Vaccination status for completely remote roles?

28 Comments

1. E CJuly 29,2022 at 5:21PM UTC

   Remote employees in my office do occasionally need to come in or participate in off-site meetings. As a coworker to those individuals, their vaccination status matters to me.

2. AnonymousJuly 29,2022 at 5:48PM UTC

   You may find this article interesting and helpful... https://www.hipaajournal.com/is-it-a-hipaa-violation-to-ask-for-proof-of-vaccine-status/.

3. AnonymousJuly 29,2022 at 5:50PM UTC

   And this article too... https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/hipaa-covid-19-vaccination-workplace/index.html

4. AnonymousJuly 29,2022 at 6:22PM UTC

   My company asks this too due to our insurance carrier's requirements. Regardless of a candidates answer, it does not impact our interest in a candidate. It's mostly a check the box question.

5. AnonymousJuly 31,2022 at 2:31AM UTC

   I gave a similar response: insurance providers!!

6. AnonymousJuly 29,2022 at 7:20PM UTC

   I have a medical exemption (due to allergies) so I get the same uncomfortable questions at times...
   but there's nothing I can do. I can't change the fact I'm allergic to the main ingredients of what's currently available.

   I don't expect everyone to understand, but my approach at this point is that it will come out eventually and I need to understand that different companies have different priorities, as do the employees.

   I've been working remotely but had to go on site at times and so, like what another commenter said, that may be the reasoning. When the restrictions were tighter they requested a negative test from me when I needed to come in.

   I can't speak to the laws in this or anything like that, but I can say that being honest and polite as well as not making it political is your best approach. I hope it works out!

7. JenniferJuly 30,2022 at 7:53PM UTC

   To be fair, no company would expect you to get vaccinated when you have an allergy to the ingredients. Hell, you have to fill out paperwork pre-vaccination that explicitly asks if you're allergic to the ingredients, so no provider would give you the shot with that info (unless they happen to be homicidal, and even then, there would be better ways. Just kidding, of course).

   From your comment, it sounds like you might be feeling embarrassed/apologetic/other uncomfortable feeling, and you definitely shouldn't. This isn't an "approach" that people need to "understand." It's widely understood that some people cannot get the vaccine for legitimate medical reasons. Rule Number 1 of Staying Alive is "If your body would rather die than ever have contact with X again, perhaps, you know, stay really far away from X."

   People understand that you can't get this vaccine formulation. If not, they must be the reason that pharmaceutical commercials have to say "Don't take Lialto if you're allergic to Lialto or any of its ingredients..."

8. AnonymousJuly 30,2022 at 9:11PM UTC

   When you say “people understand” I wish that were true. Some do, but unfortunately due to how political it’s gotten people like myself get lost in the narrative. I was turned away from 2 vaccination sites for the reason you said (I was honest about my allergies) then went to my doctor who tested me with what he deemed as the safest option and I still reacted badly, which led to the exemption.

   Even after I explain it some that barely passed science in school still think they know more than my doctor, and the judgement is still pretty prominent. I’ve not been treated well by those who claim to be inclusive, etc. There are places including work places that don’t recognize medical exemptions. It’s been a tough road but what can I do but remind people that my situation exists?

9. JenniferJuly 30,2022 at 10:48PM UTC

   I am so sorry that you've experienced this, and I'm sorry for my well-intentioned, but ignorant stance in my comments. I'm rarely shocked by people's stupidity at this point, but they got me on this one. This just requires basic logic, plus to have been vaccinated and filled out the form.

   When this comes up, I'd direct people to the CDC website that addresses allergies and the COVID vaccine where it specifically states:

   If you have had a severe allergic reaction to an ingredient in an COVID-19 vaccine or a diagnosed allergy to an ingredient in a COVID-19 vaccine, you should not get that COVID-19 vaccine. Learn what to do if you had a severe allergic reaction after getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

   https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/specific-groups/allergies.html#:~:text=CDC%20recommends%20that%20people%20get,%2C%20environmental%2C%20or%20latex%20allergies.

