wise investment.

Most large workplaces find it important to develop continuity-of-operations plans for a 

range of emergencies. Make sure your plan includes preparations for a flu pandemic 

and is flexible to accommodate pandemic outbreaks of varying severity levels.

What Employers can do to Protect Workers from Pandemic Influenza, from the 

U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/employers-protect-workers-flu-factsheet.html

Note: The following sections include CDC’s recommended actions for preventing the spread of pandemic flu and suggested strategies for 

implementing these recommendations.
6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Before a Flu Pandemic Occurs: Plan

Did you know community-wide 

pandemic flu planning by employers 

can help limit the impact to 

the economy and community?

A flu pandemic can last for several months. Public 

health officials may recommend additional community 

actions based on the severity of the pandemic that 

limit exposure, such as flexible sick-leave and telework 

policies. These recommendations may be challenging to 

plan for and implement in your workplace. However, you 

may be asked to follow such recommendations for the 

safety and well-being of your workers and the community. 

✔ Establishing ongoing communication with your 

local public health department now can give you 

access to relevant information before and during a 

pandemic. Having a good contingency plan in place 

and developing flexible policies and procedures 

to accommodate public health recommendations 

can help reduce infection. During your planning 

process, remember to engage key partners across 

both public and private sectors. Also, the specific 

details of your plan should be based on the severity 

of the pandemic and the size of your workplace and 

workforce, complexity of your day-to-day operations, 

and type of services your workplace provides.

Community-wide planning is essential to responding 

to and recovering from a flu pandemic. Find out if 

your local government has a private-public emergency 

planning group that meets regularly. Building strong 

alliances before a pandemic may provide your 

workplace with the support and resources needed to 

respond effectively.

Small Workplaces: A flu pandemic 

can be especially challenging for small 

workplaces. Up to 40% of workplaces 

never reopen following a major disaster. Planning 

for flu or other disasters is key. Put strategies in 

place to protect your workers, customers, and 

business. 

Update your existing 

emergency operations plan

✔ Meet with your emergency operations coordinator 

or planning team to update your emergency 

operations plan. If your workplace does not have 

a person or team in place, determine who will 

be responsible for coordinating your workplace’s 

pandemic flu actions. Review all aspects of your 

workplace, such as personnel, systems, services, 

and other resources. Make preparations for the key 

prevention strategies outlined in this guide. Develop 

or update your plan based on various scenarios your 

workplace may face during a flu pandemic.

Small Workplaces: Select an emergency 

planning coordinator and one support 

person to plan for emergencies like 

pandemic flu. They will be responsible for 

engaging community partners in planning efforts, 

reviewing workplace policies and protocols, 

and identifying critical workplace functions and 

positions to maintain during an emergency. 

Learn more about pandemic flu and Continuity 

of Operations Planning by visiting https://

www.fema.gov/media -library/assets/

documents/93250

✔ Establish relationships with key community 

partners and stakeholders. When forming key 

relationships, include the local public health 

department, local boards of education, and 

community leaders. Collaborate and coordinate with 

them on broader planning efforts. Clearly identify 

each partner’s role, responsibilities, and decisionmaking authority. Review the pandemic flu plan for 

your community and participate in community-wide 

emergency preparedness activities.
Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu 7

Address key prevention strategies in your emergency operations plan

✔ Promote the daily practice of everyday preventive 

actions at all times (see Page 5). Use health 

messages and materials developed by credible 

public health sources, such as your local public 

health department or the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC). Read more about 

everyday preventive actions.

✔ Provide flu-prevention supplies in your workplace.

Have supplies on hand for workers, such as soap, 

hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, tissues, 

trash baskets, and disposable facemasks. Plan to 

have extra supplies on hand during a pandemic.

Note: Disposable facemasks should be kept on-site 

and used only when someone becomes sick at the 

workplace. Those who become sick should be given 

a clean disposable facemask to wear until they can 

leave.

✔ Plan for worker absences. Develop flexible 

pandemic flu attendance and sick-leave policies. 

Workers may need to stay home when they are sick, 

caring for a sick household member, or caring for 

their children in the event of school dismissals. 

Identify critical job functions and positions, and 

plan for alternative coverage by cross-training staff 

(similar to planning for holiday staffing). 

