As the COVID-19 public health emergency continues, vaccine mandates have been imposed in both public and private workplaces. These mandates include federal, state, and local requirements for certain employees to become fully vaccinated or risk termination from employment. This blog discusses the process for handling and accommodating employee requests for disability-related medical and religious exemptions from vaccine requirements. Vaccine Mandates Here is an overview of the various vaccine mandates impacting many Washington workers. Federal The federal government recently issued vaccine mandates, link here , for most federal workers, healthcare workers, and federal contractors, as well as private and public workplaces with 100 or more employees. State At the state level, Proclamation 21-14 (August 9, 2021) requires healthcare workers, including some local government employees, to be fully vaccinated (two weeks past final vaccination) by October 18. This order also applies to long-term care workers and most state employees. Exemptions may be made for individuals with disability-related medical reasons or sincerely held religious belief reasons but there is not an opt-out option for employees to take regular COVID tests in lieu of vaccinations. Proclamation 21-14.1 (August 20, 2021) clarified and expanded the vaccine requirements. This order also made additional changes, such […]
