Federal officials said Monday that small business owners should be prepared to operate with fewer employees this fall as swine flu spreads across the country.
The Department of Homeland Security is issuing guidelines on combating swine flu to small businesses, which employ about half the workers in the U.S. private sector.
A guidebook recommends small businesses identify their essential operations and have plans for operating with reduced staffing. The government also says businesses should consider letting employees work from home if they get sick.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said small businesses could be particularly vulnerable to a pandemic because they often have fewer resources and work with leaner staffs.
The Associated Press
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