✔ Develop a method for monitoring and tracking flurelated worker absences. Understand your usual 

absenteeism patterns at each worksite. Determine 

what level of absenteeism will disrupt day-to-day 

operations. If worker absenteeism increases to 

disruptive levels, some workplaces may need to 

consider temporarily reducing on-site operations and 

services.

✔ Identify space that can be used to separate 

sick people (if possible). Designate a space for 

people who may become sick and cannot leave 

the workplace immediately. If possible, designate 

a nearby separate bathroom just for sick people. 

Develop a plan for cleaning the room daily.

✔ Plan ways to increase space between people to at 

least 3 feet or limit face-to-face contact between 

workers and those who come to the workplace.

Several ways to do this include offering workers the 

option to telework, creating reduced or staggered 

work schedules, spacing workers farther apart, and 

postponing non-essential meetings and travel. 

✔ Develop a risk-assessment and risk-management 

process for your workplace. Work closely with local 

public health officials to develop a contingency plan 

if assessing and managing risks among workers and 

those who come to your workplace is needed (for 

example, conducting health screenings for flu-like 

symptoms). 

Note: Your Human Resources Manager may want 

to review the current Employee Assistance Program 

(EAP) to ensure workers will have access to needed 

emotional and mental health services during and 

after a pandemic.

✔ Review your process for planning workplace 

events. Identify actions to take if you need to 

temporarily postpone or cancel events.

✔ Plan ways to continue essential services if on-site 

operations are reduced temporarily. Provide Weband mobile-based communication and services, if 

possible. Increase the use of email, conference 

calls, video conferencing, and web-based seminars.

✔ Be familiar with your local board of education’s 

pandemic flu plans. Local public health officials may 

recommend schools be dismissed for up to 2 weeks 

until they have time to gather information about 

how fast the pandemic flu virus is spreading in your 

community and how severe the flu is. Workers with 

children may need the flexibility to work from home. 

Encourage workers to plan for alternative childcare 

arrangements now. 

Small Workplaces: Determine if social 

media would be a helpful tool to increase 

and sustain your business before and 

during a pandemic. Consider creating a strong 

social media plan to provide information to 

customers and help secure online business 

and revenue in the event your workplace has to 

temporarily reduce on-site services.
8 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Communicate about 

pandemic flu and NPIs 

✔ Update your emergency communication plan for 

distributing timely and accurate information. 

Identify everyone in your chain of communication 

(for example, workers, customers, suppliers, and key 

community partners and stakeholders) and establish 

systems for sharing information with them. Maintain 

up-to-date contact information for everyone in the 

chain of communication. Identify platforms, such as 

a hotline, automated text messaging, and a website 

to help disseminate information to those inside and 

outside your workplace. 

✔ Identify and address potential language, 

cultural, and disability barriers associated with 

communicating pandemic flu information to 

workers and customers. Learn more about reaching 

people of diverse languages and cultures by visiting 

www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Audience/

index.html. You also can learn more about 

communicating to workers in a crisis at 

www.ready.gov/business/implementation/crisis

Get input and support for your emergency 

operations and communication plans 

✔ Share your plans with workers, suppliers, and key 

community partners and stakeholders. Develop 

training and educational materials about the plans 

for workers.

✔ Test and update your plans every 12–18 months, 

or as aspects of your workplace change. Start 

with discussion-based practice sessions, such as 

tabletop exercises to identify and address the gaps 

in your plans. 

Create a culture of health and resilience for emergencies in your workplace.

Plan workshops, trainings, and health campaigns to help workers create emergency 

care and response plans for their households. Create a plan for providing health 

information to workers. Consider using multiple forms of communication, such as a 

website, text messaging, social media, or an automated phone system.
Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu 9

During a Flu Pandemic: Take Action

Did you know a flu pandemic could seriously impact the 

nation’s economy, accruing costs of $100-$250 billion?

It is important that your emergency operations planning team meets regularly during a pandemic to accurately assess, 

manage, and communicate possible risks. Early action to slow the spread of flu will help keep workers healthy, reduce 

absenteeism, maintain productivity, and limit the negative impact of flu.

Put your emergency operations and communication plans into action 

✔✔ Stay informed about the local flu situation. Get them if absenteeism is higher than normal for 

up-to-date information about local flu activity from your workplace. Learn more about flu symptoms 

public health officials. Be aware of temporary at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/

school dismissals in your area because these may complications.htm

affect your workers. ✔✔ Implement your risk-assessment and riskNote: Early in the pandemic, local public health management plan. Work closely with local public 

officials may recommend schools be dismissed health officials and healthcare partners to conduct 

temporarily to allow time to gather information health risk assessments at your workplace, if 

about how fast and severe the flu virus is spreading warranted by the severity of the pandemic. 

in your community. Temporarily dismissing schools 

also can help slow the spread of flu.

