Intermountain has announced a temporary pause in enforcement of the COVID-19 vaccine requirement deadline. The pause means caregivers who didn’t have a vaccine record or an approved exemption on file by December 5 haven’t been suspended. Caregivers are still asked to get vaccinated and submit proof of vaccination or apply for an exemption to help Intermountain be prepared in case federal regulations are reinstated.
Here’s how you can take action:
- Apply for a medical or religious exemption as soon as possible.
- There are still caregiver COVID-19 vaccine clinics happening with plenty of appointments available. Schedule an appointment for your first, second, or booster dose. You can also get vaccinated at a local pharmacy or clinic by scheduling an appointment at vaccines.gov.
- If you’re already vaccinated and haven’t shared your status with Intermountain already, submit consent and upload documentation if needed. The link to the consent page only works when connected to the Intermountain network (e.g. on a facility computer or connected via PingID/Pulse Secure) on Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. You can also email vaccine documentation to ehservices@imail.org.
The pause in the enforcement of the requirement also applies all of Intermountain’s partners, contingent staff, affiliates, students, and volunteers—though they’re also asked to work to become compliant. New hires are required to be vaccinated with at least the first dose if they start between now and January 4, and they’re required to be fully vaccinated or have an approved exemption before starting if hired after January 4, 2022.
Some caregivers have asked why we’ve paused enforcement of the requirement deadline. Since the original announcement on October 27, Intermountain leaders have told caregivers they’d evaluate lawsuits and outcomes regarding federal regulations (like the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stay), and consider the projected impact to Intermountain. The decision to pause enforcement of the requirement deadline was thoughtfully made with involvement from many teams, balancing caregiver preferences, federal regulations, and Intermountain’s commitment to serve all patients through safe, efficient operations.
The COVID-19 vaccine requirement webpage has been updated, including FAQs about last week’s announcement. If you have questions, please speak with your manager or contact Ask HR at 801-442-7547 or askhr@imail.org.