Welcome to Rogers!

We are glad you have decided to join us and our life-saving Mission.

Please be advised that Rogers is following the recently announced CMS emergency COVID-19 vaccination mandate, which was upheld by the Supreme Court.

See the FAQ below for details on deadlines for vaccination, where you can locate vaccines, exemptions, and more.

If you are already fully vaccinated or have your first dose of Pfizer or Moderna, please email your documentation to Employee_Health@rogersbh.org and indicate your start date with Rogers.

Why is Rogers mandating COVID-19 vaccination?

CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) now requires qualified healthcare providers to ensure that all employees, onsite vendors/contractors, volunteers, and students have their vaccination by January 27, and if getting Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, their second vaccination by February 28. 

There may be exceptions based on local or state laws, and your recruiter will discuss those with you if applicable.

How quickly must staff be vaccinated in order for the facility to remain compliant with the regulation?

The regulation requires health care providers to establish a process or policy to fulfill the staff vaccination requirements:

• For Phase 1, staff must have received, at a minimum, the first dose of a primary series or a single dose COVID-19 vaccine prior to staff providing any care, treatment, or other services for the facility and/or its patients. “Other services” includes all employees, onsite vendors/contractors, volunteers, and students, whether the roles are patient-facing or not.

  Therefore, the first dose of Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine must be completed by December 5. New employees who do not have their first vaccine as of December 5 or do not have an approved exemption are not in compliance with the CMS requirement and will not be permitted to begin work with Rogers. 

• For Phase 2, employees must complete the primary vaccination series by February 28 (except for those who have been granted exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine or those staff for whom COVID-19 vaccination must be temporarily delayed, as recommended by CDC).

What happens if an employee, vendor/contractor, volunteer, or student is not vaccinated by the CMS deadline?

CMS can issue an immediate jeopardy meaning that we can no longer treat patients until we are in compliance as an organization.  

Getting vaccinated

Where can you get vaccinated?

Vaccination should be scheduled at a non-Rogers location. We do not have any current vaccines onsite. Employees are responsible for submitting documentation to Employee Health. Employees will be encouraged to receive their vaccination and submit documentation to Employee_Health@rogersbh.org as soon as they are vaccinated with their first dose or no later than 1/27/22. To find vaccine location options, employees can use the Vaccine Locator tool.

What should an unvaccinated employee do at this time?

New employees need to either get vaccinated and submit documentation by 2/28/22 or apply for a medical or religious exemption as soon as possible, but preferably by 1/24/22. To find vaccine location options, employees can use the Vaccine Locator tool.

Does this mandate apply to remote workers?

The CMS mandate does not apply to remote workers. At this time, Rogers employees who are 100% remote are not affected, but they will not be able to come onsite for any reason if they are NOT vaccinated. Leaders should reach out to HR to indicate employees who are 100% remote.

If an employee is not vaccinated and does not have a medical or religious exemption, can they get tested and continue to work?

CMS requires employees to be vaccinated or have an accepted exemption. 

What should employees do if they lost their vaccination card?

An employee who does not possess their COVID-19 vaccination record (e.g., it was lost or stolen) should contact their vaccination provider (local pharmacy, physician’s office, etc.) to obtain a new copy or utilize their state health department’s immunization information system. In instances where an employee is unable to produce acceptable proof of vaccination, they should contact Employee Health directly for more guidance.

Exemptions

What if an employee has a medical or religious reason for not getting vaccinated?

New employees who believe they have a medical or religious reason for not getting vaccinated need to submit a request for exemption as soon as possible and no later than January 24. The exemptions will be reviewed and employees notified of approval/denial. The forms are: COVID-19 Vaccine Medical Exemption form and COVID-19 Vaccine Religious Exemption form.

If a new employee has an exemption for the influenza vaccine from another organization or is applying for one from Rogers, does a flu vaccine exemption apply to the COVID-19 vaccine?

No, employees must request a specific exemption for the COVID-19 vaccine. A new application using one of the forms above is required.