I run the tech department for a small company in NJ. I can do the overwhelming majority of my job remotely and have some on-site bodies that i can instruct to do things if necessary.
With that said, the company recently sent out a mandate that everyone - regardless if they go into the office or not - has to get this at home virus kit and then send it in. If they do not send the test back, they cannot go to work.
Fortunately, I'm salaried and can probably ride most of this out by just not going on site. But my question is, is it legal to force people to have medical testing and/or the eventual vaccination in order to return to work?
I'm full on happy capitalist and will accept the answer that "a private company has the right to ask their employees to do whatever they want, you can get another job if you don't want to comply". I am in the process of getting that going as we speak.
I'm getting the paperwork going and will have an LLC filed so i can start offering consulting services instead. If my boss likes me that much, and doesn't want to lose me but cannot treat employees unfairly, he can 1099 me.
Where do you all sit on this? Any NJ law pedes dealing with this kind of stuff right now?
You do make some great points there.
They can, of course find ways to get it going. The question is if anyone is aware - at their fingertips - of some specific HIPAA things that one could at least get a nice severance for.
I still believe in freedom and liberty. I still believe if i don't like what the company is doing, i can just get another job. If i don't like my state, i can move. Those things are certainly being considered.
Travel/etc could get worse.
If i am good at what i do, and i am organized, I won't be latched to this one company. I know that i am not. But we're talking about the difference between theoretical ideas and the possibility of having a different avenue of defense.
Thank you for your input either way.
Good luck!!