Employers Can Require COVID-19 Vaccine Under Federal Law, New Guidance States

The federal government said on May 28 that employers in the United States can require all workers physically entering a workplace to be vaccinated against COVID-19, reports the Wall Street Journal.* The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued updated guidance stating that federal laws don’t prevent an employer from requiring workers to be vaccinated. In some circumstances, however, federal laws may require the employer to provide reasonable accommodations for employees who, because of a disability or a religious belief, aren't vaccinated.

USA Today: Can employers require a COVID-19 vaccine? Federal Government says “yes.”

The EEOC said a reasonable accommodation for an unvaccinated employee could include wearing a face mask, working at a social distance, or having the option of teleworking. The new guidelines also say that federal laws don't prevent or limit incentives that can be offered to workers for voluntarily. taking the vaccine. Employers that administer vaccines to their employees also may offer incentives, but the incentives cannot be coercive.

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