PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONS:
The Washington State School for the Blind (WSSB) is committed and obligated to provide a safe and healthy workplace for all its employees. With the widespread availability of highly effective COVID-19 vaccines, all WSSB workers are required to be vaccinated with the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines (does not include boosters). While much progress has been made in battling the pandemic in our state, COVID-19 and the emergence of concerning new variants remain a serious public health threat. As we continue our return to more in-person operations, we are particularly concerned with the health and safety of our employees who are unable to receive the vaccine because of a disability or a sincerely held religious belief. The best way to ensure the safety of these, and all WSSB employees and the safety of the people they interact with in the course of their duties, is to implement a policy requiring all WSSB employees, as a condition of employment, to have the primary vaccination series against COVID-19 and provide proof thereof.
An employee with a disability or religious belief, practice, or observance that prevents them from getting vaccinated against COVID-19 may request a reasonable accommodation based on a disability or a sincerely held religious belief, and the agency will engage in an accommodation process to determine if an appropriate accommodation is available. New employees must have received their primary vaccination series against COVID-19 (does not include boosters), unless they have been granted a disability or religious accommodation. This policy is subject to and shall be construed in compliance with all applicable collective bargaining agreements and state and federal laws.
Primary Vaccination Against COVID-19
An individual is vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after they have received a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine or the second dose in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series approved by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. This does not include boosters.
Proof of Vaccination Against COVID-19
Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 is a CDC vaccination card, documentation from a health care provider, or a state immunization information system record showing that the employee or selected candidate is vaccinated against COVID-19.
Vaccine Access:
Time spent traveling to the vaccination site and time spent receiving the vaccine and additional boosters are considered hours worked. The WSSB may require that the time be supported by documentation.
Responsibilities:
Employees
All current employees must have the primary vaccination against COVID-19 and provide verification thereof, as a condition of employment. WSSB will maintain the minimal amount of information necessary to ensure compliance with this policy, while ensuring that an individual’s health information is protected.
Candidates Selected for Employee Positions
All candidates selected for employee positions who begin employment with WSSB after the date the Title 357 WAC preemployment rule is adopted must be vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide verification thereof before starting with the WSSB, as a condition of employment.
An employee or selected candidate with a disability or religious belief, practice, or observance that prevents them from getting vaccinated against COVID-19 may request an exemption from the requirement by providing documentation and completing a reasonable accommodation form. If an individual qualified for a disability or religious accommodation requests an accommodation, the agency will engage in an accommodation process to determine if an appropriate accommodation is available.
The employee or selected candidate must participate in the interactive accommodation process and provide all information reasonably needed to evaluate the request.
Employees or selected candidates must provide proof of their primary vaccination against COVID-19 by providing a copy to WSSB.
Human Resource Office
The human resource office shall ensure that every selected candidate who starts with the WSSB provides proof of their primary vaccination against COVID-19 before starting with WSSB. The human resource office will track which selected candidates have and have not provided required proof.