Are vaccine passports coming to your town?
You’ve probably heard about the push to require vaccinations in order to work, shop, and even travel in big cities (like NYC) and at big companies (like Walmart, Google, Tyson Foods, and United Airlines.)
Everyone seems to have strong opinions about these “vaccine mandates,” and we’re not virologists, so we’re just going to nope out of the conversation about what’s good for health.
But we do know about Paychecks. So… what does your Paycheck think about vaccine mandates?
🤔Vaccine mandates have been around for a long time - (*think* schools, colleges, etc.) However, these vaccine mandates often come with exceptions and lots of wiggle room to opt out. This new push for vaccine passports, coming from private companies, is a whole new enchilada.
🏢🏛️ The White House is cheering on the mandates! They think vaccine mandates are the silver bullet to avoid another $16T lockdown like 2020 or expensive covid-related hospitalizations that can cost people over $40K a visit.
💰💉Businesses think vaccines make dollars and cents - Big Rona is still hurting the economy. Right now, we’re paying 5-10% MORE for everyday items because of issues related to shortages and supply chain shutdowns from last year’s pandemic. Also, people are more likely to avoid work or shopping if they feel threatened by Covid. Not good!
😳🤷♂️Does this mean “No Jab, no Job?” - Some are worried about being fined $50/month by their employer for not getting the jab or, worse, getting fired and then not even qualifying for unemployment if they refuse the Covid vaccine. Others are not sure they could even get hired now that many companies are requiring the vaccine.
😒😢Is the cure worse than the disease? - Right now there’s 10 million open jobs across the USA! It's a legit labor shortage, to be sure! Vaccine mandates could make the situation worse for everyone (including small businesses) because the mandates will disproportionately impact workers who are least likely to be vaccinated: young people and minorities.