3 PITFALLS OF LIVING WILLS
1. The Living Will is
Not
Specific Enough.
2. Family Members are
Unaware
the Living Will Even Exists.
3. The Living Will
Can’t Prevent
a Court Challenge by an Interested Party or Determined
Family Member.
3 STEPS TO TAKE TO
EMPOWER YOURSELF
1. Discuss
your wishes with family members and loved ones.
Keep
discussing those wishes.
2. Have
a Living Will, or Georgia Advance Health Care
Directive, Executed and Witnessed.
3. Make
Sure Your Agents Have Copies. Take a Copy when you
travel.
The flu season is upon us and the H1N1 virus is
spreading, thus causing serious illness. What can
business owners do? Here are Nine Key Steps.
1. Communicate and maintain current and up-to-date
information regarding the extent of any and all flu
outbreaks. The following websites contain
excellent information:
www.pandemicflu.gov
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm
2.Communicate with your employees as to how your
business is handling and responding to this health
issue. The above websites are good sources for such
education.
3. Communicate to employees that they should
immediately see a physician if they experience any
flu-like symptoms.
4. Managers and supervisors should make a
confidential report if they believe an employee has
contracted the flu.
5. If an employee presents himself/herself with
flu-like symptoms, advise him/her to go home. Do not
send any employee to a medical testing facility without
consulting legal counsel regarding your rights to
request such an employee be tested under the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state disability laws.
6. Consider how you would respond if an employee
tells you that he/she refuses to come to work. Make sure
your policies and procedures are current, up-to-date,
and address such situations, so that you are able to
respond in a consistent and non-discriminatory manner.
7. If any employee calls in and advises that he/she
has the flu, do not disclose this information to anyone
other than those who have an absolute and identifiable
need to know.
8. Consider how you will respond if an employee
tells you that he/she would like time off to volunteer
for public service agencies. Will you permit this? With
or without pay?
9. If your employees travel internationally, refer
to the Centers for Disease control Web site above for
travel advisories for those particular countries.
Recently, Lentheus Cheney, Publisher, Editor,
and Designer of URBAN LUX Magazine, asked if I’d write a guest
column for his magazine. To read more, click here:
Business Suite Guest Columnist.
