More Job Postings Are Requiring COVID-19 Vaccinations

Vaccine mandates are sweeping across corporate America with the latest delta variant cases. More employers are requiring that applicants be vaccinated against COVID-19, and that shift is being reflected in job listings, according to a recent analysis from Indeed.

The percentage of job postings stating that a new hire must be vaccinated has doubled in the past month, according to the job search site Indeed.

  • The total number of job posts with vaccination requirements remains low—roughly 1,200 postings per million in early August—but is up from about 600 in early July, and about 50 in early February.

  • Vaccination requirements in job postings are increasing across a wide range of sectors, including software development, marketing, education, and sales — many of which had not previously mandated vaccines.

  • The share of software development postings requiring vaccinations increased by more than 10,000% in July from February 2021.

"Jobs that require vaccination are still a small fraction of postings overall," said Ann Elizabeth Konkel, an economist at the Indeed Hiring Lab in Washington, D.C. "But there has been a large increase in job postings requiring vaccinations across a variety of sectors, including software development, marketing, education and sales."

Konkel said that with vaccination rates still not where they need to be to turn back the coronavirus, "employers are doing what they can to keep their doors open and their staff safe by requiring vaccination."

She said that some postings simply state "vaccine required," while others give more specific details or offer alternatives, such as weekly testing and mask-wearing. Some companies are encouraging vaccinations by tying them to hiring bonuses.

She added that if vaccination is required, that should be clear in the job posting as a condition of employment. The job ad should also state that reasonable accommodations will be considered.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced earlier this year that U.S. employers can require that all workers physically present in the workplace be vaccinated against COVID-19.

This fact combined with the announcement that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine has received full licensure from the FDA, might make it easier for employers to mandate the shots.

A random sampling of MATRIX clients reveals the following vaccination requirements for employees, which support these findings:

  • “Current policy is proof of vaccination or you wear a mask every day. Day 1 they require a negative test result from not more than 5 days prior.”

  • “Some of my clients have started requiring vaccinations for employees returning to the office and imposing restrictions for unvaccinated individuals.”

  • “One major telecom company will require the vaccine starting October 11.”

  • “One of our big financial services clients is requiring it. They need to see a vaccination card to get into the building.” 

  • “We have clients in the healthcare or pharma space with labs onsite, so they require the vaccine for extra precaution.”

Don’t be surprised if this trend becomes more prevalent.

Source: Indeed