Small Workplaces: Work closely with 

your local public health department to 

learn how flu is affecting your community 

and what steps you need to take to protect 

your workers. You also can sign-up to receive 

alerts and updates directly from CDC during a 

pandemic. To become a subscriber, visit http://

www.cdc.gov/Other/emailupdates/

✔ Implement NPI actions to protect your workers 

and others (see Page 5). Meet with your 

coordinator or planning team to discuss plans for 

starting NPI actions, such as increasing space 

between people or decreasing the frequency of 

contact among people. Again, work closely with 

your local public health department when starting 

NPIs reserved for flu pandemics. Discuss how 

these actions will impact your workplace. 

Note: Using multiple NPIs at the same time is 

more effective.

✔ Track worker absenteeism related to flu 

symptoms. Work with local public health officials 

to determine when to begin tracking and reporting 

flu-related absenteeism. They may ask you to notify 
10 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Communicate frequently with those in your communication chain

✔ Update key community partners and stakeholders 

regularly. Share information about how your 

workplace is responding to the pandemic. 

✔ Provide flu-prevention supplies and distribute 

health messages and materials to workers.

Continue to promote everyday preventive actions

(see Page 5). Ensure that your workplace has 

supplies, such as tissues, trash baskets, 

disposable facemasks, and at least a 60% alcoholbased hand sanitizer for workers and customers. 

Clean frequently-touched surfaces and objects 

with regular soap and water or Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA)-approved products. Offer 

resources that provide reliable pandemic flu 

information. Address the potential fear and anxiety 

that may result from rumors or misinformation. 

For pandemic flu health messages and materials, 

visit: http://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceuticalinterventions/tools-resources/educationalmaterials.html

Note: Messages, materials, and resources should be 

culturally appropriate.

✔ Address the concerns of workers who are at high 

risk for flu complications. Encourage workers to 

consult with their healthcare provider about how to 

protect their health, if they are at high risk for flu 

complications. Be prepared to address the health 

concerns and needs of workers who are at high 

risk (for example, by allowing them to telework, 

if possible). Learn who may be at high risk for flu 

complications at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/

disease/high_risk.htm

✔ Provide information that explains why and when 

on-site operations and services may be reduced 

temporarily. Some employers may choose to alter 

normal operations due to high worker absenteeism 

or lack of patronage. 
Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu 11

Take administrative action (as needed) to maintain operations

✔ Implement flexible attendance and sick-leave 

policies (if possible). Continue to encourage 

workers to stay home if they are sick or caring for 

a sick household member. Notify workers of when 

your workplace plans to implement pandemic flu 

leave policies. Provide instructions about how and 

when to safely return to work.

Note: If a worker gets sick with flu symptoms, 

they should stay home to lower their chances of 

spreading illness to others. CDC recommends they 

stay home for at least 24 hours after their fever is 

gone without the use of fever-reducing medicines, 

such as acetaminophen. This will help ensure their 

fever is truly gone, and they are past the point of 

being contagious. People with weakened immune 

systems may need to stay home longer.

✔ Increase space to at least 3 feet and limit face-toface contact between workers in the workplace. 

✔ Postpone or cancel large meetings or events. 

Suspend non-essential business travel, if 

recommended by public health officials, and 

postpone workplace, community, and social events. 

✔ Separate those who become sick at your 

workplace from those who are well. Send sick 

workers home immediately. If someone becomes 

sick at your workplace, separate them from others 

(particularly from those who are at high risk for 

flu complications) as soon as possible. Provide 

them with clean disposable facemasks to wear 

until they can leave. Work with the local public 

health department and nearby hospitals to care 

for those who become sick. If needed, arrange 

transportation for workers and others who need 

emergency care. Read more about caring for those 

sick with the flu at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/

consumer/caring-for-someone.htm

Note: Providing sick workers with facemasks does 

not replace the need to encourage them to go home 

and stay home when they are sick. Facemasks may 

be in short supply during a flu pandemic.

Communicate only accurate, up-to-date information.

Rumors and misinformation may contribute to confusion and fear. Address misinformation 

among workers by staying informed about the flu situation in your local community.

