GREENSBORO, N.C. — Employee rights at work have come back to the forefront during the pandemic. From vaccine requirements to PTO for time missed, we know you have questions.
To answer them, labor and employment attorney Nicole Patino from the Law Offices of L. Nicole Patino joined 2 Wants to Know.
Employers in North Carolina can continue to require you to get vaccinated even though the OSHA mandate was struck down by the Supreme Court, according to Patino.
Patino said there are two exceptions. You can file for an exemption from the requirement if you have a sincerely-held religious belief that prevents you from taking the shot. You can also file for one if you have a disability.
Your employer can also make you quarantine longer than the CDC's recommended five days if you get infected with COVID-19, according to Patino. They can also require you to use PTO to cover days missed.
Patino said employers can also fire you for taking too many sick days if you don't necessarily need them. For example, you get the cold frequently and take days off for those.
If your sick days are related to a disability that your employer is aware of, they may not be able to fire you. That depends on each individual case.