On July 29, 2021, Reed Smith informed all of its U.S. personnel that beginning Monday, August 2, their access to the firm's U.S. offices would begin to be limited to individuals who are not fully vaccinated.
Insurance Coverage Law Center Editorial Advisory Board member Timothy Law provided us with the statement from the firm.
Only in certain cases will unvaccinated individuals be permitted to access the firm's U.S. offices. The firm stated that it will make reasonable accommodations on a case-by-case basis for those who are not vaccinated because of medical, religious or other reasons. The firm will allow personnel who remain unvaccinated to work remotely in the meantime.
The firm will be enacting an in-office mask requirement in accordance with new CDC guidelines, but that requirement will only be enacted in localities that are deemed to be "high" or "substantial" COVID transmission areas.
The firm's offices are scheduled to fully open on Monday, September 13, when a Flexible Work Policy will become effective.
"With the prevalence of the Delta variant and the contagious nature of that strain, we have concluded that to best protect our people, it now makes sense to require that Reed Smith personnel who come into our offices be vaccinated," said Doug Cameron, Managing Partner for the Americas.
The firm stated that it will continue to closely monitor the Delta variant and the overall COVID situation and adapt the current policy to address any emerging issues.
Editor's Note: In order to avoid illness and death and potential resulting workers' compensation cases against their firms, more and more law firms are announcing mandatory vaccine policies for attorneys, staff, and vendors while other law firms seem to be holding back on these types of policies.
On the other hand, if an employee is required to be vaccinated in order to return to work and dies or becomes seriously ill in the next few months or years while liability protection is in place, the employer that required the employee to be vaccinated may find themselves in court. Workers' compensation, employers liability and employment practices liability insurance coverage may each respond to a vaccine-related death or injury.