Bracewell’s Amy Karff Halevy discussed with S&P Global the debate companies are having over mandating COVID-19 vaccines for its employees.
“As the vaccines become truly readily available for everybody we may start seeing employers taking sort of a different approach with regard to the vaccine and actually mandating vaccines for their employees,” said Halevy.
Halevy added that while companies can mandate vaccines in most circumstances, workers with medical disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs may be exempt from such requirements. Employers may need to bargain with a union before implementing a vaccination program, and an employee may be protected from retaliation if they refuse vaccination because of a reasonable belief a medical condition may cause a reaction to the vaccine that results in serious injury or death.