The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, won't start coming out with its weekly flu activity and surveillance reports until October, but businesses and workers should start preparing now for flu season.

High absenteeism at workplaces is expected through the fall, and employers should start preparing for how to deal with fewer workers, according to a story at 9News.com, a Colorado TV station.

"Experts at the CDC are predicting that it may be a 40% absenteeism that companies are going to have to deal with," said Jennifer Gokenbach, a labor and employment attorney, to 9News.com. "And it's going to be an extended event that companies should plan and prepare for."

Here's the 9News video report:
Along with writing a disaster preparedness plan, businesses should appoint a team to communicate with workers. Employees should be cross trained and leadership plans should be prepared.

To keep from infecting the entire workplace, employers should insist employees stay home if they get the flu.

Getting this message across may require increasing sick time so that workers don't feel obligated to come to work if they're out of sick time.