You’ve probably heard in the news lately that Florida will fine businesses $5,000 per person for requiring proof of vaccination. Those reports are regarding violations of Florida Statute Sec. 381.00316, effective as of July 1, 2021. That law prevents businesses from requiring that patrons or customers provide any documentation of COVID vaccination to obtain service from that business such as a “Vaccine Passport”.
A Vaccine Passport is proof that a person has tested negative for or been protected against certain infections. It can be digital, like a phone app, or physical, such as a small paper card. You can carry it with you and show it if required, like before you go into the office, board an airplane, or visit a restaurant, movie theater, or gym.
The law is limited in scope — to patrons/customers. Therefore, employees, independent contractors, vendors, and other non-customers of businesses could be required to provide proof of vaccination. However, businesses are prohibited from asking their clients or potential clients in Florida to provide proof of their vaccine status.
The law does not prohibit screening protocols (health checks, mask rules, etc.). The law also does not prohibit businesses from asking its clients whether they are vaccinated — you just cannot go a step further and ask for proof of vaccination.
At Collier Home Care, we encourage all caregivers to be vaccinated. Currently, roughly 75% of our caregivers are vaccinated. We ask each caregiver that is vaccinated to provide proof of vaccination. We treat the vaccination documentation as a medical record and keep the documentation itself confidential, specifically not sharing it with third parties (such as the client/client’s family) without the caregiver’s permission. In line with our commitment to excellence in concierge home care service, we keep a list of which caregivers have provided proof of vaccination so that our team of Staffing Coordinators who handle the matching/scheduling know who they can recommend for a particular client.
Any caregiver who chooses not to submit proof of vaccination will be deemed unvaccinated. It is possible that unvaccinated caregivers may be passed over for open opportunities if unvaccinated or if they desire not to provide proof of vaccination.
It is no surprise that many clients and prospective clients are looking for a caregiver that is vaccinated.
So, how do you know if your caregiver is vaccinated?
Just ask us.
We encourage you to call us at (239) 920-3902 and let your Staffing Coordinator know if it is your preference or a requirement that your caregiver is vaccinated.
Source: WebMD