CDC and state / local lifting of COVID-19 Mandates
With the recent CDC announcement on May 13th and the uncertainty around OSHA recordable responsibility on employers, are companies relaxing mask and social distancing mandates at their work sites?
Are companies requiring proof of full vaccination or following an honor system?
My company has encouraged employees to consider vaccination and counts it as part of our overall Wellness Program as a preventive treatment, similar to health screenings, influenza and shingles vaccines.
Thank you!
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Hi Gloria! Another colleague and I (both consultants) had an exchange regarding this very thing. Here is our take:
You could use the "honor" system. (Might not be a good idea unless all of your employees are 100% honest). You could ask for the vaccination card ; then you have to decide if you want to just look at it or get a copy. If you take a copy, it must be considered "health information" and kept in the employee confidential/benefit file, not the personnel file. And who gets to look at it? It should only be HR but that's not practical for small businesses or for businesses that now work 'remote'. So, it should probably be the owner or whomever the owner designates, like a senior manager. Probably not a great idea to let it be team leaders or supervisors.
Whatever you decide to do, it's a good idea to write down your rationale and keep it for later reference.
Great food for thought! Here's to unprecedented times!
Cheers,
Erin