INDIANAPOLIS (September 1, 2021)— With cases of the COVID-19 delta variant on the rise in recent weeks and the FDA’s full approval of the Pfizer vaccine, Business Equity for Indy’s (BEI) Impediments to Health Taskforce has published the Vaccinations Employer Playbook to provide clear, actionable recommendations and implementation resources for employers of all sizes to increase employee vaccination rates. These resources are designed to be especially valuable for small and medium-sized businesses, consolidating critical insights to assist decision-makers.
“The delta variant is surging across the nation. It is more transmissible, often more severe, and is stretching our medical system to its limit,” said Chris Weaver, Chief Clinical Officer, IU Health. “Employers have a critical role to help protect their employees and increase vaccination rates to end the pandemic. The Vaccinations Employer Playbook was created to be a helpful tool for employers to drive towards those outcomes.”
Accessible online, the Vaccinations Employer Playbook is organized around six key recommendations to help employers increase workplace vaccinations:
- Encourage all eligible employees to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
- Provide PTO to all employees for vaccination, side-effect recovery, and family-member vaccination.
- Know your workforce’s vaccination rate and implement COVID-19 safety protocols accordingly.
- Understand legal guardrails on vaccine incentives, mandates, and employee medical information.
- Host on-site vaccination clinics for your workforce and community.
- Partner with community organizations to maximize reach and enhance credibility.
Each recommendation is complete with additional information, resources, and suggestions to encourage vaccination and support employees who take action to get vaccinated. This includes recognizing current vaccination disparities among demographic groups.
“According to the Indiana Health Information Exchange (IHIE), as of August 22, 2021, only 39% of Black/African American residents in Marion County are fully vaccinated, compared to 56% of the white population,” said Janet Kamiri, Director of Health & Wellness at the Indianapolis Urban League. “It’s critical that while encouraging vaccinations, employers are mindful of current disparities and able to access appropriate information to empower all of their employees to protect themselves and their loved ones from COVID-19.”
The BEI Impediments to Health Taskforce has also worked with local business and community partners to coordinate vaccination pop-up clinics throughout the community. Anthem, Inc. provided financial support for the IndyGo Foundation to distribute 31-day IndyGo passes to individuals who get vaccinated at clinics—targeting low-vaccination rate ZIP codes and high-ridership IndyGo lines. A second pop-up clinic at the Julia Carson Transit Center is scheduled for September 3.
“At Anthem, we know that we play a critical role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and helping ensure safe and equitable access to vaccines in our communities,” said Gail Boudreaux, CEO, Anthem, Inc. “Anthem is pleased to partner with organizations throughout the community in this important public health outreach to help remove barriers and increase vaccination rates in Marion County.”
The Vaccinations Employer Playbook is available online and can be accessed on the Indy Chamber website.
About Business Equity for Indy
BEI is a joint effort of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, the Indy Chamber, in collaboration with the Indianapolis Urban League to grow a more inclusive business climate and build greater equity and economic opportunity for the Indy Region’s Black residents and people of color.
About the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership
The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) was formed in 1999 to bring together the chief executives of Central Indiana’s prominent corporations, foundations and universities in a strategic and collaborative effort dedicated to the region’s continued prosperity and growth. To advance this mission, CICP sponsors six key talent and industry sector initiatives, AgriNovus Indiana, Ascend Indiana, BioCrossroads, Conexus Indiana, Energy Systems Network and TechPoint, each of which addresses challenges and opportunities unique to its respective area: agbiosciences, talent and workforce development, life sciences, advanced manufacturing and logistics, energy technology and technology. To learn more about CICP, visit www.cicpindiana.com.
About the Indy Chamber
The Indy Chamber serves as a voice of progress and improvement in the Indianapolis region, uniting business and community to maintain a strong economy and quality of life on behalf of thousands of members across Indiana’s largest metropolitan economy. The Chamber’s advocacy efforts, networking events, economic development initiatives, and other member benefits promote success for individual members and a more competitive, pro-growth climate across Indianapolis. In June 2021, the Indy Chamber was designated by ACCE as the 2021 Chamber of the Year.
