PHOENIX — More than half of Americans say they are willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes available.
But could your employer force you to get it?
To verify the facts around vaccine requirements in the workplace, we are looking at what the Americans With Disabilities Act has to say about the issue.
As Americans, we cherish our individual freedoms. But employment lawyer Michael Selmi says those freedoms don’t always extend to the workplace.
“For the most part, employers can mandate that their employees get a vaccine,” he explained.
“I think where we might see that is in restaurants, hotels, the travel industry which might want to ensure visitors that their employees have been vaccinated.”
We can verify your employer can require the COVID-19 vaccine, but there is a notable exception.
The Americans With Disabilities Act requires reasonable accommodations for “a qualified individual with a disability” in the workplace.
“It would only be for those who have an underlying condition that rises to the level of a disability,” Selmi said.
And workers could be required to say if they were vaccinated or not.
Selmi says there is still a lot we don’t know about the vaccines that could change what companies do once vaccines become available next year.
For example in the UK, two health care workers getting the Pfizer vaccine this week suffered severe symptoms. People with a history of allergic reactions are now being advised against that vaccine brand.
“Probably most employers are hoping their employees will be willing to take the vaccination without being forced to do so,” Selmi explained.
But this is not new territory. Many health care companies require their employees to get the flu vaccine.
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