EEOC Publishes Updated COVID Guidance

As workplaces resume in-person operations, or at least consider doing so, there are many questions about regulatory compliance. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has published a lengthy Q&A, to help make sure everyone knows how to proceed. Managers and employees may want to review the document in its entirety, but can get started with some of the key points:

Does the ADA allow employers to require employees to stay home if they have symptoms of the COVID-19?

Yes. The CDC states that employees who become ill with symptoms of COVID-19 should leave the workplace. The ADA does not interfere with employers following this advice.

When employees return to work, does the ADA allow employers to requirea doctor’s note certifying fitness for duty?

Yes. Such inquiries are permitted under the ADA, either because they would not be disability-related or, if the pandemic were truly severe, they would be justified under the ADA standards for disability-related inquiries of employees.

Under the ADA, Title VII, and other federal employment nondiscrimination laws, may an employer require all employees physically entering the workplace to be vaccinated for COVID-19?

The federal EEO laws do not prevent an employer from requiring all employees physically entering the workplace to be vaccinated for COVID-19, subject to the reasonable accommodation provisions of Title VII and the ADA, and other EEO considerations. As with any employment policy, employers that have a vaccine requirement may need to respond to allegations that the requirement has a disparate impact on—or disproportionately excludes—employees based on their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin under Title VII (or age under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (40+)).

What are some examples of reasonable accommodations or modifications that employers may have to provide to employees who do not get vaccinated due to disability; religious beliefs, practices, or observance; or pregnancy?

For example, as a reasonable accommodation, an unvaccinated employee entering the workplace might wear a face mask, work at a social distance from coworkers or non-employees, work a modified shift, get periodic tests for COVID-19, be given the opportunity to telework, or finally, accept  reassignment.

Under the ADA, may an employer offer an incentive to employees to voluntarily provide documentation or other confirmation that they received a vaccination on their own from a pharmacy, public health department, or other health care provider in the community?

Yes.  Requesting documentation or other confirmation showing that an employee received a COVID-19 vaccination in the community is not a disability-related inquiry covered by the ADA.

Under the ADA, may an employer offer an incentive to employees for voluntarily receiving a vaccination administered by the employer or its agent?

Yes, if any incentive (which includes both rewards and penalties) is not so substantial as to be coercive.  Because vaccinations require employees to answer pre-vaccination disability-related screening questions, a very large incentive could make employees feel pressured to disclose protected medical information.

What’s the Bottom Line?

According to an article from the Society for Human Resource Management, the new guidance contains four key takeaways:

1. Explore reasonable accommodations.
2. Carefully consider incentives.
3. Beware of disparate impact.
4. Treat vaccination records confidentially.

Again, this article is just a summary. Read the full guidance to make sure you’re in compliance, and consult qualified professionals for your particular situation.

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