Employers clearly can play an important role in driving vaccination rates, but can they go so far as to require employees or potential employees to get a COVID shot?
President Biden is just about to pass his goal of 100 million COVID vaccines distributed within his first 100 days in office, and states across the country have started opening up eligibility to a wider range of individuals.
With more of their working population becoming eligible for the vaccine, employers and their HR and compliance teams have been busy planning their role in promoting and facilitating vaccinations. Some companies have offered incentives to employees who get vaccinated, while others offer time off for appointments and recovery. And others, such as electronic medical record company Epic, are going so far as to host vaccine clinics for their employee populations.
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Employers clearly can play an important role in driving vaccination rates, but can they go so far as to require employees or potential employees to get a COVID shot? In its guidance, the CDC has left that decision up to individual states, and several have taken steps to prohibit employers from mandating vaccinations. Take a look at the map below to see what legislation has been proposed in your state.
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Emily Payne
Emily Payne is director, content analytics for ALM's Business & Finance Markets and former managing editor for BenefitsPRO. A Wisconsin native, she has spent the past decade writing and editing for various athletic and fitness publications. She holds an English degree and Business certificate from the University of Wisconsin.