10. JenniferJuly 30,2022 at 10:53PM UTC

    I'd also use askjan.org for support on requesting medical exemption and to get familiar with what employers are allowed to require. The first link is their general COVID-19 page, and the second is one that I found helpful.

    https://askjan.org/topics/COVID-19.cfm

    https://askjan.org/blogs/jan/2021/04/faq-covid-19-vaccination-and-the-americans-with-disabilities-act.cfm

    There's also the EEOC's recently updated guidance on the topic

    https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/what-you-should-know-about-covid-19-and-ada-rehabilitation-act-and-other-eeo-laws

11. Julie HumbirdJuly 29,2022 at 7:24PM UTC

    The company I left this year asked this as requested by the insurance carrier. If you were unvaccinated or did not upload a copy of your vaccine card, there was an additional premium deducted from your paycheck. Regardless of remote status, unvaccinated are more likely to be hospitalized by COVID and the insurance company wants you to pay for that risk. It's simple greed and not concern for your health.

12. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistJuly 29,2022 at 10:44PM UTC

    When it's company policy that folks are to be vaxxed up, it applies to everyone - remote or on-site.

13. AnonymousJuly 29,2022 at 10:46PM UTC

    Everyone needs to be treated the same, meet same criteria. Even fully remote employees.

14. AnonymousJuly 30,2022 at 2:48PM UTC

    What about those who can not safely take this as per their medical doctor's advice? Should there be accommodation for these individuals?

15. JenniferJuly 30,2022 at 8:17PM UTC

    Edited to add: An anonymous commenter who has a medical exemption educated me elsewhere in the thread that people really ARE so ignorant that argue with people who cannot get vaccinated due to medical conditions.
    To that Anon commenter, again, I'm really sorry that in addition to being unable to get vaccinated, you also have to deal with idiots, personally and professionally, that can't grasp such a basic concept.

    I have literally never heard any person, organization, or company suggest that an individual be vaccinated against (legitimate, licensed)* medical advice due to a (real)* medical condition.

    I often don't specify that people who medically cannot get the vaccine should receive an exemption because, as a rational person, that part, for me, is understood. People should listen to their doctors, and no one needs my permission or approval to do so. That may be why you don't hear it specifically stated all of the time.

    *I included the qualifiers to clarify that I mean actual medical advice from a person's individual medical provider, not Facebook pseudo-science or other misinformation from people who are not qualified medical professionals.

16. SLTJuly 31,2022 at 2:29AM UTC

    Medical documents for exemption, I guess? I'm no expert

17. AnonymousJuly 31,2022 at 2:28AM UTC

    Plus health insurance providers may mandate to keep costs low.

    I'm not saying it's right or wrong on the part of the insurance company -- it is what it is.

18. Christina JJuly 30,2022 at 4:59PM UTC

    This seems to be more common post-pandemic; and I've read about how vaccination status could affect corporate insurance premiums. This practice is already used for smokers v. non-smokers. Is the position you have submitted interest in with a federal contractor (i.e. the company works with the US Govt)?

    If so, there were several federal regulations that became effective early this year mandating vaccinations for all federal contractors. As a matter of managing corporate compliance in order to continue to do business with the US Govt, or its agencies, these employers are required to confirm employee vaccination status (including allowable exemptions). I can't speak to HIPAA or the boundaries of how this information is disclosed or managed; however it is not unusual to see in a JD that vaccination may be required, at least in the defense industry.

    I'd suggest approaching the recruiter with curiosity and asking what is driving the question and if it is a condition of employment. There shouldn't be any reason that the recruiter wouldn't share this with you. If they're unwilling to be transparent, you may want to give some thought on whether this organization is a good fit for you.

19. lyn johnsonJuly 30,2022 at 5:27PM UTC

    Even for perm remote FT positions, more companies especially those in health care (managed care) are required full vac status for covid-19. Their end game is to ensure their work force have as much protection against this ongoing health issue as possible. It's not a political issue its financial.

