Executive Order From Texas Governor Impacts Employers Decision on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
October 12, 2021On October 11, 2021, Governor Greg Abbott issued an Executive Order stating that “No entity in Texas can compel receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine by any individual, including an employee or a consumer, who objects to such vaccination for any reason of personal conscience, based on a religious belief, or for medical reasons, including prior recovery from COVID-19. I hereby suspend all relevant statutes to the extent necessary to enforce this prohibition.”
This Executive Order stands in contrast to recent directives from the Biden Administration to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for certain employers. With these competing orders, it is important that employers revisit their vaccination policies to ensure they have policies that are consistent with current laws, create a safe working environment, and address employee morale. The full text of the Executive Order from Governor Abbott can be found here: https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/EO-GA-40_prohibiting_vaccine_mandates_legislative_action_IMAGE_10-11-2021.pdf