“Fully vaccinated for COVID-19.”
Should I include that information on my résumé?
The Biden administration announced a new rule from the Department of Labor on Sept. 9, 2021 that will require all companies with 100 or more employees to ensure each worker is fully vaccinated or can show a negative COVID-19 test at least once a week. The standard, which will be enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), will affect approximately 80 million workers.
Requiring employees to be vaccinated as a condition of employment is legal. Many large employers — including Disney, Tyson Foods, and United Airlines — already require employees to be vaccinated.
According to job search site Indeed.com, job postings on the site requiring vaccination against COVID-19 increased 34 percent by the end of the first week of August 2021 compared to one month prior. Job postings requiring vaccination were up 90 percent over the same time period.
According to a survey conducted by ResumeBuilder.com in August 2021, 33 percent of hiring managers will automatically eliminate résumés that do not include vaccination status. And 69 percent of the 1250 hiring managers surveyed say they are more likely to favor candidates who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
ResumeBuilder.com also reports that 63 percent of companies surveyed are mandating vaccinations for employees as of August 2021. Another 32 percent will give priority to candidates that list they are vaccinated on their résumé.
Seventy-seven percent of hiring managers surveyed say they prefer applicants include vaccination status on their résumés.
As with any information you include — or exclude — on your résumé, carefully consider whether the information is relevant (in this case, it would be if vaccination status is requested in the job posting) and whether including the information (if not requested), might disqualify you from consideration. (Some recruiters or hiring managers may be turned off by the disclosure.)
Here are some general guidelines:
Definitely yes — disclose you are vaccinated against COVID-19 if vaccination is listed as a requirement in the job posting you’re applying for.
Probably yes — disclose vaccination status for certain roles — especially in the medical field or public health or for positions with progressive companies that have been publicly supportive of vaccine mandates. Consider including it for tech and financial positions where in-person/in-office attendance is required.
Probably no — if you are not vaccinated for COVID-19, it’s best to leave vaccination status off your résumé, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile and address it in a job interview instead (if asked). If you disclose you are not vaccinated for COVID-19, that could be a negative to some hiring managers and recruiters.
Don’t want to include your vaccination status on the résumé itself? You can list your vaccination status in the cover letter — although, be aware that some recruiters and hiring managers do not read cover letters.
Immunization records are protected health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However, you are always free to disclose your own medical information voluntarily.
No matter whether you disclose your vaccination status on your résumé or not, this may be part of a background check conducted after a job offer is extended, in the same way a drug screening may be required.