Small-business owners who weathered the first wave of swine flu last spring are dealing with the illness all over again, including such issues as employee absences and staffers who are afraid of getting sick.

``Outside of the Obama healthcare plan, it's the topic of the day'' in conversations that Rob Wilson has with his small business clients. Wilson, president of Employco, a Chicago-based resources outsourcing company, said that with schools and colleges back in session and the disease spreading, ``we're seeing it start to hit businesses now.''

Even if owners don't already have staffers staying home because they or their children are sick, they need to figure out how the work will get done despite the flu. Owners should also think about prevention, whether that means making it easy for workers to get flu shots or keeping the workplace more sanitary. And they also need to be sure they keep employees' health matters private even if coworkers want to know who's got the flu.

The federal government, which this week warned small companies to be prepared to work with fewer staffers this fall, has published ``Planning for 2009 H1N1 Influenza: A Preparedness Guide for Small Business.'' The guide is available online at www.flu.gov/professional/

business/smallbiz.html.

There is also information for businesses from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/

business/toolkit/.

The government and HR consultants say owners can take steps to help limit the spread of the flu in the workplace. Keeping a supply of strategically placed hand sanitizers and tissues can help. Frequent cleaning of surfaces that many people come into contact with is also a good idea.

Owners might want to take some cues from managers in the healthcare business. Jamie Anderson, vice president of healthcare for Constant Care Management, a Dallas-based operator of Alzheimer's assisted living facilities, said surfaces like handrails are being disinfected several times a day instead of once a day before the flu outbreak last spring.

Companies should also give staffers time off to get flu shots, and pay for shots even if they don't provide health insurance. But employers should be aware that they generally cannot require an employee to get a shot.

It is critical for companies to plan now for multiple employee absences. HR consultants recommend that owners be sure that staffers are able to substitute for one another when someone is out sick.

``If you don't have employees cross-trained, you need to do so as quickly as possible'' Wilson said.

As a preventative measure, owners might want to consider staggering shifts if possible to limit the amount of contact employees have with each other, said Debra S. Squyres, a director at Trinet Group, which also provides human-resources outsourcing.

Once they're sick, it's important for staffers to feel it's OK to stay home. A boss needs to be sure he or she doesn't do anything to pressure someone with the swine flu -- or any illness for that matter -- to come to work.

To do so can be a violation of federal and state laws, and it's also a bad health practice.

Another concern for many staffers is using up sick time. A worker with a week of sick leave annually and who already took time for the seasonal flu this year might be tempted to come in rather than lose pay. Under these circumstances, the answer might be for owners to be a little more liberal with sick time.

``Traditional sick day policies might not address this scenario,'' Squyres said.

Companies that don't have written sick leave policies should be formulating them now.

When a worker comes down with what appears to be the swine flu, other staffers may want to know whether the sick employee is indeed suffering from the disease. Owners need to know it's against federal laws, including the Americans with Disability Act, to reveal health information about any employee. They'll have to tell other staffers that they cannot discuss the matter.

If you have managers, be sure they don't divulge any information, either. ``I would make sure that managers are trained to respond to these kinds of inquiries,'' Squyres said.

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