Employment-at-Will and How It Could Impact Whether Employers Require Vaccination
NEW YORK, May 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more available across the United States, many Americans are debating whether they want to receive it. When it comes to private employment, an individual's decision on vaccination may be more than just a personal choice. What many people may not know is that employment-at-will status, which applies to the majority of Americans working for private employers, provides few protections for individuals who could be terminated if their employer makes vaccination a requirement.
Pamela Wolf, J. D., senior employment legal analyst at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., can speak more on this topic and what many employers and employees can expect to see in the near future. A graphic breaking down the issue further can be found here.
WHAT: Employment-at-will refers to the employment relationship in nearly every state whereby an employer may dismiss an employee "at will," rather than only if cause is demonstrated. There are some restrictions on employment-at-will, such as laws banning employment discrimination and retaliation, protecting whistleblowers, and common law and court-created exceptions—such as when a dismissal "violates public policy."
WHY: In recent news, several stories have surfaced of employees being fired from their jobs after refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Employees contemplating lawsuits against their employers may not realize that their employers do in fact have the right to fire them in many of these cases.
WHO: Pam Wolf, J.D., senior employment law analyst at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. is available to offer analysis on:
- What employment-at-will means;
- To whom employment-at-will applies;
- Legal justification for employers making the vaccination mandatory for their employees;
- Who is exempt from taking the vaccine, and more.
Media Contact: For members of the press who wish to arrange an interview with Pam Wolf about employment-at-will or related topics, please contact us at [email protected].
About Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.
Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the healthcare; tax and accounting; governance, risk and compliance; and legal and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services.
Wolters Kluwer reported 2020 annual revenues of €4.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,200 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.
Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY).
For more information about Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., visit www.WoltersKluwerLR.com, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
SOURCE Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.
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