Returning to the office soon and concerned about COVID-19? Write a policy requiring vaccinations in your workplace to ensure the safety of all workers.
Claire is an organizer and designer based in Chicago. In the past year and a half she's worked on a mayoral, congressional and presidential race where she helped unionize a top-tier presidential campaign. She believes collective action leads to more informed citizens and a healthier society.
As [Company] prepares for a return to in-office work and the COVID-19 delta variant surges, we are demanding a vaccination requirement be put in place for all non-exempt employees prior to our return to the workplace in September. For many of us, the fear of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace causes anxiety, leading to lower productivity and focus. For [Company] employees who live with or care for immunocompromised individuals, the elderly, children, or anyone else who is not able to be vaccinated, we are constantly worried that we’ll unknowingly transmit a deadly illness.
We don’t have to live with this fear. We are fortunate to have access to safe, accessible, and free vaccines and science says these vaccines are our best chance at preventing the spread of COVID-19. We can create a safer work environment for all [Company] employees by mandating a strict vaccination and booster policy that will protect our employees. Furthermore, it has practical benefits for [Company] by reducing sick days and work interruptions. As a group of concerned employees, we are asking [Company] to implement this vaccination requirement policy now so that we can ensure our in-person work environment is safe for ALL returning employees in September.
In a perfect world, employees would voluntarily receive COVID-19 vaccinations, but we’ve seen the rampant spread of disinformation and outright lies about the safety and efficacy of vaccines. It is our belief that requiring vaccinations should not fall to private employers, but we believe [Company] has a moral and ethical obligation to take a stand in such unprecedented times. In fact, recent guidance from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission states that employers have the legal right to make such a requirement. This mandate will help our vulnerable colleagues and those who care for vulnerable loved ones stay safe.
We are demanding:
If [Company] is unable to comply with this policy, we demand a suspension of any in-office work plans and we continue to work remotely as a company until further notice.