As announced last month, COVID-19 vaccinations will be required for all members of the Vanderbilt University community for the 2021–22 academic school year. The deadline for staff to submit vaccination records is July 31.
Last August, the university provided eligible employees with up to two weeks of leave for those that were unable to work due to symptoms from COVID-19 or for isolation or quarantine related to close exposures. This policy was expanded to provide employees leave to receive a COVID-19 vaccination or to recover from the side effects of the vaccination. The policy was set to expire on June 30; however, the university is able to extend the leave to cover time away to obtain a vaccination and/or to recover from its side effects.
The COVID-19 vaccination leave policy provides all full-time benefits-eligible staff members, whether working remotely or on-campus, access to time away from work to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination or to recover from side effects after a COVID-19 vaccination. The COVID-19 vaccination leave policy will give staff one day per vaccination or a maximum of two days.
“We know our employees have many responsibilities in and outside of work,” said Cleo Rucker, associate vice chancellor and chief human resources officer. “We care about our employees and want to provide many ways to make receiving their vaccine accessible for them. This COVID-19 vaccination leave is one way we are trying to assist.”
When possible, requests for time off to receive the COVID-19 vaccination must be made no later than three scheduled workdays before the date of scheduled vaccination. A leader must review and approve/deny the request promptly. If an employee requests time off the day a vaccination is made available, every effort will be made to allow the employee the opportunity to receive the vaccination.
Employees eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination leave should record that time as such in Oracle: non-exempt staff will use the COVID-19 Leave absence type to record those hours on their timecard, and exempt staff will use the COVID-19 Leave absence type to record their absence in their “time and absences.”
Employees not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination leave, or who have exhausted their COVID-19 vaccination leave, should record that time as paid administrative leave.
Review the full COVID-19 vaccination leave policy.
Additional resources for staff include: