Due to the H1N1 pandemic there has been a new bill that has been proposed in Washington.  On 11/10/2009, Seth Harris, Deputy Secretary of Labor, testified in front of the Senate on children and families regarding workplace flexibility and paid leave in the context of the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic.  He announced to the Senate that the Obama Administration has endorsed the Healthy Families Act (HFA). 

This potential law will drastically affect your business if it is signed into law.  If this passes you must allow your employees to take days off and can’t terminate them because they are sick, no matter how long they are out.  This would include parents who have to take care of their kids if they are sick or if their school is closed.  These days would not count against any personal time or vacation time.   This bill was created because of the severity of the H1N1 flu pandemic and the increase of employees being terminated because they are taking too many days off to care for themselves or their kids.

Keep your eyes peeled for further updates on this bill.  In the mean time boost up your efforts to help prevent the spread of the seasonal flu and H1N1 virus by keeping your office clean and have plenty of hand sanitizer throughout the office.  Remember you can’t discriminate against your employees for being sick, if you have specific questions about your employees being sick feel free to call me.