U.S. agency says employers can mandate COVID-19 vaccination

Authored by reuters.com and submitted by MicrotechAnalysis
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FILE PHOTO: The seal of the The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is seen at their headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 14, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

(Reuters) - U.S. companies can mandate that employees in a workplace must be vaccinated against COVID-19, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said on Friday.

The EEOC, in a statement posted on its website explaining its updated guidance, said employees can be required to be vaccinated as long as employers comply with the reasonable accommodation provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws.

In addition, employers may offer incentives to workers to be vaccinated, as long as they are not coercive, it said.

The vast majority of employers have been reluctant to require workers to be vaccinated. A survey by management-side law firm Fisher Phillips earlier this year found that only 9% of the more than 700 employers surveyed said they were considering mandating vaccines.

Bullmilk82 on May 29th, 2021 at 14:03 UTC »

Walmart already demands proof if you wish to work without a mask. Otherwise, you must continue to wear one and socially distance.

floralsimulation on May 29th, 2021 at 12:46 UTC »

does this mean anything if companies don't/can't actually verify if employees have been vaccinated? my company announced it will be mandatory but it looks like they're essentially doing the honor system

Edea-VIII on May 29th, 2021 at 10:53 UTC »

I'm an immunocompromised essential. I travel to various businesses to service their office equipment. Most people can't begin to imagine the difficulties we faced over the past year. 2 co-workers have died. Several have post-covid complications. Not because of OUR safety procedures, but because of the safety procedures at work locations controlled by our clients including hospitals, schools, prisons, meat processing plants, etc. Clients have lied to our screening procedures and endangered our safety in order to acquire our needed services. And if we refuse service? We are endangering their profits. So now if we require onsite work areas to be among a vaccinated workforce, will it still be US endangering THEIR profits?

Mandated workplace vaccinations can't happen soon enough. RIP Jim.