Recently, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published updated COVID-19 technical assistance. The agency provided guidance on vaccinations and discussed inquiries about vaccination status under federal equal employment opportunity laws.
The EEOC also announced a new resource for job applicants and employees that explains the federal employment discrimination laws they are protected under during the pandemic. The extended technical assistance explains guidance the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act as they relate to individuals that may be asked to supply a vaccination confirmation.
Overall, the EEOC's critical updates can be summed up as follows:
The new resource presents necessary information on how federal employment discrimination laws assist workers who are being harassed in the workplace, require further safeguard against becoming ill, who are not being permitted to work, or need an adjustment to their employer's COVID-19 safety requirements.
Accompanying an EEOC hearing on April 28, the publications mentioned earlier inform the COVID-19 pandemic on civil rights in the workplace. Find more information about COVID-19 compliance here.