Looking for a visible way employees can show they’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (coronavirus)? The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is sponsoring the production of lapel pins showing entwined yellow and red ribbons. The web page for NAM’s Yellow and Red Ribbon Initiative includes sample posters and emails for employers to encourage workers to get vaccinated, along with a link to order the pins. As we reported yesterday in an Alert, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and some states say that most non-health care employers may allow fully vaccinated people to work without having to wear masks or keep 6 feet apart. NAM’s pins may provide a useful tool for employers who choose to implement this option, so it’s clear who’s permitted to go without a mask and who isn’t.
Special caution in Montana: As explained in yesterday’s Alert, Montana doesn’t have a statewide mask mandate and a new law prohibits Montana employers from granting greater privileges to vaccinated workers. Therefore in Montana, you can’t distinguish between vaccinated and unvaccinated workers in granting the privilege to not wear a mask, although you’re free to use NAM’s tools to encourage vaccination.
Tips: “Fully vaccinated” means that at least two weeks have passed since the final shot, i.e., the second shot for Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines and the single shot for Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.
