What can companies do if workers are not vaccinated?

What can companies do if workers are not vaccinated against COVID-19?

They can demand vaccination and fire employees who break the rule, or take other actions such as withholding benefits or charging more for health insurance.

For months, companies have been encouraging their staff to get vaccinated, in some cases offering incentives like time off or gift cards.

But now, they are increasingly taking a firmer stance and demanding it, a pressure that has gained momentum since the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech received final approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA, for its acronym in English).

Employers “feel like they’ve reached a point where unvaccinated people aren’t going to do it unless something big compels them to,” said Wade Symons, a partner at consulting firm Mercer.

It’s legal for companies to require the vaccine, and you could fire employees who don’t have it.

In other cases, they may ask you to wear a mask or have regular tests for the virus. Some companies are also considering making those who are not immunized pay more for their health insurance.

At Delta Air Lines, the unvaccinated with company health insurance will pay $ 200 a month to help cover the costs of a possible COVID-19 hospitalization.

According to Symons, other firms are more likely to charge smaller amounts, $ 20 or $ 25, per payroll that will be returned once the employee is vaccinated.

In addition, the use of office space, corporate gyms, or business trips may be restricted to only those vaccinated. In Las Vegas, MGM Resorts International said it will not pay to quarantine those in this situation if they test positive for the virus.

The vaccination requirement will be imposed primarily on those businesses that require face-to-face work, Symons said.

Companies will have to make exemptions or tailor the request for those who cannot be immunized for medical or religious reasons.

Walt Disney World and Ohio State University are among the big companies that said they will require the vaccine since the one from Pfizer-BioNTech received final approval from the FDA.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also noted that the military must begin receiving the drug immediately.

Some states like Montana have prohibited companies from requiring the vaccine or limited the times when they can claim it.

–