Businesses brace for swine flu absences

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - Businesses across Michigan are bracing for the swine flu by paying for vaccinations and setting out hand sanitizer, but health officials are urging them to be flexible about employee absences.

Absenteeism could top 30 percent at businesses as workers stay home either because they're sick or to care for a sick family member, The Flint Journal reported Sunday.

"For an employer that has recently gone through a downsizing and already stretched thin in terms of staffing, 40 percent absenteeism in a given month could be devastating," said John A. Challenger, CEO of Chicago-based Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.

The US. Chamber of Commerce estimates the loss of work because of typical seasonal influenza cost American businesses about $10 billion last year. With the outbreak of swine flu, those losses are expected to be greater this year.

The Michigan Department of Community Health and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend businesses have contingency plans in case swine flu breaks out in their office. They also advise businesses to offer flexible policies that encourage workers to stay home when ill and to be able to take time off to care for a sick family member.

"We're encouraging people to prepare in case there are school closings or businesses if their staff need to stay home," said Mark Valacak, a director of the Genesee County Health Department.

Some businesses are listening.

"Really what we're telling employees is, if you're sick, please stay home and don't come back to work until you've been without a fever for at least 24 hours," said Jeff Holyfield, spokesman for Michigan utility Consumers Energy.

Holyfield also said the company will work with employees who have sick family members. He said the company will prioritize work and can shift workers from other departments around if one department has many absences.

Other Michigan businesses have also taken steps to adapt to operating with a reduced work force.

Portage Printing president Craig Vestal admits he's had his work cut out for him over the past couple of weeks trying to keep his business running as usual as employees miss work because of illnesses.

Several area schools and school districts have been hit by the absence of up to 30 percent of their students due to the swine flu, the Kalamazoo Gazette reported.

Vestal said he understands his employees' need to take care of their families. His son Louis, who attends Schoolcraft Middle School in Kalamazoo County, missed classes recently after coming down with the virus. Schoolcraft schools were closed more than a week ago to try to head off the spread of illness.

"It's very difficult," he said. "We certainly have been affected. We've been doing some scrambling to make sure everything gets covered."

And businesses are also trying to beat the virus to the punch by making sure employees get shots and education they need to stay healthy.

Many employers such as Fernco Inc. in Davison, Saginaw-based Covenant HealthCare and Flint Township-based insurer HealthPlus are picking up the cost of seasonal flu vaccinations for employees.

HealthPlus employee Alesha Keelean, 31, said she got a seasonal flu vaccination provided by the company and she appreciates that her company has supplied employees with hand sanitizer and refills.

"I use it daily, especially now with the cold and flu/H1N1 season lurking," she said.