SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Google And Facebook Mandate Vaccines For Employees At U.S. Offices:
Google and Facebook will require U.S. employees to be vaccinated against the coronavirus before returning to the company's offices, the tech giants said on Wednesday.
In a blog post, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the vaccine mandate would apply to its U.S. offices in the coming weeks and would be required eventually for other locations.
"Getting vaccinated is one of the most important ways to keep ourselves and our communities healthy in the months ahead," Pichai wrote.
Shortly after Google's announcement, Facebook said it too will require anyone coming to work at its U.S. offices to be vaccinated.
"How we implement this policy will depend on local conditions and regulations. We will have a process for those who cannot be vaccinated for medical or other reasons and will be evaluating our approach in other regions as the situation evolves," Lori Goler, Facebook's vice president of people, wrote in a statement.
The tech giants' vaccine requirements could push other employers to follow suit.
(Score: 5, Informative) by Beryllium Sphere (r) on Friday July 30 2021, @11:41PM (14 children)
>legal grounds to fire someone for not getting vaccinated?
You don't need legal grounds to fire someone. That's the effect of "employment at will".
In another country, one with stronger worker protections, the most likely legal grounds would be maintaining a safe workplace for all the other employees, just like you could fire a heavy equipment operator for showing up drunk.
(Score: 1, Troll) by darkfeline on Friday July 30 2021, @11:51PM (13 children)
You still can't fire someone for being part of a protected class, e.g. for race, ethnicity, political affiliation... or medical conditions.
Join the SDF Public Access UNIX System today!
(Score: 0, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 31 2021, @02:19AM (1 child)
If you hired them then it is already too late. But on the other hand if you solely pass over a job candidate for not satisfying a diversity quota then nobody will bat an eye.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 01 2021, @02:16AM
Incorrect. This is legally actionable. Race is not permissible as grounds for an employment decision, which to my knowledge has put some employers in terrible no-win situations. Once place I know basically has so many indian programmers that white faces are actually weird - but it's not even an H1B thing, it's just that for some unknown reason they just don't get other applicants. And they're scared shitless of lawsuits, even though it's not their fault.
(Score: 5, Informative) by Thexalon on Saturday July 31 2021, @03:17AM (4 children)
Political affiliation is, to the best of my knowledge, not a protected class. As the boss, you can't compel your employees to tell you about their political affiliations, though, and you also can't legally fire somebody for any connections to a union (although businesses do illegally all the time).
However, even if somebody is part of a protected class:
- You can legally just happen to select them for firing during a mass layoff.
- You can legally fire somebody in one of those protected classes for any reason at all that's not provably related to their protected class. So, for instance, if a Jewish guy shows up late for work enough times, it's perfectly legal to fire them for being late for work.
As for medical conditions:
- "I can't take the vaccine, because I'm allergic to X ingredient in the available vaccines, and here's a note from my doctor explaining this" is protected.
- "I can't take the vaccine because somebody on the Internet told me Bill Gates was using it to inject me with microchips" is not protected.
- "I can't take the vaccine because I'm a Republican" is not protected.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 31 2021, @03:22PM (2 children)
How about "I can't take the vaccine and my medical conditions are none of your fucking business."
(Score: 4, Touché) by epitaxial on Saturday July 31 2021, @06:04PM
Perfectly acceptable. Enjoy your right to work laws.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Sunday August 01 2021, @02:03AM
Sure, you might get a business that you can bully into submission with this, but most businesses have some grasp of the game. And sooner or later, you'll probably slip up.
Just get the shots.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 01 2021, @10:35AM
I might be allergic to it and don’t want to test
(Score: 4, Insightful) by khallow on Saturday July 31 2021, @04:38AM (2 children)
Like voluntarily being a hazard to others? I think you'll find court support for that position to be very thin.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 31 2021, @01:11PM (1 child)
Did you forget a year ago how the CDC declared the virus magically stops spreading only when Democrats have mass rallies?
(Score: 0, Troll) by khallow on Sunday August 01 2021, @01:55AM
(Score: 0, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 31 2021, @06:43AM (2 children)
More than likely religious exemption applies here. I have many to choose from when it comes to this Satan's Cocktail.
(Score: 3, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 31 2021, @07:07AM (1 child)
Let me guess ... It is a conspiracy by Xenu to inject you with thetans?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 31 2021, @12:09PM
They can't inject Thetans just willy nilly. You have to be audited many many times and over several years first. Saint Hubbard needs you constant donations so he knows your vessel is a proper home for the Thetan.