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Vaccination Policy

A Vaccination Policy is useful for employers to reduce the risk of transmitting vaccine-preventable viruses and diseases in the workplace and community. If your company is in an industry that requires frequent contact with others, a Vaccination Policy can help keep everyone safe and let anyone working with you know what to expect as far as health and safety in the workplace. This policy can also be used to detail vaccination exemptions and consequences of noncompliance within your company.

Use the Vaccination Policy if:

• You are an employer who wants to provide your workers with guidance on workplace health and safety
• Your business is in an industry that requires interaction in the workplace and community
• You would like to formally document your vaccine requirements and exemption process

Making a Vaccination Policy helps your employees and community members understand your guidelines for health and safety. All individuals working for the business should understand the policy and remain in compliance with its provisions unless they have a qualified exemption. As an employer, you can tailor the Vaccination Policy to best fit the needs of your business and stay up to date with health information provided by reputable sources.

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the answer to this question is generally yes, with exemptions to be considered. Commonly accepted exemptions include medical and religious reasons. If you are unsure about mandating a specific vaccine, ask a lawyer.

Yes, employers may require proof of vaccination. That said, when making a request for proof, employers should be cautious of asking probing medical questions. Employers may also want to warn employees not to provide any medical information as part of the requested proof. If you are unsure about how to request proof of vaccination, an employment lawyer can help. Any employer who is requiring proof of vaccination should also have an exemption process in place for individuals who are unable to be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons. A Vaccine Exemption Form can be useful for that purpose.

Employers, in most cases, have the right to fire an employee for not getting vaccinated if that is a condition for their employment. Employers must still take into account religious and medical exemptions, and consider any appropriate accommodations, before making such a decision. As noted, exceptions do apply, so it is important to talk to a lawyer about your specific situation.