vaccine card
Hawaii State and County workers mandated to get vaccinated or submit to weekly covid testing started this Monday with an extension granted to Hawaii County workers by Mayor Roth till the 28. Now other businesses are starting to follow suit. Or at least toying with the idea.
Hawaiian Electric announced Monday it will require the same for 3700+ workforce. Starting Sept. 1, the company will require that employees, with some exceptions, provide proof that they have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine or undergo weekly tests before they will be allowed on the worksite. Employees must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 31 to be exempted from the weekly testing requirement, the statement said.
“With the rise of the delta variant, our communities are facing a renewed challenge in this pandemic. In response, we have decided to offer two options to our employees – vaccination or weekly testing. The vaccines have proven to be safe, effective and our best defense against the virus. We respect that vaccination is a personal choice – and that’s why weekly testing is an option,” said a company representative.
Hawaiian Electric said the union that represents Hawaiian Electric workers. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1260, have shared their support for the initiative.
Also, Hawaiʻiʻs Merrimans Restaurants have picked up the baton on mandated vaccines for employment. Merriman’s has four locations in Hawaii in Poipu, Honolulu, Kapalua, and Waimea. At all locations, Merrimans employees are now required to get their first dose of a vaccine by Sept. 10. Employees can still have exemptions for medical or sincere religious beliefs but will be subject to testing.
“We felt like this is a way to create a super safe workplace for them, and for our guests as well, “Chef and owner Peter Merriman said. “I think, finally, the other part of that we felt a civic responsibility.” “Most of the employees have taken it really well because the majority of our employees are vaccinated, probably around 70% are vaccinated,” Chef Merriman added.
“We’re going to institute this eventually for the guests as well,” said Merriman. “So we’re only doing that for health reasons. But it turns out, it just so happens that it also appears as if it might be a good business decision, because some customers are saying, ‘Hey, I’m gonna eat in your place more often. I’ll come there several times a week because I’m going to feel safer at your place,’” Merriman said.
Merriman’s is also looking at adding outdoor seating to accommodate those who are unvaccinated.
The Hawaii Restaurant Association conducted a survey last weekend to see if restaurants would be open to vaccinations required for employees or customers.
“From what I’m hearing, there are more restaurants in Hawaii that already also doing it, will be doing,” HRA representative Victor Lim said. “I think because everybody recognizes this as everybody’s problem.”
David Ige said his administration is exploring the possibility of an “electronic health pass,” but that it was not clear how soon a pass could be ready.
“The Governor has directed the Office of Enterprise Technology Services (ETS) to explore the possibility of a health pass that could be used to enter establishments, etc.,” spokeswoman Jodi Leong said in a statement. “ETS is analyzing options and does not have a timeline for completion.”
The system would verify vaccine cards issued locally, nationally, and internationally, Leong said.
A major challenge involves requiring businesses to enforce vaccine rules is it is hard enough for retail staff to enforce mask mandates, which at times causes abusive responses from customers. A vaccine mandate will be even harder. Tina Yamaki, executive director of the state’s largest merchants’ association, Retail Merchants of Hawaii pointed out.
“They also have to give us something to enforce it with,” she said.
“If this continues and case counts continue to be this high, the mayors, the governor, are going to have to consider the following: they’re going to have to consider curfews, they’re going to have to consider scaling back people going into any place without a vaccination card,” he said. “That’s exactly the opposite of what the non-vaccinated community wants, so I’m not recommending these things, I’m saying this is reality.”