Employers can legally mandate COVID shots | EXPLAINER
By Mae Anderson and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar
Published
Dr. Dave Chokshi says that there is a slightly higher rate of breakthrough cases among the vaccinated.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The state of California. New York City. Hospitals and nursing homes. Colleges and universities. Employers are putting COVID-19 vaccine mandates into place and it s getting attention.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden said a requirement is under consideration for all federal employees. But what happens if workers refuse?
Federal legal guidance out this week suggests the law is on the side of employers. Vaccination can be considered a condition of employment, akin to a job qualification.
CAN EMPLOYERS REQUIRE A CORONAVIRUS VACCINE?
Yes. Private companies and government agencies can require their employees to get vaccinated as a condition of working there. Individuals retain the right to refuse, but they have no ironclad right to legal protection.
“Those who have a disability or a sincerely held religious belief may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under civil rights laws, so long as providing that accommodation does not constitute an undue hardship for the employer,” said Sharon Perley Masling, an employment lawyer who leads the COVID-19 task force at Morgan Lewis.
Employees who don’t meet such criteria “may need to go on leave or seek different opportunities,” she said.
A patient has her body temperature screened after showing her COVID-19 vaccine card at the Clínica Monseñor Oscar A. Romero in the Pico-Union district of Los Angeles, Monday, July 26, 2021. The clinic is a COVID-19 vaccine site. California said it will require proof of vaccination or weekly testing for all state workers and millions of public- and private-sector health care employees starting in August. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) business
Employers in U.S. have legal right to mandate COVID shots Today 04:32 am JST Today | 07:05 am JST WASHINGTON
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The state of California. New York City. Hospitals and nursing homes. Colleges and universities. Employers are putting COVID-19 vaccine mandates into place and it s getting attention.
COVID-19 vaccine mandates: Can employers require workers to get the shot?
By Mae Anderson and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar
Published
CDC issues new mask guidelines for vaccinated people | LiveNOW From FOX
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask guidance on Tuesday to recommend that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 resume wearing masks indoors in parts of the country with high levels of the virus. The public health agency also advised everyone in K-12 schools to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The state of California. New York City. Hospitals and nursing homes. Colleges and universities. Employers are putting COVID-19 vaccine mandates into place and it s getting attention.
That said, employment lawyers believe many businesses will want to meet hesitant workers half-way.
CAN EMPLOYERS REQUIRE A CORONAVIRUS VACCINE?
Yes. Private companies and government agencies can require their employees to get vaccinated as a condition of working there. Individuals retain the right to refuse, but they have no ironclad right to legal protection.
“Those who have a disability or a sincerely held religious belief may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under civil rights laws, so long as providing that accommodation does not constitute an undue hardship for the employer,” said Sharon Perley Masling, an employment lawyer who leads the COVID-19 task force at Morgan Lewis.