COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

Published September 17, 2021; Updated January 12, 2023

The university requires all faculty, staff and postdoctoral scholars to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless granted a medical or religious accommodation. Individuals must upload a copy of their COVID-19 vaccination card into Health Check indicating a single dose of the one-dose COVID vaccine (Johnson & Johnson/Janssen) or the second dose of a two-dose COVID vaccine (e.g. Pfizer or Moderna) was administered before or by January 4, 2022.

Accommodations to the vaccination requirement for reasons other than medical or religious reasons are no longer allowed. This expanded requirement – which is only for the initial course of vaccinations, not boosters – applies to all university employees, including those working remotely in the United States.

Read vaccination requirement details on Health Alerts

Learn more about the Medical/Religious Accommodation Criteria and Process

Surveillance testing is a proven safeguard in supporting the health and well-being of our community. In addition to vaccinating and using face masks, testing minimizes the transmission of COVID, and provides added assurance for our population and another layer of protection against infection for our peers and loved ones who are unable to be vaccinated, or those who have conditions that put them at risk for severe illness. 

Based on the current status of the pandemic, effective September 1, 2022, regular surveillance testing is no longer required for faculty, staff and postdoctoral scholars working on-site, regardless of vaccination status. Faculty, staff and postdoctoral scholars should still test if experiencing symptoms, after travel or after exposure to COVID-19.  Color testing, with results reported to Health Check, will continue to be available (up to two tests per week) for anyone who wishes to continue regular asymptomatic testing.

In our efforts to provide a safe environment for learning and working, we will continue to monitor public health conditions and protocols, and adjust as appropriate, and always with a priority on health and safety.

Current requirements

1. Fully vaccinated individuals are required to upload vaccination documentation into Health Check. 
2. All individuals regardless of vaccination status are required to:

• Test for COVID-19 if experiencing symptoms, after travel or after exposure to COVID-19
• Self-report health status in Health Check if experiencing COVID-like symptoms, after a close contact exposure, or if a positive COVID test result is received through any rapid antigen test, primary care provider or other testing site.

Effective date

October 6, 2021; updated January 12, 2023

Eligibility

The vaccination requirement applies to all individuals regardless of work location, including:

• All regular benefits-eligible employees, including faculty, academic and non-academic staff and SLAC;
• All non-benefits eligible and contingent staff (temporary and casual); and 

• All postdoctoral scholars

Employees may be eligible to use sick time to obtain their COVID-19 vaccination.

Non-exempt employees should record their time for picking up/dropping off test kits, as well as time spent testing. Employees should coordinate this time in advance with their supervisor. This should be done during regular work hours unless approved in advance by the employee’s supervisor.

SLAC employees should refer to details posted in the SLAC Intranet.

Employees in health care facilities should also refer to additional COVID-19 vaccination requirements here.

Accommodation criteria and process

• Review the medical and religious accommodation criteria and process.
• Submit a medical accommodation request or religious accommodation request through ServiceNow.
• Please direct accommodation questions to vphumanresources@stanford.edu.

Other details

• The vaccination requirement also applies to applicable subcontractors. The university is in the process of identifying which subcontractors would be affected, based on the criteria laid out in the executive order.

• Employees returning to work from Leave of Absence (LOA) are expected to be fully vaccinated upon their return date or have a request for accommodation on file.

• Newly hired employees are expected to be fully vaccinated upon their start date or have an approved medical or religious accommodation on file.

• See the university’s Travel Guidance for the latest requirements for individuals returning or coming to campus following all travel.

• Positive case reporting and the exposure notification process are managed through Stanford Occupational Health in compliance with AB-685 requirements. 

• Review the Interim Policy FAQ for vaccination and testing-related questions.

• SLAC employees: Policies may differ from those stated here due to our regulatory environment; please view the policies posted in the SLAC Intranet.

About Stanford’s Voluntary Surveillance Testing program 

Visit the Surveillance Testing program page on Health Alerts for details on the testing registration process, how to self-administer the test, test pick up/drop off locations, etc.