After an unprecedented year, there is light at the end of the tunnel as COVID-19 vaccines are being administered across the globe. However, just because we have the vaccine doesn’t mean we are out of the woods yet. The only way for the COVID-19 vaccine to do its job and provide community immunity is for the majority of the population to get vaccinated. Employers have a duty to keep their employees safe, and that includes navigating the murky waters of convincing their staff to get vaccinated.
While some larger employers may be able to sustain location closures, employee quarantines, regular deep cleanings and even liabilities that come with an open workplace that doesn’t require the COVID-19 vaccine, others may not be able to manage financially. Experts agree that the only way to return to work safely is for employers to do everything they can to drive their workforce to get vaccinated.
One way to accomplish this is for employers to ramp up their pandemic communication strategy, focusing on sharing facts and debunking misinformation that employees may be consuming from social media or questionable sources. Employers should also be prepared to handle some level of vaccine distribution, similar to on-site flu-shot clinics that many employers already offer. While some employers may find it best to incentivize the vaccine through a wellness or rewards program, others may choose to mandate the vaccine prior to employees coming back into the office.
However an organization decides to proceed, it is vital to develop a COVID-19 vaccine plan as soon as possible.
Mandating the vaccine – can you do it?
In mid-December, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission clarified the legality of employers mandating the COVID-19 vaccine. In short, employers may require employees to receive the vaccine as long as the organization’s policy is in line with workplace laws and that employers make accommodations as such.
Disability accommodations
Organizations may have policies that bar employees from posing a health or safety threat to others in the workplace, and thus allowing for the mandate of a vaccine. However, if a person with a disability refuses the vaccine for any reason, the employer needs to determine if this unvaccinated individual poses a health or safety threat and, if so, whether an accommodation can be made for the employee. Such accommodations may include a leave of absence, a flexible work schedule or a permanent work-from-home arrangement.
