NEW YORK — A boss who’s worried about an outbreak of measles in the workplace needs to tread lightly.
Reports of a growing number of measles cases have employers wondering what they should be doing. But federal and state laws can limit their ability to require workers to be vaccinated. And it may be risky to even ask staffers whether they’ve gotten a measles or other type of vaccination.
News about a measles case in the New York City area has clients calling human resources provider Alcott HR Group seeking advice, says Bob Byrnes, director of risk management with the New York-based company.
“They’re asking, what can they do? Can they go up and ask people if they’re vaccinated, or if their children are,” Byrnes says.
Some questions and answers about measles and the workplace: