Most companies avoiding mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations, Littler survey finds
09 February 2021
Concerns over legal liability and employee morale deterring enforced jabs
msvisuals; Shutterstock
Most employers are unlikely to force their employees to get vaccinated against Covid-19, according to a new report by employment and labour law specialists Littler.
The Covid-19 Vaccine Employer Survey Report surveyed more than 1,800 in-house lawyers, HR professionals and C-suite executives in the US and found that less than 1% of companies have so far considered mandatory employee vaccinations, with almost half (48%) completely writing off such a measure. Some 43% said they are still undecided.
The most common reasons for opposing mandatory vaccinations are around company culture and employee relations. Almost eight in 10 respondents cited potential resistance from employees who refuse to get vaccinated, while 64% said they were concerned about legal liability, particularly if an employee had an adverse reaction to a vaccine. A further 57% questioned the effectiveness of mandatory vaccinations given the potential number of legitimate exemptions, such as for religious or medical reasons. Most companies said they will opt to simply encourage vaccine uptake instead.