A Guide to Workplace Vaccination Policies
As 2021 winds down, the struggles of managing a workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic continue. At a point when employers had hoped to be welcoming team members back to the office or ramping staffing back up to full shifts, infection rates returned to levels not seen since the early days of the pandemic.
Heading into 2022, one of the key challenges for human resources managers and company leaders is the decision of whether to require on-site workers and contractors to be vaccinated. This issue is evolving rapidly. Both the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the CDC have given employers the legal right to mandate vaccination policies, but within people’s rights and reflective of statutes, which may vary from state to state. Federal courts are already beginning to weigh in on the legality of vaccination requirements, and new mandates have been introduced and subsequently challenged on both the federal and state levels, with requirements yet to be determined.
Whatever course an organization sets, there are several best practices to follow in creating an effective policy. Considering each of these points can help HR teams develop a clear statement of the organization’s position, helping to secure employee buy-in and smooth implementation of new policies and procedures.
