Workers should not pay the price for swine flu

June 9, 2009
Media Release

Workers should not pay the price for swine flu

Workers should not bear the costs of work-related swine flu exposure, says the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union.

The call follows the quarantining of several EPMU members and the tightening of quarantine regulations.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little says quarantine can mean significant costs to workers and that these should be met by their employer if the exposure is work-related.

“There can be a significant cost to a worker when they are quarantined ranging from loss of allowances to not being able to work their second job and we believe that cost should be paid by the employer if the quarantine is the result of workplace exposure.

“We are currently following up on four cases in which EPMU members have been quarantined following workplace exposure and are not being properly compensated for the losses they are incurring as a result.

“With predictions of an increased spread of swine flu, it’s important that employers prepare to take responsibility for the costs of workplace exposure.”

The EPMU represents 45,000 New Zealand workers including several thousand who work in industries with high-risk of swine flu exposure.

ENDS

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