Unvaccinated employees are lying about their status to retain their jobs

Vaccine resistance has been a persistent obstacle during the pandemic, and unvaccinated employees are willing to go to great lengths to hide their status from employers.

Nearly a third of unvaccinated employees would lie or fabricate vaccine cards in order to keep their job, according to a survey by Qualtrics. Thirty-seven percent of unvaccinated people say nothing will make them change their mind about receiving the shot.

Currently, 58.9% of the U.S. population has received the full dosage of the COVID vaccine, according to the CDC. A Biden-administration mandate, set to take effect Jan. 4, 2022, requires employers with 100 employees or more to require vaccinations. Unvaccinated employees will have to submit to weekly COVID testing at their own expense.

Read more: How this company is enforcing their vaccine mandate

Despite new mandates across industries and consequences that range from fines to job termination, little seems to be able to change the minds of those who have yet to receive the vaccine. Qualtrics found that 52% of unvaccinated employees feel a mandate would make them even less likely to get the shot.

“Millions of Americans remain hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and as governments and employers double down on policies and incentives, many unvaccinated people are digging in their heels,” Benjamin Granger, head of employee experience advisory services at Qualtrics, said in a release. “Vaccine resistance — especially if it’s accompanied by dishonesty — is likely to delay the long-awaited end to this pandemic.”

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Wariness and misinformation remain rampant, with 39% of those surveyed by Qualtrics listing distrust of the government as the top reason for avoiding vaccination. Thirty-eight percent said they are afraid of the side effects.

However, data has shown that the Pfizer shot is 95% effective and Moderna is 94% effective in preventing COVID infection. Between April and July of this year, 92% of COVID hospitalizations and 91% of COVID-related deaths were of unvaccinated people.

As employers look to 2022, the present and future plans for an organization must prioritize the health and safety of all employees, says Mike Piispanen, COO of Validity. His company has required vaccines for employees and office visitors since July.

“There was no playbook for how to manage a pandemic, during, or out of it. There is no timeline,” he previously told Employee Benefit News. “It's just going to become something that we just have to deal with going forward, and we will evolve and develop the strategies to work in that environment and keep everybody safe.”