Exploring the rights employees have around vaccine mandates

SOME COMPANIES HAVE STARTEDMANDATING THE COVID VACCINEFOR EMPLOYEES FOLLOWING THEPFIZERAC VCINE RECEIVING FULLFDA APPROVAL.

BUT NYMAEMPLOYEES ARE WONDERING WHATRIGHTS THEY HAVE REGARNGDIMANDATE.

25 NEWS REPORTER AMADSCHINDLER EXPLAINS...AS COMPANIES BEGIN MANDATINGCOVID MANY TEXANS ARE NOWASKING WHAT RIGHTSHE TY HAVEIF THEIR COMPANY DOES MANDATETHE VACCINE.

PKG - TRACK 1COMPANIES ARE NOW BEGINNG INMANDATE THE COVID VACCINE ANDALTHOUGH THAT MIGHT SEUNPRECEDENTED... COMPANIESMANDATING VACCINES IS ACTUALLYCOMMON PRACTIC SOT -E.PATRICIA WILSON, ASSOCIATEDEAN AND PROFESSOR OF LAW.BAYLOR LAW SCHOOL.

"EMPLOYERSMAY, FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIREMPLOYEES OR THEIR CONSUMERS,REQUIRE CERTAIN THINGS.VACCINATIONS FOR CERTAINTHINGS.

SO, THE IDEA THAT ISIS SOMETHING NEW, IT'S REAYLLNOT." TRAC2 K NEW PRACTICE ORNOT...PRIVATE COMPANIES HAVETHE ABILITY TO REQUIREEMPLOYEES TO DO THINGS LIKEVACCINES AS CONDITIONS OFEMPLOYMENT.

ESPECIALLY INSTATES LIKE XATES.

SOT -PATRICIA WILSON, ASSOCIATEDEAN AND PROFESSOR OF LAW.BAYLOR LAW SCHOOL.

"WE ARE ANEMPLOYMENT AT WILL STATEND AEMPLOYMENT AT WILL GESIVEMPLOYERS LOTS OF FLEXIBILITYAND CONTROL ABOUT ATWH HAPNSPEWITH THEIR EMPLOYEES." TRACK 3EVEN THOUGH PRIVATE COMPANSIEHAVE THE CHOICE TO MANDATEVACCINES...THEY STILL HAVE TOFOLLOW LAWS THAT ALLOW FORRELIGIOUS, MEDICAL ANDDISABILITY EXCEPTIONS.

SOT &COLIN WALSH, EMPLOYMENT LAWATTORNEY.

"IF YOU HAVE ADISABILITY THAT PREVENTS YOUFROM BEING ABLE TO GET THEVACCINE OR THE VACCINE WOULDCAUSE MORE HARM THEN GOOD,THEN THEOM CPANY IS GOING TOHAVE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AREASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONOR FNOT GETTING THAT VACCINE."TRACK 4 THEY ALSO HAVE TOFOLLOW DISCRIMINATION LAW ANDAPPLY THE VACCINE POLICY TOTHE ENTIRE COMPANY AND NOTJUST SOME EMPLOYEES.

S OT&COLIN WALSH, EMPLOYMENT LAWATTORNEY.

"FOR EXAMPLE, ACOMPANY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TOSAY, ONLY WOMEN ARE REQUEDIRTO GET THE VACCINE.

THAT WOULDBE SEX DISCRIMINATION.

OR, SAYONLY CERTAIN RACES NEED TOET GTHE VACCINE.

THAT WOULD BERACE DISCIMINATION." TRACK 5BUT...EVEN THOUGH COMPANIESARE REQUIRED TO MAKEACCOMMODATIONS FOR THINGS LIKEDISABILITIES...PRIVA TECOMPANIES MAY STILL BE AE BLTOREQUIRE VACCINATIONS.

SOT -PATRICIA WILSON, ASSOCTEIADEAN AND PROFESSOR OF LAW.BAYLOR LAW SCHOOL.

"EVEN WITHA DISABILITY THAT WOULDPREVENT WHICH WOULD PREVENTSOMEBODY FROM GETTINGVACCINATED, THE EMPLOYER MAYSTILL BE ABLE TO SAY, THERE ISSTILL A GREATER RISK.

SO, YESYOU HAVE A DISABILITY ATNORMALLY WOULD BE ACCOMMODATBUT, NOT IN THIS SITUATION."LKLV - NOW PRIVATE COMPANIESHAVE MORE LEIGH WAY TO MANDATEVACCINES THAN GOVERNMENTAFFILIATED AGENCIES.

TSEHOMPANCOIES ARE SUBJECT TOSTRICTER ADHERENCE TO THINGSLIKE RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS THATPRIVATE COMPANIES GO BYPASS INTEXAS.

IN KILLEEAMNSCHINDLER 25 NEWSACCORDING TO LEGAL EXPERTS --A PRIVATE COMPANY IS ALLEDOWTO REQUIRE VACCINES FOR THEIRSTAFF MEMBERS.

BUT THEY VEHATO PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION FORMEDICAL OR RELIGIOUS REASONS.THEY CAN ALSO LEGALLY FIRE ANEMPLOYEE IF THEY REFUSE TOET GVACCINATED.

PRIVATE COMPANIESCAN ALSO MANDATE VACCINES FORTHEIR CUSTOMERS BECAUSE IT'SNOT CONSIDERED DISCRIMINATNAGAINST A PROTECTED CL