PBJ How Oregon Works: How the Workforce of Essential Industries Has Been Impacted Post-Pandemic

As part of the manufacturing segment of Portland Business Journal’s 2021 How Oregon Works series, labor and employment partner Todd Hanchett was on a panel for which key leaders were asked to share their insights on the impact of the pandemic on the workforces of essential industries in the region. PBJ publisher and president Candace Beeke questioned panelists on how the pandemic has affected the higher education workforce, to what degree employers plan to continue with remote work arrangements, what efforts employers are taking to recruit more diverse workforces, and other topics.

To the question of where local industries stand with respect to COVID-19 vaccines and the EEOC guidelines, Hanchett responded:

“The EEOC confirmed that employers can require all employees entering the workplace to be vaccinated subject to reasonable accommodation for religion or disability. The EEOC also clarified that while asking employees to present proof of vaccination, the documentation is a confidential medical record that needs to be stored separately from personnel files and accessed only by folks who have a business need to know. And the EEOC confirmed that employers can offer incentives to employees to encourage them to get vaccinated.”

Read “How the workforce of essential industries has been impacted post-pandemic,” published August 12, 2021.