The new mandate from the United States federal government, and OSHA regulations, to make COVID-19 vaccine requirements stricter have left many employees and employers confused. At Líder Laboral, we know that this situation can make you not understand what is happening as an employee. That is why in this week’s blog, we will tell you everything you need to know about this topic.
Legally, you are allowed to be asked to present your vaccination card or a negative COVID-19 test:
- On September 9, President Biden announced stricter measures for workers. Employees of the federal executive branch, all federal contractors, and workers in health care facilities receiving federal funds from Medicare or Medicaid will be required to get vaccinated; getting regular tests will no longer be an alternative. Measures for private companies were also announced. If the business you work for has more than 100 employees, you must present proof that you have already been vaccinated or take weekly tests.
You can be fired if you do not comply with the vaccination/testing policy against COVID-19:
- You may disagree with your company deciding to implement a vaccination policy. But if it is approved as company policy, you must comply or be at risk of losing your job. Unless, of course, you can show a medical or religious exception.
You may not be entitled to unemployment benefits if you were fired because you did not want to get vaccinated:
- This is still not completely clear. But many legal experts say that as the laws are finalized, it will become more challenging to obtain these benefits if you were fired for not wanting to be vaccinated. The only thing that could help you get them is if you had refused to do so because you have a medical condition that could be affected by the vaccine. This will probably end up being decided state by state.
These are some of the critical data from the new mandate against the COVID-19 vaccine. You must understand your rights so that you know when to proceed legally against your employer. If you need help, please get in touch with us.
