Blue flu refers to which of the following?

• A. An official holiday for police
• B. A medical leave policy
• C. A formal union strike
• D. An informal job action in which many police officers call in sick at the same time to protest working conditions or policies

Answer: (D)

Blue flu is an informal mass sick-out by police officers used as a form of protest. It involves many officers calling in sick at roughly the same time to draw attention to working conditions or policies without going through formal strike procedures. It isn’t an official holiday or a standard medical leave policy, and it isn’t a formal union strike with negotiated terms. The tactic relies on creating a noticeable reduction in staffing to pressure decision-makers, but it lacks the formal legitimacy and procedures of a legal strike and can carry consequences for those involved.