Employers can mandate that employees must receive the COVID-19 vaccination to return to their place of work, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This from townhall.com.
Federal law permits companies to require workers receive the vaccine as long as they provide accommodations for those who are not vaccinated due to disabilities, pregnancy or religious reasons. Possible accommodations could include allowing employees to continue working remotely or requiring that they wear masks in the workplace.
The EEOC also said that companies may offer incentives for vaccinated employees to encourage workers to get the shot as long as the added benefits are not “so substantial as to be coercive.”
The EEOC said:
A very large incentive could make employees feel pressured to disclose protected medical information.
They did not include examples of potential perks that would be substantial enough to be deemed illegal.
Some companies have already started using incentives in an attempt to increase vaccinations among employees.
Food manufacturer Bolthouse Farms is giving $500 bonuses to vaccinated workers, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The Dollar General is offering bonuses equivalent to an additional four hours of pay for workers who can provide proof of vaccination.
After coronavirus vaccines have become widely available, some employees were surprised that their bosses are pushing them to get the shot.
Bonnie Jacobson told the New York Post after losing her waitress job in February:
It was shocking to me. I went through the stages: I’m hurt, I’m in shock — then I got mad.
On the bright side, this does not seem to be the end of this issue. The following comes from weazelzippers.us and, surprisingly, was originally published in the Washington Post:
A group of 117 unvaccinated staffers from Houston Methodist Hospital filed a lawsuit Friday seeking to avoid the hospital’s coronavirus vaccine mandate, saying it’s unlawful for bosses to require the shots.
The staffers join a growing list of employees challenging compulsory immunizations at businesses, colleges and other workplaces essential to the country’s reopening. Vaccine mandates have faced mounting resistance from anti-vaccination groups and some Republican politicians, even as health officials promote the proven safety of the vaccines and millions of Americans line up to get the shots every week.
Frivolous lawsuits are a waste of time and money. But everyone loves a meaningful lawsuit that questions abuse of power, particularly those involving decisions which are arbitrary and capricious.
However until this law is corrected, there are those with more immediate concerns for themselves, their loved ones, and their homes. You are encouraged to stay the course and not to compromise your integrity. I see HELP WANTED signs in a lot of different places. This may be a fantastic opportunity for a career change.
