If you have an approved exemption and accommodations and decide to vaccinate, it is your duty to notify HR at hr@lowercolumbia.edu that you have decided to vaccinate, as there will no longer be a need for accommodations once you become fully vaccinated.

Yes. Even employees that reside outside of Washington must comply with this mandate. This includes adjunct employees that teach fully online.

Yes. Even student employees must comply with this mandate.

Yes. Even LCC volunteers must comply with this mandate.

Under the proclamation, the following are acceptable forms of verification:

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 Vaccination Record card or photo of the card
• Documentation of vaccination from health care provider or electronic health record
• State immunization information system record

HR is not collecting copies of vaccination cards. We are required to get visual verification and maintain a confidential electronic  list of employees who have been verified in HR. This list is separate from employees’ personnel files. 

Some of these employees are feeling excluded. We encourage you to find ways to connect with this employee and build a stronger connection with the team. Here are some ideas to encourage inclusivity and build morale: 

• Consider scheduling 1:1 weekly or bi-weekly meetings with your employee(s) if you don’t already do that. Make time to ask for feedback! Ask them specifically about how things are going, if they’re feeling connected, engaged, and/or if they need any other support from you or the College in general. 
• Engage your team in virtual team building activities. Consider this employee’s in-person limitations when planning normal team activities. 
• If team members are talking about employees with accommodations or making assumptions, address and end this behavior. Accommodations are confidential and privacy should be respected.
• If we have an on-campus activity and your employee with accommodations can only participate virtually, consider showing support to them by participating virtually yourself.  

Yes. Volunteers must also verify their vaccination status with HR. We have updated our volunteer agreement to include information about verification. Volunteers may also request medical or religious exemption and engage in the interactive accommodation process. 

Yes, you can ask applicants about their vaccination status. It is not a disability related inquiry under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) to ask an applicant if they have been vaccinated.  However, follow-up questions about why a person is not vaccinated should NOT occur until after a job offer is made since such questions may reveal a disability.  Proof of vaccine should not be required until a job offer is made.

Refer them to Sam Orth, sorth@lowercolumbia.edu, so we can engage in the interactive accommodation process with them. They would not be approved for hire until they have an approved accommodation.

Yes, if they express that they have no intention to be fully vaccinated or before beginning employment with LCC, they are not qualified for the position (assuming they are not requesting medical or religious accommodation).

We are offering you the position of___ conditioned on your proof of vaccination status by ****date.  Visual verification by HR is required for those already vaccinated. If you are unable to get vaccinated due to medical or religious reasons, you will need to enter the accommodation process with the College and have an approved accommodation prior to starting employment. If you do not verify your vaccination status by ****(date), this conditional offer of employment shall be revoked.

Yes. They can ask applicants about their vaccination status. It is not a disability related inquiry under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) to ask an applicant if they have been vaccinated.  However, follow up questions about why a person is not vaccinated should not occur until after a job offer is made since such questions may reveal a disability.  Proof of vaccine should not be required until a job offer is made.  See EEOC Guidance.

LCC must ensure that new hires meet the requirement before they begin employment with LCC.  There is no prohibition against us making a conditional offer. The employee will be informed that failure to meet the condition will result in revocation of the offer absent a medical or religious accommodation.  Proof of vaccine will not be required until a job offer is made.

If an applicant is advised by their medical provider that they should not get the vaccine within a particular time frame, the individual must seek an accommodation through HR or would no longer be considered for the position. However, they would need to become fully vaccinated as soon as the waiting period identified by their provider ends.

If the applicant has no intention of being fully vaccinated, they are not qualified for the position, assuming there is no medical or religious accommodation.