We have received a number of enquiries relating to Ebola in West Africa and employees’ travel to the area. Whilst we understand the risk of Ebola remains low, you should consider if you have employees or workers travelling to West Africa either for business or leisure.

If you have employees or workers who you are aware are travelling to West Africa you may want to consider issuing or displaying the Public Health England guidance which sets out the symptoms of Ebola and time-frames which individuals who have travelled to West Africa need to be aware of following their return to the UK. It can be found here.

Individuals who are travelling to West Africa should be asked to familiarise themselves with the symptoms and be alert to these for the 21-day period following their return to the UK and advised not to attend work and seek immediate medical attention if displaying any symptoms.

You may wish to ask employees to advise you if they are travelling to West Africa. You can then put in place a “return to work” process whereby you meet with individuals returning from West Africa on their return and run through the symptoms and time-frames and ask them to confirm that they do not have any of the symptoms and reiterate to them to remain alert to these for the 21-day period specified.