Employees across Long Island are wondering if they will be forced to be vaccinated now that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been granted full approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

News 12 viewers differed in their opinions on more vaccine mandates. Some says they would rather get another job then get the vaccine while others say they hope their company will require the vaccine.

President of the Long Island Association Matt Cohen says that businesses are still recovering from the pandemic and vaccinations are the way forward.  

He tweeted an open letter out to the business community Monday, saying, “To continue this progress I am urging you to get vaccinated and asking you to encourage employees to do the same.”

Labor attorney Chris Van DeWater says if an employee has no legitimate exemption, then they have to abide by the company’s policy.

“And to that extent that the company has a policy in place, an employee can be fired for not following that policy,” Van DeWater says. “They can also be forced to resign but that’s up to the employer. What we expect to find is that employees will be terminated.”  

Van DeWater says employees being terminated for not following company policy are not entitled to unemployment.

He says he does foresee lawsuits and class action suits happening once more companies decide what their plans will be.

Exemptions for not being mandated to get the vaccine include medical and religious observances, but he says they can’t be claimed without some kind of documentation.  

In those cases, he says employers are obligated to provide a reasonable accommodation like options to work from home, socially distancing from other employees, wearing face coverings or undergoing regular COVID testing.

New Gov. Kathy Hochul says that New Yorkers can expect new vaccine requirements soon.