Making sick employees get a note from the doctor might be good business policy. But during a flu outbreak, it’s bad health policy, Dr. Alan Melnick said.
Melnick, Clark County health officer, urges employers to keep the health of their employees — as well as the public — in mind as the community copes with H1N1 influenza.
“Some of our staff have heard from emergency departments and doctors’ offices that people were told they needed a doctor’s note to call in sick,” said Melnick. “Or if they’ve been sick, they needed a note from their doctor to go back to work.”
It’s a bad idea for a couple of reasons, Melnick said.
“People have been inundating doctors’ offices with all these visits,” said Melnick, who also is health officer for the Southwest Washington region covering Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties. “We don’t want to overload the system, and we don’t want people with flu-like symptoms to be walking around the community. Some businesses might have problem employees, but this isn’t the time to be cracking down.”
Public health officials also made several other recommendations for businesses dealing with sick employees:
“We definitely don’t want people going to work sick,” Melnick said.
Employees who appear ill when they arrive at work or who become ill at work should be sent home. Symptoms of flu include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people experience diarrhea and vomiting.
Stay home, self-treat
Unless there are significant complications requiring medical attention, “We really want people who have influenza to stay home. Self-treatment at home is the way to go,” Melnick said.
Employers should allow their employees to return after their temperature has been lower than 100 degrees for 24 hours without the use of aspirin or other fever-reducing medicine. Employees should be trusted to take their own temperatures, a public health news release note.
“Because employees may feel under pressure to come to work even when sick, we urge businesses to review their sick-leave policies and ensure that they are able to balance these policies with the need to minimize illness among their staff and the community,” health officials said.
Now also is a good time for businesses to review plans for how to keep operating should the flu become more widespread or serious.
Although supplies are limited now and vaccine is being given only to high-risk patients, businesses should encourage employees to seek vaccinations as they become available in Southwest Washington and may consider having vaccination clinics in the workplace. Maxim Health Systems (866-211-0001), getaflushot.com or local pharmacies can help arrange a clinic.
The vaccine for seasonal flu is also in short supply. “We hope to get more doses of seasonal vaccine,” Melnick said. “Generally, seasonal flu doesn’t begin until later in the fall or early winter.”
