Making The Decision on Company-Mandated COVID-19 Vaccines

The development and distribution of three government-approved COVID-19 vaccines have given widespread hope for the nation. Although there is still a lot to be learned about the side effects and effectiveness of the vaccines, the more people that get vaccinated, the easier it becomes to manage and ultimately eliminate the coronavirus threat. While this is good news for businesses that require in-house staff, employers face yet another dilemma.

To Mandate or Not to Mandate?

The federal government allows employers to develop a vaccine mandate. Essentially, companies can require that their employees must get vaccinated to continue working for the company. In the grand scheme of things, this seems like a good idea. A fully vaccinated workforce would reduce the risk of a coronavirus outbreak. Although it would seem like a no-brainer, the reality is requiring employees to get the shot could hinder their civil liberties.

Potential Outcomes

Can you force someone to get vaccinated just to work? What if they have existing medical conditions or religious beliefs that prompt them to turn down a COVID-19 vaccine? Don't people have a right to do as they please with their bodies? Lastly, how will this affect the bottom line? Unfortunately, the answers aren't cut and dry. Here's a closer look at how company-mandated vaccines may impact your organization.

Discrimination Suits

While businesses can mandate employees receive COVID-19 vaccines, it's not across the board. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Title VII ultimately protects individuals that aren't willing to take the vaccine due to religious reasons. The American Disabilities Act also protects individuals with disabilities or medical conditions that hinder their ability to get the vaccine. Should an employer violate these rights in any way, it could lead to a messy legal battle.

Turnover Increase

There are some individuals that simply do not want to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Whether it's the uncertainty of the vaccine's effectiveness, or merely not wanting to get a shot, not everyone is on board. If you were to mandate vaccinations, this would mean that employees that didn't comply would eventually lose their jobs.

As good workers can be hard to come by and high turnover rates slow productivity this may not be a route you're willing to take. Not to mention the time and money you'll have to invest in posting on job boards, screenings, interviews, employee background check, and the onboarding and training process to find new staff.

Worker's Compensation

On the other side of the coin, if employers don't mandate COVID-19 vaccines, they could be looking at an increased rate of worker's compensation claims. If an employee contracts the virus while on the job, they are entitled to paid time off until they can return to work.

An Outbreak

Another reason an employer might consider mandating the COVID-19 vaccine is to reduce the chances of an outbreak. Should the virus be detected in the workspace, operations could be shut down for several days, weeks, or more. Not to mention, if someone passes the coronavirus on to a customer or an employee takes it home to their families, this creates communal spread.

In Conclusion

Now that you have a clearer understanding of the pros and cons of employer-mandated vaccines, you may be wondering what the best option is for your company. At the end of the day, you want nothing more than to keep your employees safe and get back to "business as usual". Most employers have found that the best way to master this is to strongly encourage, but not mandate that employees get the vaccine. They've also incentivized it by offering paid time off or funds to cover transportation and vaccines for employees to make things more manageable.

If you do decide that mandating vaccines is the best approach for your organization, consult an attorney and human resources expert. You want to ensure that you're not violating anyone's rights and that you're in compliance with both federal and state laws.