The following article first appeared on Robinson+Cole’s Manufacturing Law Blog. It is reposted here with permission.

Flu season, which extends into spring, can be a particularly long season for manufacturers, especially when their workforces and workplaces are significantly impacted by the illness.

Below are reminders for manufacturers about the various legal implications related to the flu and its impact on the workplace.

Employees who contract the flu without significant medical complications may be able to use accrued paid sick leave under the law and under an employer’s policy to cover time off to seek medical treatment or to rest and recover.

Many states and localities have implemented paid sick leave programs in recent years requiring employers to provide paid sick leave to employees in connection with their own illnesses in addition to providing care to family members.

In addition to the new paid sick leave laws, existing laws continue to develop, expanding the qualifying reasons for the permitted use of leave and the definitions of family members who are covered by the law.

Manufacturers should stay up to date with applicable paid sick leave laws and ensure compliance with changing requirements as employees seek to use their accrued leave to recover during flu season.

Although the flu generally does not trigger protections under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act or its state equivalents, employees may be entitled to job-protected leave if they, or their...

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