Should You Require Employees to Get a COVID Vaccine? Now that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have received FDA emergency use authorization, many employers are eager to get their workforce vaccinated.Some employers may want to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for all workers.While this approach may be effective, it may also come with potential downsides.

Some Workers Will Object to the Vaccine Not everyone is excited about the vaccine.Although some people see it as the best tool we have in the fight against the pandemic and can’t wait to be vaccinated, others do not wish to be vaccinated for various reasons.Vaccines May Be Hard to Get Right now, policies that mandate vaccines may be complicated by the simple fact that vaccines are still hard to get in many places.

The CDC has recommended phases of vaccine distribution.Under these guidelines, frontline essential workers are eligible for the vaccine in phase 1b, and other essential workers are eligible for the vaccine in phase 1c.However, states are in charge of the actual vaccine rollout, so when individuals qualify for the vaccine will depend on the rules used by each state.

Employers should contact their state health department to determine when their workers can be vaccinated and where the vaccinations can be obtained.Consider Your Options Mandating the vaccine is one option, but it is not the only option.As always, BNC is your risk management partner.

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