This three-part series is designed to help New York employers navigate their legal obligations concerning vaccination protocols that appear necessary for planning and implementing a safe and compliant return to work. This final installment focuses on how employers can and should respond to infection events and workplace exposure to COVID-19 among a fully or partially vaccinated workforce.

Despite an employer’s best intentions, COVID-19 exposure events are inevitable for on-site workforces. No COVID-19 vaccine is 100% effective at preventing infection or transmission of the disease. An employer’s response to an exposure event requires careful consideration of a number of factors, including quarantine recommendations, disclosure obligations, and paid leave laws.