Employers Advised to Heed, but Not Replicate, States' Ebola Precautions

Kevin Troutman was quoted in the SHRM article “Employers Advised to Heed, but Not Replicate, States’ Ebola Precautions” on October 31, 2014.

Kevin was quoted on the importance of being prepared in the workplace when facing Ebola and other foreseen pandemics in the future.

“Get prepared,” Kevin recommended. Whether it’s Ebola or some other contagious disease, employers “will face similar situations again. Fear, misinformation and hurried decisions only make a difficult situation worse. So establishing a response team and a team leader, policies regarding leaves and related issues, communications and contingency plans now are much better than developing them during the next emergency.

“Simple steps, such as communicating with employees about your plan, encouraging flu shots and implementing effective infection control policies (including frequent handwashing) are also very important and effective, especially now that the flu season is beginning. Once this framework is established, employers should provide training to employees who will play important roles in the company’s response to such situations. No matter how the current Ebola scare resolves, more similar situations are certain to arise in the future.”

To read the full article, please visit SHRM Online.