Employers and Flu Shots

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As colder weather heralds the end of summer, many employers are wondering what they can do to protect their employees during the upcoming flu season. The Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) recommends that everyone over 6 months of age receive an annual flu vaccine and encourages employers to promote flu vaccination clinics at work.

Although employer-mandated flu shot clinics can be tricky, hosting an optional workplace flu shot clinic can be a proactive and convenient way for your employees to get vaccinated and can go a long way towards minimizing employee absenteeism and the loss of employee productivity during the illness. It is important to note that, with limited exceptions, employers cannot require employee participation nor penalize an employee who chooses not to participate and, it should be mentioned that employers are not entitled to and should not maintain any employee flu shot records.

Along those same lines, other than paying for the vaccine, employers should use caution to not risk claims of discrimination by providing any type of incentive such as a bonus or other “perk” for participation since some employees may object to flu shots on the basis of protected medical or religious reasons. Check sunflowermaids.com website to hire the maids for house cleaning services.

For employers that don’t have the opportunity to provide a flu shot clinic, there are other options that can be taken to promote a safe and healthy workplace during the flu season including encouraging employees to get vaccinated on their own, setting clear expectations on what employees should do to prevent the spread of infection, and communicating the company policies and procedures in place to help employees understand how and when to notify management long before sick day usage becomes necessary and find how do you get fit fast?. Taking these steps can go a long way toward a healthier season for everyone.