Connect to city and county public health officials 

http://www.naccho.org/about/LHD/index.cfm

Connect to state and territorial public health officials 

http://www.astho.org/Directory/
12 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

After a Flu Pandemic Has Ended: Follow Up

Did you know employers who focus on protecting and promoting health and safety have 

more productive and satisfied workers, and see reductions in absenteeism, lower levels of 

healthcare spending, and a decrease in rates of illness and work-related injuries? 

Remember, a flu pandemic can last for several months. When public health officials determine that a flu pandemic has 

ended, work with them to identify criteria for phasing out and ending your workplace’s NPI actions. The criteria should 

be based on reduced flu severity or a slowing of the outbreak in your local area. The criteria also should consider how 

easy or difficult it will be to end each action and return to normal operations.

Evaluate the effectiveness of your emergency operations and communication plans

✔ Discuss and note lessons learned. Gather 

feedback from workers and key community 

partners and stakeholders to improve your plans. 

Identify any gaps in your plans and any needs you 

may have for additional resources.

✔ Maintain and expand your emergency planning 

team. Look for ways to expand community 

partnerships. Identify agencies or partners needed 

to help you prepare for pandemic flu, and make an 

effort to add them to your planning team.

✔ Revisit your risk-assessment and riskmanagement plan. Determine ways to improve 

planning and implementation processes. Assess 

the availability of medical, mental health, and 

social services for workers.

✔ Update and practice your emergency operations 

and communication plans every 12–18 months, 

or as aspects of your workplace change. Update 

your plans based on lessons learned, and replace 

necessary supplies and equipment.

Congratulations on planning for a flu pandemic

A flu pandemic can occur at any time, and having a plan in place is essential. Your contingency or emergency 

operations plan will help protect the health and safety of your workers, customers, and the community, while preserving 

workplace productivity. Coordinate your planning activities with local public health officials and key community partners 

and stakeholders to help maintain essential services.

Meet with your emergency coordinator or planning team 

within 30 days after a flu pandemic ends.

Debrief with your team and key community partners and stakeholders while they still 

remember events.

Community Mitigation Guidelines to 

Prevent Pandemic Influenza—United States, 2017 

http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr6601a1 

Questions?

Help and planning resources are just a click away. Visit www.cdc.gov/npi and 

www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic
Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu 13

Readiness Resources

Pandemic Flu Planning Resources

CDC Pandemic Flu Planning Tools and Resources 

■ Visit www.cdc.gov/npi for the latest information and resources about nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs)

■ Learn who may be at high risk for flu complications http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/high_risk.htm

■ Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza—United States, 2017 

http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr6601a1 

■ Visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/index.htm for the latest information and resources about 

pandemic flu

■ Reaching People of Diverse Languages and Cultures with Flu Communications 

http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Audience/index.html

■ Creating Easy-to-understand Materials http://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/pdf/Simply_Put.pdf

■ Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) http://emergency.cdc.gov/cerc/index.asp

■ Preparing for the Flu (including 2009 H1N1 Flu): A Communication Toolkit for Businesses and Employers, 

from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/business/toolkit/pdf/Business_Toolkit.pdf

■ Estimate potential days of work loss resulting from a pandemic flu at Flu Work Loss 1.0 

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/tools/fluworkloss.htm

CDC Pandemic Flu NPI Planning Guides

■ Get Ready for Pandemic Flu: Educational Settings 

https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/gr-pan-flu-ed-set.pdf

■ Get Ready for Pandemic Flu: Individuals and Households 

https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/gr-pan-flu-ind-house.pdf

■ Get Ready for Pandemic Flu: Event Planners 

https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/gr-pan-flu-event-plan.pdf

■ Get Ready for Pandemic Flu: Community- and Faith-Based Organizations Serving Vulnerable Populations 

https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/gr-pan-flu-com-faith-org-serv-vul-pop.pdf

■ Get Ready for Pandemic Flu: Health Communicators 

https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/gr-pan-flu-health-com.pdf

CDC Checklists 

■ Pandemic Flu Checklist for Workplace Administrators http://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/

communication/pdf/pandemic-flu-checklist-workplace-administrators.pdf

CDC Factsheets 

■ Do Your Part to Slow the Spread of Flu 

http://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/do-your-part-slow-spread-flu-item5.pdf

