Planning for a pandemic: Check policies before new viruses spread.

• Position: Nuts & Bolts

It's too soon to tell if the virus outbreak that started in China (first called coronavirus, now named COVID-19) will become a worldwide pandemic. But public health officials are bracing for the worst. Prudence says employers should start planning now in case the virus starts spreading rapidly in the United States.

It could sicken some of your employees, and that has the potential to trigger questions about attendance, pay, medical testing and more. Planning now could prevent business disruptions in coming weeks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, coronavirus/COVID-19 infection resembles the flu, including mild to severe respiratory illness with fever. So far, infection seems to be fatal mostly among older patients and those with weakened immune systems.

The first case was reported in China on Dec. 31. By February 20, more than 75,000 cases were confirmed in 28 countries, killing about 2,000 people, mostly in China.

Possible workplace problems

Employers will have to address several practical issues if coronavirus becomes widespread:

Attendance could take a hit.

Some employees may be unable to work because they are sick or sick family members need their assistance at home. Others may stay away from work because they fear infection.

The workplace might become contagious. Sick employees may insist on coming to work even if they should stay home. Some employees may not seek health care for financial reasons or out of fear of exposure at the doctor's office.

Employees may refuse to perform some of their regular duties because they fear being exposed. Those who travel frequently or attend large meetings may balk.

Employees may need personal assistance. It might involve finding care for a sick relative. They may need help obtaining food, services or money during a potential quarantine.

5 plans to make & steps to take

Here are some tips to help you plan to limit the impact of coronavirus on your employees and business operations:

1 Educate staff about prevention. Good hygiene is the key to prevent the spread of any kind of workplace-zapping virus. Remind employees to cover their mouths/noses when they cough/sneeze. Encourage hand washing and avoid touching their eyes, noses and mouths. Your policies and practices should emphasize that staff with any flu viruses should not come to work.

2 Plan for the impact on staffing, including estimating employee absences and identifying positions essential to the business. Cross train...