LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — How would you feel if you weren't allowed inside somewhere because you weren't vaccinated against COVID-19? Can businesses require employees and patrons to get vaccinated before they're allowed inside?
The simple answer is yes, but there are a couple of exceptions.
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Today, 13 Action News spoke with David Orentlicher, a UNLV professor and the director of the school's Health Law Program. He said, outside of a union agreement, employers have a lot of legal freedom when it comes to imposing requirements on workers, and that could include requiring vaccination against COVID-19. But, he adds there are two big exceptions.
"People who have disabilities that would compromise the safety of being vaccinated," said Orentlicher. "If you have a medical condition that has weakened your immune system and so it wouldn't be safe to vaccinate you, they'd have to accommodate that."
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"If you have a religious objection, they'd have a duty to accommodate that. But, it's not an absolute duty to accommodate because, in the end, they're allowed and, indeed, required to maintain a safe workplace," he said.
He also said the same rules apply to customers. If a business wants to require customers to present proof of vaccination before being allowed to enter, that's well within their rights.
That said, many companies may want to avoid the hassle and potential litigation that can come with requiring employees and customers to get vaccinated.
