Is it fair? Attorney Katie Lipp Discusses Stafford County schools granting 10 days of extra sick leave to the vaccinated with ABC 7 News

Lipp Law Firm owner and employment attorney Katie Lipp was interviewed by ABC7 recently about the legality of putting workers into one of two categories: vaccinated and unvaccinated and establishing rules and rewards accordingly. You can read the full article here.

From the article: 

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. (7News) — As businesses and schools reopen, employers are often putting workers into one of two categories: vaccinated and unvaccinated.

Delta Airlines is tacking on $200 a month to employees’ health insurance premiums if they don’t get the COVID-19 shot. Labor and employment law attorney Katie Lipp of Lipp Law Firm says businesses are trying to incentivize workers.

“Sometimes they use a carrot, sometimes they use a stick,” she told 7News.

More along the lines of the “carrot,” Stafford County Public Schools is offering vaccinated employees 10 days of paid, no charge, Emergency COVID Leave if they get sick or need to quarantine.

An unvaccinated teacher reached out to 7News On Your Side and said she is quarantining at home after a student tested positive for the virus. Unlike her vaccinated colleagues, she must use her own sick time and not the free COVID leave.

“It is legal to do what Stafford County is doing, however, if a client were to contact me, we represent a lot of employers and employees, I would not recommend that they treat unvaccinated employees differently,” Lipp explained.

She said this isn’t about the school district, any employer treating workers differently risks a lawsuit based on religious or medical reasons.

Questions about COVID vaccine mandates and your business? Contact the Lipp Law Firm today.