With the flu going around our office in the last few weeks, I have heard lots of talk in the workplace about sick days. Not complaints that employees who are sick do not have time available as they have quite a bit of PTO time, more complaints from other employees about why sick employees are coming to work.

Today alone, I was afraid when I came back from lunch that the employees might have risen up with pitchforks and torches against one employee who returned to work after being out sick the last few days with the flu, who for his or her own sake will not be named here.

I know mandatory sick leave laws are a headache for employers. Complying with multiple sick leave laws in a variety of jurisdictions can be very complicated as well as costly for employers. The current iteration of sick leave laws do not realistically address challenges faced by small employers and add layers of complication to the administration of tracking leaves. However, having a sick leave policy available definitely helps with employee morale issues.

Also, having a pandemic illness policy, i.e., when do you force employees to remain out of work, would certainly help, regardless of whether it is a flu pandemic or some or insidious zombie virus with which you are dealing. If you feel unprepared for a zombie apocalypse, don’t fret. The CDC has you covered. See, for example, Preparedness 101_Zombie Apocalypse.

You cannot be less prepared for a zombie apocalypse than this poor girl whose brothers played an awful trick on her while she was high on anesthesia:

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