Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Health and safetyLatest NewsHealth & Safety ExecutiveWellbeingOccupational Health

Swine flu measures could be legal minefield, experts warn

by Louisa Peacock 29 Apr 2009
by Louisa Peacock 29 Apr 2009

Imposing travel bans or quarantines to protect employees from a swine flu pandemic could land HR in serious legal trouble as they would ignore privacy and employment law, experts have warned.

A failure to consult properly on travel restrictions, putting staff in quarantine or imposing medical care or vaccinations at work could mean companies facing claims for breaching individuals’ privacy, according to law firm White & Case.

International employment lawyer Don Dowling warned multinational employers in particular to act fast to involve existing overseas health and safety committees and worker representatives in plans to deal with any swine flu outbreaks, or in preparing for a pandemic, to check employees were properly consulted.

Dowling said: “There are some serious legal implications for multinational employers to consider, including involving existing overseas health and safety committees and worker representatives, providing medical care/vaccinations in the workplace, and imposing travel bans and quarantines, all while weighing these precautions against stringent privacy and employment laws.”

He added that with the global outbreak of swine flu employers must show a keen interest in keeping staff healthy and in containing the spread of the disease, to keep business operations running and to minimise liability exposure.

The disease has already reached the UK, with the first two cases confirmed yesterday and another possible 23 cases being investigated in Scotland.

The Department of Health has warned that a quarter of UK employees could contract swine flu, which could cost the economy £1.5bn a day, according to figures obtained by Personnel Today yesterday.

The sum could be significantly reduced if companies acted now to implement provisions for staff to work at home, including supplying laptops and back-ups of contacts lists, a Federation of Small Businesses spokesman said.

“Employers should keep in touch with the Department of Health, their GP practices and ensure contingency plans are in place to maintain contact with their banks, suppliers and customers,” he said.

Ben Willmott, senior public policy advisor at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), added that employers had to act fast to prepare for a swine flu outbreak. “In case of a pandemic, employers should formulate clear advice for staff on the symptoms of the virus and the importance of staying at home and seeking medical advice at the earliest opportunity.”

On Monday the Department of Health published its Pandemic Flu: Guidance for Business which outlined what HR functions should do if the outbreak takes hold in the UK.

The department’s advice to employers included displaying signs telling those infected not to enter the building and reminding them of the importance of basic hygiene, considering alternatives to direct meetings, reducing interaction by staggering lunch breaks, and asking staff to maintain a distance of one metre from other people.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The guidance said: “HR policies may wish to reflect the impact of a pandemic on departments and be sensitive to staff needs during times of caring for family members or even bereavement.”

The death toll in Mexico, where the swine flu outbreak originated, has reached 159.

Louisa Peacock

previous post
Wind power firm cuts 600 UK jobs despite ‘green’ Budget
next post
House of Lords to hear sickness absence case tomorrow

You may also like

Number of police working second jobs doubles

15 Jul 2025

Mansion House speech: will employers’ pension contributions rise?

15 Jul 2025

University staff to strike over hybrid working curbs

15 Jul 2025

Employees voting with feet as return-to-office pressure increases...

15 Jul 2025

Businesses warned against reducing recruitment in favour of...

15 Jul 2025

Postmasters could take ownership of Post Office

14 Jul 2025

Ethnicity and disability pay gaps: Ready to report?...

14 Jul 2025

Manager dismissed after covert recording with HR wins...

14 Jul 2025

Food sector warned it is facing a workforce...

14 Jul 2025

Gregg Wallace investigation: 45 allegations upheld

14 Jul 2025

  • Empower and engage for the future: A revolution in talent development (webinar) WEBINAR | As organisations strive...Read more
  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today