Employment expert addresses whether employees should be required to mask up again

With the Delta variant complicating our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, many local officials are starting to reinstate their mask mandates. However, this poses a tricky issue for employers, particularly those who encouraged vaccines among their employees with their promise that vaccinated staff could drop their masks at work.

“Many employers tried to encourage vaccine compliance among their workers by saying that vaccinated workers would be able to go mask-free,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA, a national employment solutions firm. “But, now, we’re looking at new mask requirements across the country in which Americans are being asked to mask up once more. So can employers go back on their original agreement and tell everyone, even vaccinated employees, to put their masks on again?”

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Employment trends expert talks requiring employee vaccines & other COVID-19 considerations in the workplace

A new survey found that while many Americans say they support employers requiring vaccines, that number greatly decreases when it comes to their own employer requiring the jab.

“The recent poll results from the Kaiser Family Foundation show that while many Americans support the idea of requiring the COVID-19 vaccination, a far greater number have a strong opposition to their own employer requiring them to get vaxxed,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment trends expert.

Wilson says Americans report they will be more likely to get the vax if they are offered incentives like paid time off. However, the HR expert cautions that employers can’t go overboard when incentivizing the jab.

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Human resources expert weighs in on shifting mask requirements and other COVID changes in the workplace

In recent weeks, mask mandates have lifted around the country. It should have been a moment of joy, but for many employers, it’s caused another wave of pandemic-induced stress.

“Employers are really confused right now,” says Rob Wilson, human resources expert and President of Employco USA, a nationwide employment solutions firm. “On the one hand, you have the CDC telling vaccinated Americans they don’t need to wear masks inside anymore. But on the other hand, you have customers and staff who want everyone to keep masking up and following previous pandemic guidelines. No wonder many employers are struggling with how to proceed.”

Complicating the matter is that many employers don’t know if they can mandate or inquire about employees’ vaccination status.

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