Since the COVID-19 vaccine shot is not mandatory, employers may ask their staff to voluntarily disclose if they’ve received the vaccination.
For employers, keeping track of vaccinated staff is crucial. It’ll help decide what health and safety measures to implement in the workplace on reopening. If daily public dealings are part of your work, it’ll also help reassure your customers that it is safe to do business with you.
Employers must balance their health and safety obligations with the employee right to privacy.
Though employees aren’t obligated to disclose their vaccination status, they should. Like employers, employees, too, have a role to play in maintaining workplace health and safety.
What things should employers keep in mind while collecting information on staff vaccination?
If confirming the vaccination status of staff is essential to providing a safe workplace, make sure any personal medical information you collect is kept secured and protected.
It may be a good idea to lay down a vaccine records policy. The policy should include details on your reasons for collecting the data, the appropriate privacy protection measures you’ll follow to store, secure, and destroy such data.
It is advised that employers collect only as much information as needed. Only statistical information on the number of vaccinated employees should be shared. Regard this data as highly sensitive and confidential.
You can accommodate employees who don’t wish to share this information by offering them alternative job duties or an option to continue working from home.
We recommend that you get legal advice on whether your policy complies with the privacy law in your province.
What is the easiest way to keep track of staff vaccinations?
To save you time and hassle, we’ve introduced a new vaccination tracking feature on BrightHR called VaccTrak.
BrightHR, an online HR management software for Peninsula clients, helps you manage the unique demands created by COVID-19 in the workplace.
Here’s how VaccTrak simplifies employee vaccine management for you:
- You can update employee profiles to securely log who’s vaccinated. You can also record the date of the first and second dose and proof of vaccination.
- Employers can download the VaccTrak report to get the latest staff vaccination stats.
- Our BrightHR iOS and Android mobile apps are updated with the new feature. You can view your staff’s vaccination status on the go.
- You can’t and shouldn’t push your staff to get vaccinated. But you can educate them on the benefits of the vaccine. To help you do so, we’ve introduced a Coronavirus vaccine awareness e-learning course in VaccTrak. Help your employees get answers to common and complex questions about the vaccine.
- You can also download professional letter templates to encourage your staff to get the vaccine.
Do you need help creating health and safety policies for the pandemic?
Our experts can help you develop company policies as well as with any other HR, health and safety, or employment advice you need. See how we have helped other small and medium businesses get their business compliant with provincial legislation.
