Update Applicable to:
All businesses besides Medicare/Medicaid funded businesses operating in the state of Idaho.
What happened?
On April 4, 2023, Governor Little signed Senate Bill 1130 (SB 1130), also known as the “Coronavirus Stop Act,” into law, which will change the requirement for COVID-19 vaccinations within the state for employers.
What are the details?
Effective on April 6, 2023, employers doing business in the state of Idaho may no longer require a coronavirus vaccination as a term of employment unless required by federal law or where the terms of employment include travel to foreign jurisdictions requiring vaccination.
Employers are also prohibited from offering different salary, hourly wage, or other ongoing compensation or benefits to an employee based on whether the employee has received a coronavirus vaccination.
Business entities that receive Medicare or Medicaid funding are exempt from these prohibitions.
SB 1130 also allows employers to offer one-time incentives to employees for receiving the COVID-19 vaccination. It also allows employers to provide time off from work to be vaccinated. The incentive must not result in an ongoing difference in salary, hourly wage, or compensation or benefits being provided to an employee based on whether the employee has been vaccinated.
The law also prohibits business entities in Idaho from refusing to provide any service, product, admission to a venue, or transportation to a person based on the individual’s vaccination status.
Employers in Idaho with mandatory vaccination policies should consult with counsel to determine the appropriate next steps.
A growing number of states have enacted legislation directed at employer vaccine mandates. Utah’s new Vaccine Passport Prohibition legislation will go into effect on May 3, 2023. Therefore, all employers should remain apprised of the different vaccine regulations and requirements, both statewide and federally.
For more information, please see the links below:
What do employers need to do?
Employers should review the links provided above and should review their COVID-19 vaccination policies if necessary.
Need help understanding how changes to employment laws will affect your business?
Learn more about how Vensure's Idaho PEO services can help you navigate complex employment laws and keep your business compliant.
This communication is intended solely for the purpose of conveying information. The present post might incorporate hyperlinks directing readers to websites managed by third-party entities. The inclusion of any links within this communication is meant to serve as points of reference and could encompass opinion articles from various law firms, articles from HR associations, official websites, news releases, and documents of government agencies, and other relevant third-party sources. Vensure has no authority over these external websites and bears no responsibility for their content. Furthermore, Vensure does not endorse the materials present on these websites. The contents of this communication should not be interpreted as legal advice or as a legal standpoint concerning specific facts or scenarios. Nor should it be deemed an exhaustive compilation of facts potentially pertinent to federal, state, or local laws. It is strongly advised that employers solicit legal guidance from an employment attorney when undertaking actions in response to any legal updates provided. This is due to the possibility of future alterations occurring in federal, state, and local laws, regulations, as well as the directives and guidelines issued by governing agencies. These changes may transpire at any given time, potentially rendering certain portions of the content within this update void or inaccurate.
