Novel coronavirus information

September 20, 2021

COVID-19 vaccine verification process on UW campuses (Message to UW personnel)

This message is being sent to faculty and other academic personnel, staff, and student employees across the University of Washington, with the exception of personnel at UW Medicine clinical locations.

Governor Inslee issued proclamation 21-14.1 requiring all employees of Washington higher education institutions to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18, 2021, as a condition of employment unless a UW-documented medical or religious exemption is approved. This applies to all faculty, librarians and other academic personnel and all staff, academic student employees and student employees.

The proclamation requires that employees and others subject to the requirement provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their final dose of a vaccine regimen.

The vaccination verification process is being coordinated at the department/appointing unit level and facilitated by your Workday HR Partner or Academic Partner (“HR/Academic Partner”) or I-9 Coordinator. These are the only roles authorized to verify proof of vaccination.

You will receive communications from your department on when and how to provide proof of your full COVID-19 vaccination. Please watch your email for details and follow instructions that are provided. Here is an overview of how the process will work:

Your department’s authorized staff will schedule time to meet with you prior to Oct. 12, 2021, to visually observe proof of full vaccination against COVID-19. They may do so either in person or virtually (e.g., over Zoom).

  • Acceptable proof of full vaccination includes CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or photo of the card, documentation of vaccination from a health care provider or electronic health record, state immunization information system record, or for an individual who was vaccinated outside of the United States, a reasonable equivalent of any of the above. Both sides of the document should be included.
  • Upon successful inspection, the authorized staff will document your vaccination status in Workday.
  • If you are not yet fully vaccinated (less than two weeks from your final dose of a vaccine regimen), you should present proof that you have started the vaccination process.
  • It is unlawful to submit fraudulent proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. Any employee found to have submitted false or inaccurate information will be subject to corrective or disciplinary action up to and including termination from University employment.

Privacy: Proof of vaccination should not be sent over email and HR/Academic Partners and I-9 Coordinators should not request or keep copies of vaccination cards or share or use this information for any purpose other than ensuring compliance with the proclamation. Vaccination information is considered confidential medical information under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is exempted from disclosure from the Public Records Act.

While it is not lost on any of us that this mandate is coming at an already busy and stressful time, its implications are profound. Vaccination is key to reducing the public health risks associated with COVID-19. Employees who fail to provide proof of their vaccination or obtain an approved medical or religious exemption will not be able to engage in work after October 18, 2021, and will be subject to separation in compliance with provisions of relevant employment policies and labor contracts.

The COVID-19 vaccine verification webpage provides an overview of the vaccination verification process.

Thank you for your partnership on this emergent and important process.

Sincerely,

Cheryl Cameron
Vice Provost for Academic Personnel

Mindy Kornberg
Vice President for UW Human Resources