I thought we were past mandates and requirements and forcing people to be vaccinated. But even as the pandemic seems to be moving behind us, Raleigh is taking action. The North Carolina capital city announced that unvaccinated employees on the city’s health plan will be charged a $50 monthly fee. The surcharge will be added to their healthcare premiums beginning in January 2023.
The policy is considered a COVID prevention strategy by the city. It impacts employees, retirees, and GoRaleigh employees, in addition to any covered spouses.
Of course, we have no idea what the next 9 months will entail. That being said, this policy does seem odd to me. With case numbers plummeting, restrictions lifted, and mask mandates non-existent outside of medical facilities I wonder the “why now” behind this decision. I also feel that most people who have made the decision to not be vaccinated at this point, will not be swayed by this policy. The likelihood is that they will either pay the fee or look for another job. It’s hard enough for employers to retain workers currently. There is no word on how many employees this will impact or their future plans. It will be interesting to see if other employers or insurance companies follow suit and charge an unvaccinated fee.
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