Requiring Employees To Get COVID-19 Vaccinations

(from Society of Human Resources Management and Bolton) In response to the recent nationwide uptick in coronavirus cases, health care associations are calling on employers to require inoculation. More than 50 health care associations issued a joint statement urging employers in the industry to require vaccination, and different jurisdictions are requiring vaccinations for public sector employees.

When an employer intends to mandate COVID-19 vaccination, the policy should first clearly identify the scope of the policy and which employees it applies to. For example, most mandatory vaccine policies don't need to extend to remote employees. Any policy mandating vaccination should clearly identify the deadline by which employees must receive all doses. At a minimum, the policy should identify who employees should notify about receiving an accommodation to not receive a vaccine and how to request one. 

Employers are generally allowed to provide incentives to employees who obtain the COVID vaccine or impose a penalty/surcharge on those who choose not to be vaccinated so long as the employer is not overly aggressive with the amount of the incentive or penalty. 

More from SHRM on growing calls for vaccination requirements and on developing a vaccination policy.

More from Bolton on vaccination considerations for employers. 

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