{"id":940,"date":"2021-09-01T11:38:47","date_gmt":"2021-09-01T15:38:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesspartners2convince.org\/?post_type=resource&p=940"},"modified":"2021-09-01T12:11:33","modified_gmt":"2021-09-01T16:11:33","slug":"convince-usa-on-the-commonwealth-fund-blog-key-considerations-for-employers-contemplating-covid-19-vaccine-requirements","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/businesspartners2convince.org\/resource\/convince-usa-on-the-commonwealth-fund-blog-key-considerations-for-employers-contemplating-covid-19-vaccine-requirements\/","title":{"rendered":"CONVINCE USA on The Commonwealth Fund Blog: Key Considerations for Employers Contemplating COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements"},"content":{"rendered":"
Lauren Rauh, <\/strong>Senior Program Manager, CONVINCE USA Initiative, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy; Hannah Stuart Lathan, <\/a><\/strong>Program Manager, CONVINCE USA Initiative, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy; Katharine Fields, <\/a><\/strong>Program Assistant, International Program in Health Policy and Practice Innovations, The Commonwealth Fund; and Reginald D. Williams II, <\/a><\/strong>Vice President, International Health Policy and Practice Innovations, The Commonwealth Fund co-authored an article in The Commonwealth Fund blog entitled “Key Considerations for Employers Contemplating COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements<\/a>,<\/em>” which was published on August 25.<\/h5>\n

With many parts of the United States experiencing surges in COVID-19 cases and some hospitals overwhelmed with seriously ill patients \u2014 and with the first full approval of a COVID-19 vaccine this week \u2014 President Biden\u00a0urged employers<\/a>\u00a0to require their employees to get vaccinated.\u00a0A study<\/a>\u00a0from Yale University and the Commonwealth Fund has demonstrated that the U.S. vaccination campaign against COVID-19 prevented nearly 1.25 million hospitalizations and 280,000 deaths nationwide by the end of June.<\/p>\n

Some state lawmakers have tried to\u00a0ban employer vaccine mandates<\/a>, and some Americans remain adamantly opposed. Yet for some of those who remain unvaccinated, a science-based, transparent, and equitable mandate from their employer may be the final push they need to act. In a recent\u00a0national survey<\/a>\u00a0conducted by the African American Research Collaborative and the Commonwealth Fund, one-third (31%) of unvaccinated respondents said they\u2019d get a COVID-19 vaccine if their employer required it in order to continue employment. And a recent\u00a0USA Today<\/em>\u00a0and Ipsos poll<\/a>\u00a0reported 68 percent of participants supported businesses refusing service to the unvaccinated and 62 percent supported employers requiring workers to vaccinate.<\/p>\n

Federal guidance<\/a>\u00a0has clarified employers can legally require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Supreme Court rulings have upheld this, and the\u00a0federal government<\/a>,\u00a0New York City<\/a>, and\u00a0New York State<\/a>\u00a0have pushed forward their own requirements. Companies such as\u00a0Google, Facebook, and Netflix<\/a>\u00a0have since announced they will require their staff members to be vaccinated if they want to return to their offices.<\/p>\n

In a series of in-depth interviews conducted by a team at CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, unvaccinated individuals voiced their lingering concerns. This qualitative research focused on trust as a determinant in vaccine decision-making. Through a national, online survey, interview participants were recruited and screened for vaccine hesitancy and distrust. Individuals that demonstrated unwillingness to vaccinate and high levels of distrust in the vaccines were prioritized for participation. Thirty transcripts were coded and analyzed.<\/p>\n

Participants discussed how the information overload during the pandemic and frequently changing guidance undermined their trust in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines. These were not COVID-19 deniers; all participants had followed social distancing guidelines and altered their lives to prevent infection. Still, for many, getting a vaccine remained a concern, though some others worried that their unvaccinated status would bar them from returning to activities like school, travel, or live concerts.<\/p>\n

Findings from the interviews suggest \u2014 and behavioral science research\u00a0has shown<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 that people would be more willing to get vaccinated if their peers in a given setting, whether it\u2019s a school, workplace, or hospital, were required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (with\u00a0appropriate exceptions and reasonable accommodations<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Based on the insights from the qualitative research, employers contemplating COVID-19 vaccination requirements for their employees may want to consider the following strategies:<\/p>\n

Provide honest, transparent, and consistent messages.<\/strong>\u00a0Trusted, diverse messengers in the workplace should communicate how the vaccine requirement will work and, most important, why it is likely to be more impactful than masking or routine testing alone. These messengers should share why they personally have chosen to get vaccinated and how it helps them feel more protected at the workplace.<\/p>\n

Connect science to the workplace policy.<\/strong>\u00a0Many of the unvaccinated want scientific evidence and clear guidance, but evolving information and misinformation feed their ambivalence. Employers can inform their employees of the risks of the workplace environment for unvaccinated individuals (e.g., from close working conditions or travel). They also can discuss the risks that the unvaccinated pose to clients, the public, or vulnerable populations. Explaining the\u00a0science behind a mandate<\/a>\u00a0is key to conveying the policy as protective and not infringing on personal freedoms.<\/p>\n

Demonstrate understanding that employers may feel unwell after receiving vaccinations and ensure employee policies support paid sick leave.<\/strong>\u00a0In our research, people voiced concerns about class inequities in vaccine policy and distribution \u2014 articulating views that professional athletes, celebrities, and politicians who have access to excellent health care do not have to worry about feeling sick from the vaccine, but that others may not have that luxury. Employers can clarify that there have been few serious reactions to the vaccine. They also can implement and clearly communicate policies that allow for paid time off to get the shot and recuperate from any side effects.<\/p>\n

This includes examining workplace culture regarding sick leave. Many workers in certain industries feel pressure to continue to work through illness, either as a badge of honor or out of fear of losing their job. This culture shift needs to come from the top down in the form of clear and equitable workplace policies.<\/p>\n

Make vaccination easy.<\/strong>\u00a0Employers also can try to make vaccination convenient for employees. If a vaccination pop-up clinic at the worksite is not possible, employers could provide employees with a list of local pharmacies offering vaccinations, and help employees sign up for notifications of appointments, for example.<\/p>\n

Consider and prepare for exemptions.<\/strong>\u00a0Employer vaccine mandates\u00a0remain legal<\/a>\u00a0when in compliance with the\u00a0Americans with Disabilities and Civil Rights acts<\/a>. Similarly, mandates must acknowledge the possibility of religious or medical exemptions. Research shows that mandating the vaccine but allowing people to opt out is effective in achieving high uptake; only those with serious concerns will go through the process of opting out.<\/p>\n

The pandemic has laid bare the need to build trust by engaging community members at the local level. Some interview participants felt they didn\u2019t have forums in which to voice their concerns and receive reliable information about the vaccine. Policymakers should support local efforts for engagement and discussion about the vaccines that are free of\u00a0blame for people who remain unvaccinated<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The federal government promotes labor regulations that support employer-based policies; they could do the same for vaccine mandates. While a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate is unlikely, policymakers at state and local levels can reinforce workplace mandates by crafting transparent, honest, and fact-based messages. And employers can help keep their employees and communities healthy \u2014 and their businesses operating \u2014 by encouraging vaccination.<\/p>\n

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