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Discussion

Is your Facility 'forcing' you to get the Flu Vaccine?

  • Expert

My company have a new policy that if you do not want to receive the flu vaccine this year by end November, then you have to wear a mask within 6 feet of all patients.

So they are not saying you have to have the flu vaccine but if you don't then you have to wear a mask at all times!

The local hospital was on the news this week saying if staff refuse to get the flu shot then their contract will be terminated. As we work in an at will state then this apparently is legal.

I chose to take the flu shot, but the rest of the staff feel they are being bullied into doing it. For me it is just not possible to wear a mask 24/7 when with the patients.

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    • Featured Replies

    I wonder if we work at the same facility. My facility just instituted this policy as well. I took the flu shot, but don't usually, and really don't want to continue to do so every year! Several of my coworkers feel "bullied" as well and are looking into finding ways around it...management is claiming it's a new Joint Commission standard!?

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    There is a whole subforum dedicated to this topic. I believe it gets brought up at least a dozen times each flu season.

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    YES.. At my facility, if you do not get your annual flu shot, you do not get your annual merit increase.. :/

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    • Expert

    Yes, my workplace is mandating that all employees receive flu shots this season. I have never received a flu shot (and do not really want to receive one), but there's always a first time for everything.

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    Whether you receive the flu vaccine or not is protected health information. It could be argued that by requiring you to mask if you have not had the vaccine, your employer is violating your privacy.

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    Last year we had the mask option, this year that is not a choice. Its flu shot or fired (unless you have a documented religious or medical reason with some long form to fill out).

    Its ridiculous.

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    • Expert
    Whether you receive the flu vaccine or not is protected health information. It could be argued that by requiring you to mask if you have not had the vaccine, your employer is violating your privacy.

    Not really. It falls into the same category as requiring you to get other immunizations (e.g. varicella, rubella, mumps, hep C, etc.), tetorifice shot, your annual TB test, etc. They are allowed to establish such things as conditions of employment and have been doing so successfully for decades.

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    • Admin

    This is the first year we've been mandated to get it or have a religious/medical exemption claimed (with a due date; there are some who missed the due date) or be fired. Last year they offered flu shot or mask, but not this year. I'd rather have the option of a mask, although I do get the flu shot because of some family members' health issues, just because of the whole free will/choice of what people allow to be injected into their bodies.

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    At our nursing school we must have it to get into the program. If we don't get them every year while in school, we are automatically booted out, with very few exceptions. It is unfortunate for those of us who might otherwise choose not to get the flu vaccine, but such is life I guess.

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    We have the same policy as you OP. Flu shot or mask. It's not new though, same thing happened last year.

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    • Expert

    I'm not forced to get the flu shot, but if I were to decline it I would have to sign a release.

    I don't know exactly what's behind the refusal and release--since I opted for the flu shot for my own sake, it was a non-issue--but I'll look up what my hospital is doing about the refusals and share if it's interesting.

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    At the hospital I work at the policy is similar to those above. If we don't get the flu vaccine then we need a documented medical/or other reason for it and you must wear a mask when in patient care areas. I guess I don't understand why we wouldn't be expected to get the flu shot. We take care of patients who are in the hospital for a reason and many are at a higher risk of contracting the flu (among other things). This also helps prevent the spread of the flu to your coworkers if as many get the vaccine as possible. I would get the shot whether it was required or not to protect myself, my coworkers, and my patients.

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