Employment Related Vaccinations

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Policy Number:
UW-2010
Responsible Office:
Environmental & Occupational Health

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

This policy establishes standards for mandatory and recommended vaccinations of employees and affiliates.

Definitions:
Biological Agent
Any microoganism (including, but not limited to, bacteria, viruses, fungi, or protozoa), infectious material, or any naturally occurring, bioengineered, or synthesized component of any such microorganism or infectious material, capable of causing:
  • Death, disease, or other biological malfunction in a human, an animal, a plant, or another living organism; or
  • Deterioration of food, water, equipment, supplies, or material of any kind; or
  • Deleterious alteration of the environment.
Employee
An individual as defined in UW-5000 Employment Categories.
Employee Health Record
For purposes of this policy, patient medical records, occupational health records, employee substance abuse records, and pre-employment records as defined by Environmental & Occupational Health that are separate from personnel records.
Scope:

This policy applies to employees, affiliates (e.g., contractors, researchers from other institutions, and vendors) who work with or in close proximity to biological agents, and the units which employ or engage these individuals in specified activities where vaccinations are required or recommended.

Policy:

  1. Introduction

    1. While participation in healthcare activities such as vaccinations is generally recommended, there are certain circumstances at UW-Madison where nonparticipation in required healthcare activities could pose an unreasonable risk to the individual, institution, and/or community.
    2. Individual units may, in collaboration with Occupational Health, choose to implement stricter policies which must be justified and applied equally to all employees.

  2. Mandatory Vaccinations

    1. Vaccinations are required when any of the following conditions are met:
      1. An infectious agent is present in the workplace that is likely to:
        1. Cause death or serious physical harm
        2. Pose a threat of community disease transmission
        3. Jeopardize patient safety
        4. Jeopardize research animal colonies
      2. An infectious agent is handled in a way that presents an increased or substantial risk of exposure (e.g., procedures that may aerosolize the agent or involve work with research animals).
      3. An approved vaccine is available, or for emerging pathogens, a vaccine that has been demonstrated to be effective and has undergone investigational new vaccine testing for regulatory purposes is available.
    2. Biological agents and conditions for which mandatory vaccination is indicated include, but are not limited to:
      1. Work practices that create the potential for contact through an animal or needlestick
      2. Work practices that create the potential for aerosolization or splash with agents including, but not limited to:
        1. Pox viruses
        2. Rabies
        3. Yellow Fever
    3. Mandatory vaccinations must be applied equally to all employees required to work with a specific biological agent or to enter a particular space.
    4. Mandatory vaccinations must be included in position descriptions. Employees who pursue research with high risk infectious or biological agents for which no vaccination exists at the time of hire may be required to receive relevant vaccinations once approved and available.

  3. Recommended Vaccinations

    1. Vaccinations are recommended when any of the following conditions are met:
      1. An infectious agent is present or likely to be present that poses a risk of serious or irreversible illness in the general population
      2. An approved effective vaccine is available, or for emerging pathogens, has gone through investigational new vaccine testing for regulatory purposes
      3. Employee infection may not represent an individual health concern but may require aggressive isolation procedures of the employee and family members if the employee works with other high risk infectious agents with simliar symptom patterns
      4. Employee work activity involves exposure to bloodborne pathogens
    2. Biological agents and conditions for which recommended vaccination is indicated include, but are not limited to:
      1. Healthcare providers to protect patients from COVID, influenza, measles, mumps, and rubella
      2. Individuals who work with human blood or other related infectious materials to protect against Hepatitis B

  4. Declination of Vaccinations

    1. When an employee declines a mandatory or recommended vaccination for medical or other reasons, the employee must complete and sign a declination form and return it to the Occupational Medicine group of the Environmental & Occupational Health unit for inclusion in the employee's health record.
    2. If declination of health services including vaccination could result in a significant risk or substantial harm to the individual or others, Occupational Medicine will refer the employee to their respective Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) to determine whether alternative employment arrangements are possible.

  5. Consequences for Non-Compliance

    Consequences for non-compliance may include limited or no access to workplace facilities and discipline up to and including dismissal.

Related UW-Madison Policies:
Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Assistant Vice Chancellor, Environment, Health & Safety
Policy Manager:
Director of Environmental and Occupational Health
Contact:
Director of Environmental and Occupational Health -- Joel Malak, JOEL.MALAK@WISC.EDU, (608) 438-5851
Effective Date:
12-01-2025
Revised Dates:

12-1-2025

Retrieved:
12-09-2025 12:15:38