Can your employer make you get a COVID-19 vaccine?

As we enter the flu season with the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, questions about mandatory vaccinations at work are becoming more important than ever.

13 Action News spoke with a local attorney to find out if employers can require you to take the COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes available.

STILL ONGOING, QUESTIONS ABOUTMANDATORY VACCINATIONS AT WORKARE BECOMING MORE IMPORTANTTHAN EVER.13 ACTION NEWS ANCHOR NINAPORCIUNCULA SPOKE WITH A LOCALATTORNEY TO FIND OUT - IFEMPLOYERS CAN REQUIRE YOU TOTAKE THE COVID-19 VACCINE ONCEIT BECOMES AVAILABLE?THE ANSWER IS YES - BUT THEREARE LIMITATIONS AND GRAY AREASIF AN EMPLOYER CHOOSES TO DOSO.

SO IT MAY NOT ALWAYS CLEAR.PKG CAN YOUR EMPLOYER REQUIREYOU TO TAKETHE COVID 19 VACCINE SHOULD ITBECOME AVAILABLE?

HEALTH CAREATTORNEY AYESHA MEDHI SAYSTHERE ARE TWO POSSIBLESCENARIOS THAT COULD HAPPEN INNEVADA.03 IF THE STATE HAS AMANDATORY LAW THAT REQUIRESEVERYBODY TO TAKE THE VACCINETHEN WE HAVE A SITUATION.ESPECIALLY EMPLOYERS SUCH ASHOSPITALS AND UNIVERSITIESWHERE YOU RISK THE HEALTH OFOTHER PEOPLE.DEFINITELY THEY WILL BE ABLE TOFORCE PEOPLE TO GET VACCINES IFTHE STATE MANDATES IT.ANOTHER SCENARIO IS WHEN THEEMPLOYER HAS IT IN HISCONTRACT.AND YOU SIGNED THE CONTRACT ANDYOU AGREE.SO THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER WAYTHAT THEY COULD MANDATE YOU TOGET THE VACCINE 30 ATTORNEYMEHDI EXPLAINS, THERE AREPEOPLE WHO CAN BE LEGALLY BEEXEMPT FROM TAKING THE VACCINEAND THERE ARE ALSOPROTECTED BY THE A- D-A.BUT THE EMPLOYER NEEDS TODETERMINE THAT IN DOING SO, THEEXEMPT EMPLOYEE WOULD STILL BEABLE TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOBFUNCTIONS WITHOUT COMPROMISINGYOUR COLLEAGUE'S SAFETY.OR ELSE 38 WELL IF THEVACCINE IS MANDATED BY THESTATE OR IT'S IN THE CONTRACTAND THE EMPLOYEE DOESN'T FALLUNDER ANY EXEMPTION, RELIGIOUSOR MEDICAL EXEMPTION THEN THEEMPLOYER CAN SIMPLY FIRE THEEMPLOYEE BECAUSE WE ARE AN ATWILL STATE.SO THE EMPLOYER HAS EVERY RIGHTTO LET GO AND THERE WILL BE NOCONSEQUENCES FOR THE EMPLOYER.1:02 YOUR PERSONAL SOCIAL ANDPOLITICAL BELIEFS AND DEBATEOVER THE VACCINE'SEFFECTIVENESS ARE NOT LEGALLYPROTECTED REASONS TO REFUSEYOUR EMPLOYER'S ORDERS TO GETVACCINATED.TAKING THE FLU SHOT FOR EXAMPLEHERE, BOTH OSHA AND THE EEOCADVISE EMPLOYERS TO ENCOURAGEAND NOT REQUIRE THE FLU SHOT,THEY ALSO SAYEMPLOYERS CAN REQUIRE YOU TOGET THE FLU SHOT ESPECIALLY IFTHE FLU IS SEVERE.BUT YOU MUST BE INFORMED OF ITSBENEFITS AND EMPLOYERS SHOULDPROTECT THE PRIVACY OF YOURMEDICAL INFORMATION.AFTER MONTHS OF WAITING - BARS