Info for news release on pandemic prep

Here is a gathering of facts for your employee news release on the pandemic prep that your imaginary company is doing. It will help you get started on your fictional release. Remember to use an inverted pyramid writing form and news release format. You may use a few of your own "facts" to complete this exercise.

"Our company has a tradition of working courageously in emergency situations," Thomas Winkler, SEM president and CEO, said. "Of course, it is our hope that we never need to enact this pandemic plan, but the first phase of planning is complete, and we now need to listen to employee concerns and questions about the plan."

Name of company: Southwestern Energy Matrix

No. of employees: 8,000 employees in two states, including 2,200 union-represented employees

Type of business: Electric energy generation and distribution for 5 million customers

The company and its executive staff have completed the first phase of planning for possible pandemic.

Employee relations and safety professionals from the company will be visiting all company locations to meet face-to-face with employees to discuss pandemic and emergency planning, as part of each branch office's monthly meeting.

"We think it's important to meet with employees face-to-face," said Human Resource Director Susan L. Liot, "and we'll be asking all employees to register for direct deposit of paychecks at this time. We'll be providing information about the company's plans for working through a pandemic or other long-term emergency scenario."

Department heads from across the company have worked on a pandemic planning committee for six months. Its recommendations include: enacting direct deposit of paychecks for all employees, creating a list of essential and non-essential employees, realigning worker sick leave and disability guidelines in case of pandemic, erecting glass-enclosed booths for customer-contact employees, working with the company's health insurance provider for special services, and updating employee emergency contact listings.