Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Protestors ..

Issue: Watching the nightly news earlier this month showing coverage of World Trade Organization protestors in the “Battle in Seattle” has you concerned about how your organization would carry on in the face of such turmoil. Should your organization have a contingency plan in place?

Answer: Definitely. Can all or part of your work site cease to exist for one day or permanently? Would you survive? If the answer is your company would probably not survive, that underscores how important fire, disaster recovery and contingency planning is. These plans, set up to protect and prepare a company in the event of disasters such as earthquakes, floods, fires, vandalism and civil unrest, assume that all or a part of the business has ceased to exist, in the location it is in, for a period of time. How to address the damage, continue critical business functions and “recreate” the company are the goals of these plans.

What should HR do?
It would be impossible to try to develop a crisis plan in the middle of a disaster. Create a written plan now, involving your staff so that it becomes their plan too. Once it is finished, do not leave the plan on the shelf—test it periodically. It would also be wise to check with key service providers to find out whether they have a plan.

SOURCE: CCH Incorporated is a leading provider of information and software for human resources, legal, accounting, health-care and small-business professionals. CCH offers human resource management, payroll, employment, benefits, and worker-safety products and publications in print, CD, online and via the Internet. For more information and other updates on the latest HR news, check our Web site at http://hr.cch.com.

The information contained in this article is intended to provide useful information on the topic covered, but should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion.