COVID-19
More Workers Support Heavier Penalties for Unvaccinated Ones
The recent approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine opens up avenues for companies to impose heavier penalties for unvaccinated workers. Surprisingly, many American workers are supportive of harsher measures.
RELATED: Businesses, Not Government, Are Mandating COVID Responses
Heavier Penalties For Unvaccinated Employees
Human Resources consulting firm Eagle Hill conducted a recent survey. They released the results of the poll Tuesday. 41% of surveyed workers agreed that unvaccinated employees should pay higher insurance rates. Also, 66% said that the office shouldn't allow unvaccinated workers to work from home.
Meanwhile, Littler Mendelson PC conducted a separate poll for employers. It said that the number of firms that favored vaccine mandates doubled since January. Many companies are having difficulty finalizing plans on returning to the office.
The resurgence of the COVID delta variant disrupted plans for business reopening. Instead, many firms are now issuing vaccine mandates. This means employees need to complete their vaccination soon. Access to the office will require proof of vaccination.
How Do You Increase The Vaccination Rate?
Facebook, Citigroup, and Walt Disney Co are among those with vaccine mandates. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden called on more companies to impose similar requirements. He hoped that Pfizer’s full approval status could legitimize vaccine mandates. However, many Americans remain hesitant to secure a vaccine.
Wade Symons works as the leader of the regulatory resources group at HR consultant Mercer. He said that “We have reached the point where employers might be at 80% vaccinated, but it’s just not moving higher. So how do we get that number higher?”
Positive Reinforcement To Get Workers To Vaccinate
Previously, many employers offered incentives to get workers to take their vaccines. Grocery chain Kroger offered its employees $100 just to get a vaccine shot. These incentives hoped to provide employees enough push to get vaccines without companies resorting to mandates.
The latter option might lead to lower morale and resignations. In a tight labor market like today, losing employees can lead to devastating results. Sadly, “giving people money to get the vaccine does not work as well as companies would like,” said Brian Kropp, chief of human-resources research at Gartner.
However, the full approval of the vaccine turned the tables to the other side. Employers now looking to apply the heavier penalties given to smokers. Among these measures include adding premiums to health care contributions.
Others suggested denying unvaccinated workers access to certain perks. This includes receiving free coffee or access to fitness rooms and common areas. Some employers are also rearranging office layouts. This aims to physically separate the vaccinated from the unvaccinated.
Increased Premiums
Symons said that the increased healthcare premiums might convince some vaccine hardliners to give in. “It might move the needle if employees know that if they are not vaccinated, it will come out of their paycheck.”
Labor laws find it legal for companies to charge an additional premium on monthly healthcare dues. However, management should protect employees who cannot take vaccines due to disability or religious beliefs.
Even with the potential hurdles, many firms are strongly looking to apply heavier penalties to unvaccinated workers. Per the survey, 25% of companies with 500 or more workers already do so for workers who smoke.
Refusal to Cover Medical Costs Related to COVID-19
In extreme cases, companies can also resort to refusing coverage for some or all medical costs related to COVID-19. However, this might need some careful studying. Doing so can affect those with pre-existing conditions or religious objections.
In addition, it can also send the wrong message to the rest of the staff. Symons said that employees might start questioning if employers have their back.
Watch the CNN video featuring host Michael Smerconish: Don't punish the vaccinated:
Loading ...Do you agree that employers should impose heavier penalties for workers who continue to refuse vaccinations? Do you think their refusal warrants more sanctions?
Tell us what you think about the workplace situation at the time of COVID-19. Share your comments in the comments section below.
46 Comments
My body my choice. I should not have to disclose any health information/HIPPA for refusing. That is between my physician and me. All the research has not been done and they have not completed all the testing/research as required.
The government has everyone living in FEAR to CONTROL people and the economy.
We don’t live in a communist country. You don’t get to tell me what to do. I’m grown. Close the border or shut the hell up. PERIOD
I agree with PAT DECATOR. Health information? HIPPA is our right to keep Government out of my body. My Doctor and I are the ones that need to know! Not my Governor or the President!! I wear my mask and keep 6 feet from everyone. So, I know I am doing my part to stay safe. I have gotten tested many times during the pandemic. An I will KEEP getting tested. Thank you, Pat for leaving your comment!! I with you!
It’s a form of discrimination, and shouldn’t be allowed legally.
I agree. I don’t believe government has any right to get involved with my personal health care decisions. That’s between me and my doctor. I served 30 years in the military to keep Americans free and am a severely disabled veteran, so this president Biden and his cronies are slapping veterans in the face. Just look at Afghanistan.
COVID-19 is a respiratory virus. There is no vaccine in the world that can prevent it, and vaccines are showing strong negative results, even death. Pfizer itself showed over 3000 deaths and over 3900 people who had serious debilitating side effects.
I think there is way too much hype on something that has yet to be SCIETIFICALLY proven to even exist ! Yes people are getting sick but “THE TEST” has now been debunked as NOT BEING ABLE TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN “The FLU,COMMON COLD, COVID and of course the newly discovered
yet to be proven it exists “Delta Variant” !
People are being force fed the lies and nonsense and NO ONE has proven anything ! Hell it is common knowledge that VIRUS’s are MOLECULAR and NOT ALIVE ! Thus they pass through any mask made !
No I do not believe anyone has the right to force others to get the vaccines
Quit taking our rights awsy,, it’s up to each individual to.make their on decisions. Leave well enough alone…Stop giving our tax money to those whi are out to get everything free ,as to the American people have worked all their life and still don’t get what our government is giving away… Open your eyes.
Why is no one questioning a virus so similar to the flu that it has been mistaken for it, which has a lower death rate than the flu, and yet it is being treated as if it were the Black Plague? Even during the plague, most people went about daily life as much as possible, yet the world came to a stop for nearly a year now for something so minor?!? (Full disclosure: I had it in February 2020, as did my over-80 mum, and we both survived and have no long term after effects). I’ve had pneumonia and felt worse than I did with this. I refused hospitalization, which probably saved me, since that is the thing most deaths share with the CCP virus death rate. How about we tell the people who believe the fear-inducing propaganda to stay home, and the rest of us just go back to living before we have nothing left to live for anymore? Seriously, I’d rather live free than did a prisoner or a slave, wouldn’t you?
The problem is what is next? What is to stop them from adding penalties for other choices people make that make them susceptible to disease and or harm? What about people who engage in promiscuous sex? They run a high chance for std and aids. Hippa was made for them, funny how fast we turn.
This is a political created effort to turn is against one another and it is working.
The death rate is extremely low. It seems the current issues are more socio-political rather than fact and science based. Below are the cumulative numbers for the U.S. only since the start of the pandemic. U.S. The recovery rate vs the government mandates and control clearly tell me this is NOT about the virus.
Total US cases: ~8.6 million
Total deaths: ~660.9 thousand
Recovery rate: ~99.92%
Tell me why people are getting covid and have had the vaccine, a close friend of mine son almost died from the jj vaccine this is a control issue with our government. Public needs to know how the feds sent letters to doctors to be on the look out for this in november 2019 and rule only as not sure what ya have or pneumonia.
I’m done with the Hypocrisy that has been happening. When everyone in this administration shows proof of every penny they have taking from the American people, where it has gone and proof of health records for every single Politician. Start with them first. They work for us they should answer to us. We don’t answer to them. Release all they have incarcerated from January 6th, put the Pelosi, Schumer, Schiff a and Harris in their place. Refuse them of their rights like they did to those hardworking individuals, one deprived of his medical care, having cancer. THIS IS THE WORST OF THE WORST ADMINISTRATIONS, THERE ARE NONE TO COMPARE WITH THESE EVIL, YES EVIL, INDIVIDUALS. I vote to Fire this whole administration with no unemployment benefits. They should also pay back for the last Five, years at least, to all our people who lost their lively hoods to this bomb they threw at small businesses. It’s a total disgrace to Humanity. They deserve to be sent over to Afghanistan in place of all our Americans and Translators. We could do a swap. Bring home our Brave Americans and translators. I really have only a Heart for those who believe in America The Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.
It Shouldn’t be anyone’s business if i do or not
Your choice your body ! Plain and simple the hell with anyone who says different how many Covid cases are truly Covid no one has died from influenza since the pandemic started!
There are those that CANNOT get the vaccine and should not be penalized.
If the choice not to take it as the recovery rate is 99.9% and the other choice 100% death from the vaccine then the choice is already made.
So, in the emergency order of the vaccine takes away actions against the pharmaceutical companies.
So, will this also be the exemption against the companies that MANDATE it?
Or now that it has been PUSHED through for FDA approval can actions be filed against the pharmaceutical companies and also if an employer MANDATES it, can they also be held responsible for injuries from the so called vaccine?
Hello,
We are all people. Why repeat history segregating ourselves. No one is more superior than the average human just because they got vaccined. This is too much out of hand. It is not fair to our family, friends, neighbors, or anybody! If EVERY adult had took the vaccine, next will be an attack our children’s health insurance and their rights when the come of age. This is not okay. Why is this so important and serious? How come the world did not do this dumb crap with the flu? Why was out health insurance not threatened upon then? Why is covid so much more serious than the time of the flu? It is not. Yeah, there are people who died from covid. I will miss them dearly. Not everyone is dead. There are people who lived through covid. They’re alive today. It is not the end of the world. 2012 happened already. Give it a rest already!
Goodbye.
And zero dialog about the millions of people who have natural immunity from getting and recovering from Covid (as over 99% will regardless). How about focusing on the comorbidities like obesity that put people at real risk and mandate wellness behaviors?
We do not mandate a flu shot why mandate the COVID shot-? Are the companies that are mandating THE COVID shot willing to issue a legal paper declaring that they will assume all liabilities of side effects in the future , near or distant , resulting from the administration of the vaccine? Even if the employee has left the company it should still be a binding “contract”
I have a lot to say about it I have every vaccination out there but there’s something fishy about this one so I’ll just say I agree with Pat Decatur the first comment here
My body my choice. If this product is so good and safe why hadn’t Pfizer mandated their employees take it. Why isn’t the CIA or the FBI mandating it. Non of the drug companies are mandating it. It’s a hoax for a “cold” that’s over 99% survivable.
I’m immunocompromised, and I simply refuse to get inoculated by this vaccine that could kill me because of my immune system being so weak. Dr. Fauci and the CDC are a bunch of phoney and corrupt people playing doctor and politician. Plus to this vaccine hasn’t been clinically tried on immunocompromised patients. This is all about control. So it is my body my choice!! My doctor’s always telling me to get inoculated because go by the science and not facts. There are side effects that I’m sure they’re not telling us. Check out AmericaFrontlinedoctor.com
Everyone and I mean everyone, should have their own choice on whether or not to get the vaccine and they should NOT be punished for it !!!!!
Punish by taking away coffee breaks,perks,say vaccinated employees?
Separate the unvaccinated from vaccinated in job areas? If the marks can’t see the divide and conquer element for what it is , I nor you will change the washed brain.
The CEO of Pfizer was denied entry into Israel BECAUSE HE IS NOT VACCINATED. What does HE know that you don’t? The developer of mRNA technology used in the shots said “do not take any shot using mRNA.” What does HE know? Research and find how high death and impairment levels are from the shots that media is hiding. My body my choice. If you are vaccinated what do you care if I’m not.
I love the comments. People who think for themselves. Awesome. I’m not drinking the punch! They are trying to initiate the NEW WORLD ORDER. Not on my watch! I had Covid-19 I’m almost 60 and I am a part of the resistance. FIGHT BACK AMERICA. JOE BIDEN …. YOU’RE FIRED (I LOVED IT WHEN TRUMP SAYED THAT). Wait a minute YOU WERE NOT EVEN HIRED. REMEMBER THE ALAMO! Love you guys.
I don’t think anyone has to punish the vaccinated. With no long term data, its possible the vaccine itself will do that.
It’s sad how many people are so easy to be brand washed if they would turn to God their eyes would be open to the truth.
More to divide the people. Divide on racism, divide because of the masks, divide becsuse of vaccines. The government aims to divide. It’s a shame so many prople got suckered in to believing all of this crap. Most that have are starting to realize there is no benefit and may be a potential risk. Now theybfeel like everyone has to take it because they did.
Are employers who mandate the jab going to be required to pay for employees who did not want it but were forced to get it, and were injured as a result? Or for injuries sustained as a long-term systemic side effect of the jab? Of course not! Will your sheeple co-workers have to pitch in to help you if you get the WuFlu after getting gene altered? Of course not! So they all get off scot-free even if they’ve made you and your family suffer. And what happens after the masses are exposed to the wild virus after getting the jab, and start dying en masse from cytokine storms? Aren’t employers going to look a wee bit bad?
Stupidity of a pole!!!! The idea they keep bringing this up in the USA is a pushing something upon someone or something to force ones self into a provoked situation! Many business will lose billions of dollars! It’s called choice!
Yes, I agree with my body my choice but a lot of these comments indicate the amount of people that clearly speak without ANY medical background. This will lead to alot of conspiracy followers….
No mandates whatsoever and no penalties!
Those who have been vaccinated are still carriers of covid-19. Those who haven’t been vaccinated are also carriers. Why are these of you who have been vaccinated so disgruntled at those who haven’t? I had my shots and still got covid-19. I was comatose for three days. When I came to I was very sick. The covid left me with pneumonia in which I’ve just have recovered. I firmly believe that had I not have my shots I would have died. I can’t say if I got it from a vaccinated or non vaccinated person. I will contend that I was very glad that I had my shots. It has been stated that if you’ve had your shots and come down with covid that it’ll be a mild case. There was nothing mild about my case. I can’t help but to ask, Does anyone know what they,re talking about?
I spent 7 weeks sick and recovering in July of 2020. My immunity is still as high as the jabs at their best. So my natural immunity is stronger and longer lasting than from the wonderful covid jabs. I’m not saying that people who have not contracted covid shouldn’t get the shots if they want. But I am saying that those of us who have had it don’t need the shots so leave us alone.
Figures quoted by “officials” are that if you get the jabs you have a 99.99% chance of not being hospitalized if you get reinfected. But without the shots at all covid is 99.98% recoverable. So other than all the tax dollars being spent there is no real advantage to the shots. Just let everyone chose their poison.
The unvaccinated are taking the rights away from the vaccinated. Being healthy and not transmitting viruses to others is favorable. Unvaccinated people spread the deadly virus.
Companies the force workers to be vaccinated should be responsible for any adverse side effects. And I believe it is unconstitutional to force .
The science says it all this has become far to political 😡😡😡😡
Gates & Fauchi created a bio- weapon “to control world population” covid is a weapon, vaccines, from the same evil, now being forced upon us by the new world order- Biden is their pawn, he’s no president, the jab is lethal as well. Open your eyes. Why do you think Biden isn’t forcing on military & govt employees? Here’s your sign.
Show me your vaccine papers! Ring a bell, take out vaccine and it is similar, scary.
For over a year and a half now people have wire masks, social distanced and sanitized everything they have or might have came into contact with, even the inside sir they breathe, therefore eliminating or almost eliminating there exposure to any and all germs and viruses..with the underlying result of doing so of destroying any natural or otherwise immunity to any or almost any disease or virus our n ok dies have learn how to fight off during our life times..which in turn will make whatever you get exposed to worse than what you use to get..who is to say this so called Delta variant is not a variant of one of the multitudes of corona viruses out there and not actually the Covid19 one.added in the fact over we half the population eats crap food, and does nothing to help built their natural immunity and to keep it strong to fight off whatever comes their way..and especially have done so for the last year and a half..look at death toll for last year most who have died were lacking in natural immunity..governments own findings, hence this whole thing hitting people over 60+ harder than younger people..but keep in mind that was before going through a year and a half of destroying their natural immune system..people need to use some Common Fence and think Logically about this whole bs..including this vaccine and any punishment they want to bestie on each other..as well as the right of a person to choose what they do with their body..only two should have control over what is done with your body..You and Your Maker..and a side note how about rounding up all the unvaccinated Illegals that are roaming around all over by this country thst this administration allowed to flow in by the thousands carrying the virus and make them comply with all your mandates we have dealt with for the last year and a half and these lastest ones also ..oh yeah government doesn’t even know where they all are…bottom line My Choice My Body..Your Choice Your Body..No punishments for anyone making their Choice!!
This is another form of control over the people. They are imposing little by little things to take control of us.I will not put that in my body.
What happened to land of the free? This is like putting a frog in water and slowly heating up the water. Looks like our free country is headed more into a dictatorship. People, if freedom isn’t ,t what you want then there are plenty of places you can go where there is no freedom. As far as vaccinated or not my body my choice. Government stay out of my business. You plenty to do like our economy, saving babies from abortions, making good decisions for our country istad of dragging us through the mud.
Until the vaccine manufacturers are held legally liable for all adverse effects from said vaccines, you shouldnt be forced to take any of them. If an employer says the same then they should be held legally liable as well for any side effects.
I hope each and everyone commenting has the balls to write, to fight for the freedoms giving to us and written in every court room in America. I DON’T GIVE A DARN HOW MUCH OUR FOREFATHERS FOUGHT, AGREED, DISAGREED, OR HOW LONG IT TOOK. It’s time we took back America! Freedom of choice, freedom of speech, freedom of information, the freedom to bear arms, thou unfortunate it’s the only way to protect you and your family. NO MATTER WHAT LAW Trying to outlaw gun possession it is NEVER going to keep guns from bad people. WAKE UP, lets put it in what I think what would be considered simple terms. AS IT ONCE WAS: Right is right, wrong is wrong, and an eye for an eye, it’s really that simple. If your State has problems with corruption in our nations finest police departments (and most do) the first thing they should have done was take policing the state away from them, Done! secondly we need to re-write the Rico Act it’s NOT worded correctly.
kindly,
A worried citizen of the USA