Your boss may be able to deny your trip home for the holidays

Some people are still deciding to travel home for the holidays. But will that trip be okay with your boss? WINK News looks into the possibility of your boss restricting your trip.

If your boss thinks your holiday plans can put your co-workers at risk they can advise you not to go. If you do not take the suggestions and go anyway, they can force you to quarantine or fire you.

The key to this slippery slope is that the same rules must apply to everyone. Labor Law Attorney Ryan Barack wants yout o know what employers can do as more people start traveling again. ”

“Employers can have a pretty broad impact on employees’ lives and that might include the ability to say to employees that you cannot travel during this time because we are in the middle of a global pandemic,” said Barack.

But according to him, this is just the beginning. Even if you do stay home, but still decide to throw a holiday party, if your boss can prove you engaged in risky behavior they can fire you. For example, if they see a picture at a party and you’re not wearing a mask or social distancing, even off the clock, they can fire you.

“Our corporate image is that we care about our customers and coworkers and part of that is being thoughtful and respecting CDC guidance and you are not doing that. That would probably be a legitimate basis to terminate someone,” said Barack.

WINK News reporter Dannielle Garcia asked Ryan if an employer can mandate the COVID-19 vaccine. While this is a gray area, he compared it to healthcare professionals being required to get the flu shot.

Barack responded, “I think employers can say to employees in most circumstance that there will be an expectation that they be vaccinated, especially when you have interactions with clients or coworkers there’s a real public health risk for that.”

Most labor law experts say that while employers can mandate the vaccine, they will most likely offer incentives instead. They also say exceptions should be made for those who have health or other reasons for not getting the vaccine.