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Mercer’s health and benefits business has launched an advisory service for companies concerned about the impact of pandemics, including the H1N1 virus, on their workforces.

The service allows clients to identify oversights in company responses to pandemics, covering core areas such as absence, business continuity, communication, support and hygiene.

The pandemic advisory service also includes an advice hotline offering support to managers for clinical questions. Aimed primarily at companies that do not have access to occupational health advice, the advice line will be available on an ad hoc basis to support HR teams and help managers deal with more complicated situations where specialized advice is required.