CDC Trainings 

■ NPI 101—An Introduction to Nonpharmaceutical Interventions for Pandemic Flu 

http://cdc.train.org/DesktopModules/eLearning/CourseDetails/CourseDetailsForm.aspx?courseId=1051645

■ CERC Pandemic Influenza Training http://emergency.cdc.gov/cerc/cerconline/pandemic/index.html

■ Message Mapping Guide and Training http://www.orau.gov/cdcynergy/messagemappingguide
14 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Additional Planning Information 

■ 2009 Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic, from the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational 

Safety and Health Administration https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3327pandemic.pdf

■ 2009 What Employers can do to Protect Workers from Pandemic Influenza, from the U.S. Department of Labor, 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/employers-protect-workers-flu-factsheet.html

■ Preparedness Planning for Your Business http://www.ready.gov/business

■ Prepare My Business http://www.preparemybusiness.org/

■ Exploring National Surveillance for Health-Related Workplace Absenteeism: Lessons Learned From the 2009 Influenza 

A Pandemic http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4552194/

■ Pandemic Influenza Guide for Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (2011)

https://training.fema.gov/programs/emischool/el361toolkit/assets/cikr_pandemicinfluenzaguide.pdf

Connecting with Public Health Agencies 

■ Connect to city and county public health officials for local information http://www.naccho.org/about/LHD/index.cfm

■ Connect to state and territorial public health officials for statewide information http://www.astho.org/Directory/

Communicating about Pandemic Flu 

■ Culture, Language, and Health Literacy http://www.hrsa.gov/culturalcompetence/index.html

See “Essential Health Literacy Tools” on the right side navigation toolbar.

■ Developing Materials for Clear Communication http://www.nih.gov/clearcommunication/

■ Crisis Communications Plan http://www.ready.gov/business/implementation/crisis

■ Read more about the important differences between seasonal flu and pandemic flu 

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/basics/about.html

Seasonal Flu Planning Resources

CDC Seasonal Flu Planning Tools and Resources 

■ Visit www.cdc.gov/flu for the latest information and resources about seasonal flu

■ Summary of Weekly Flu View http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/summary.htm

■ Flu View Portal http://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/fluview/fluportaldashboard.html

■ Make it Your Business to Fight the Flu: A Toolkit for Businesses and Employers 

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/business/Toolkit_Seasonal_Flu_For_Businesses_and_Employers.pdf

CDC Fact Sheets

■ Everyday Preventive Actions http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/everyday_preventive.pdf

■ Hand-washing: A Corporate Activity—Improving Health and Increasing Productivity (CDC) 

http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/pdf/hygiene/hwcorporate.pdf

CDC Brochures

■ Flu and You http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/fluandyou_upright.pdf

■ “Take 3” Actions to Fight the Flu http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/general/take3.pdf

CDC Videos

■ Do Your Part to Stop the Spread of Seasonal Flu at Home 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9APKBBr18Cc&feature=youtu.be
Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu 15

CDC Posters

■ Do Your Part to Slow the Spread of Germs http://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/

communication/pdf/do-your-part-slow-spread-germs-poster.pdf

■ Don’t Spread Germs at Work 

http://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/dont-spread-germs-work-item3.pdf

■ Don’t Spread Germs at Work (with Message to Employers)

http://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/dont-spread-germs-work-employers-item2.pdf

■ Stay Home If You’re Sick 

http://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/stay-home-youre-sick-item5.pdf

■ Stay Home If You’re Sick (with Message to Employers)

http://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/stay-home-youre-sick-employers-item4.pdf

■ Everyday Preventive Actions http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/family/flubreak-poster.pdf

■ “Take 3” Actions to Fight the Flu http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/general/take3-poster.pdf

Additional Planning Information

■ Flu Near You https://flunearyou.org/

■ Flu Season Hits US: Seven Steps You Can Take to Prepare Your Business and Employees 

http://www.iesmallbusiness.com/news_sbdc/flu-season-hits-us-seven-steps-you-can-take-to-prepare-yourbusiness-and-employees/

■ Seasonal Flu—Employer Guidance Reducing Healthcare Workers’ Exposures to Seasonal Flu Virus 

https://www.osha.gov/dts/guidance/flu/healthcare.html

■ CDC Foundation Business Pulse Tools and Resources 

http://www.cdcfoundation.org/businesspulse/flu-prevention
Suggested Citation: 

Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu, 2017. Atlanta, GA: Community Interventions for Infection Control Unit, 

Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention, April 2017.

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