20. Joanne RosenJuly 30,2022 at 5:28PM UTC

    It is possible that the company very much supports vaccines and makes it part of their hiring. Is it legal? That's up in the air. However, what if they wanted you to go in for a meeting or conference. Then, it matters.

21. AnonymousJuly 31,2022 at 6:46PM UTC

    You can decline to answer. But it does make me wonder why they would need to ask to begin with. Even though the job is advertised as completely remote, is there a way you can find out if at some point in the future they intend to require employees to return to work? Because if so, that could be why they are asking.

22. JJJuly 31,2022 at 10:07PM UTC

    I think companies want to be fair and ask everyone the same questions, so maybe it’s because they have some in-person staff too. Some companies focus on safety and vaccines are the safest way to limit Covid for *most* people (not all). My company gave a financial incentive for vaccines verses making it mandatory. Also, your fully remote role might become hybrid or in-person soon and they are planning ahead. Or they could be using it as a way to gauge where you land on the social-political scale.

23. AnonymousAugust 1,2022 at 2:03PM UTC

    Some organizations require all employees to follow the same policies regardless of remote or onsite. I work remotely for a company that has a VA contract, and everyone on that client has to be vaccinated. There was a workaround but it was very difficult, labor intensive, etc. For them it’s not about politics or health status, just matter of fact business decisions and contract compliance.

24. worklifebalanceAugust 1,2022 at 2:28PM UTC

    I have a relative who works as a medical coder. Even though her job is 100% remote, there exists the small possibility that she could have to come into one of the hospitals to perform her tasks. This means that she could expose people who, by definition, are sick! (since it's a hospital). That is why they have the vaccine requirement.

    There could be a similar issue in your workplace. Even if it isn't as drastic as going to a hospital, if you decide to come in for a meeting or a customer issue or something like that, the risk is that an unvaccinated person can expose people.

    I understand your concern about medical privacy. But in this case, we are in a worldwide pandemic, and circumstances are different.

25. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistAugust 1,2022 at 6:31PM UTC

    Why do you seem to think that recruiters would not know what their company's vaccination policy or the law in their state is?

26. AnonymousAugust 1,2022 at 11:14PM UTC

    They might have meant an external recruiter from an agency. I wouldn't expect a recruiter from an agency to know the vax policy of a company that they are not employed at, especially if they are trying to fill many positions across a variety of companies.

27. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistAugust 1,2022 at 11:59PM UTC

    Typically if a company has a policy that new hires are required to be vaxxed up, outside recruiters are told this and they ask the candidates.
    They don't want to get to the end of the process and find out they wasted time presenting a candidate to a company that requires it and getting an offer for someone who doesn't want to get vaxxed.

    I've had plenty of agency recruiters ask me. Even though we were told by our HR/Legal department not to ask that specific question. We were told to say "CA law requires employees at healthcare companies to be vaccinated. Knowing that, would you like to proceed?"

28. AnonymousAugust 7,2022 at 7:12PM UTC

    My experience as a contract recruiter for a consultancy completely aligned with your response, Joan. (I need to use past tense, as the contract ended prematurely as a result of the economy's effect on a segment of a particular industry.)

    I was aware of the client companies' COVID-19 policies. I did not ask candidates, "Are you vaccinated?" I stated the policy. I asked, "Are you willing to comply with the policy?" The reason I asked candidates this question was the reason you stated, i.e. to avoid wasting time: the candidate's, client company's and recruiting consultancy's time. And, why waste money? There is that old adage, time is money.

    Companies that required COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of employment also accepted exemptions.

    Employers can stipulate in their COVID-19 policies that they do not require fully remote employees to comply with their mandates.

    Interesting read: https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/pages/5-steps-to-help-create-a-workplace-covid-19-vaccination-policy.aspx#:~:text=Under%20the%20ETS%2C%20employers%20may,ETS%20take%20effect%20on%20Jan.