Final candidate guide to COVID-19 vaccination requirement
Last updated: January 6, 2023
The University of Washington requires all employees to be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment unless a documented medical or religious exemption is approved. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen.
In order to be qualified for employment at the University of Washington, final candidates to staff, academic student employee and student employee positions must comply with the vaccination requirement or receive an approved exemption.
For information about COVID-19 vaccine verification for final candidates to academic personnel positions, visit the Office of Academic Personnel site.
Steps after a conditional offer of employment
If you are offered University employment, take one of the following steps to meet the requirements of the proclamation:
If you are fully vaccinated
Communicate to your hiring manager or recruiter that you are fully vaccinated. By your fourth day of employment, you will be required to provide proof of your COVID-19 vaccination to your HR Partner on campus or to Employee Health at the medical centers. You will receive direction on how and when to provide proof of your COVID-19 vaccination. Acceptable proof of vaccination includes:
- CDC COVID-19 vaccination record card
- Documentation of vaccination from a health care provider or electronic record
- State immunization information system record
- For an individual vaccinated outside of the USA, a reasonable equivalent of any of the above.
If you are in the process of getting vaccinated
Communicate to your hiring manager or recruiter that you are in the process of becoming vaccinated. The hiring manager or recruiter may work with you to identify a start date that allows you to be compliant with the vaccine requirement and employed at the UW or they may withdraw the offer.
If you are requesting a medical or religious exemption
Communicate to your hiring manager or recruiter that you wish to request a medical or religious exemption.
Medical accommodation: A request for an exemption from the vaccination requirement as an accommodation due to an underlying medical condition and/or disability that prevents the individual from receiving an authorized COVID-19 vaccine. A medical exemption request must be supported by a healthcare provider statement that includes the anticipated duration of the need for accommodation.
- Final candidates to campus staff positions: Download the UW COVID-19 Medical Exemption Form and complete the Patient section. Ask your licensed healthcare provider (MD, DO, ND, ARNP, PA) to complete the rest of the form and return it to you. Follow the instructions on the form to submit your request to UW Environmental Health & Safety through the Vaccination Exemption Request tool link provided to you by your recruiter.
- Final candidates to campus academic student employee and student hourly employee positions: Download the UW COVID-19 Medical Exemption Form and complete the Patient section. Ask your licensed healthcare provider (MD, DO, ND, ARNP, PA) to complete the rest of the form and return it to you. After hiring managers have completed the Initiate Exemption Request Process for Non-UWHIRES Candidates, you will receive a link and can upload the form to UW Environmental Health & Safety.
- Final candidates for medical center staff and student positions: Complete the UW Medicine COVID-19 Medical Exemption Form and upload it to the Vaccination Exemption Request tool using the link provided to you by your recruiter.
Religious accommodation: A request for an exemption from the vaccination requirement as an accommodation based on a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance that prevents an individual from being vaccinated against COVID-19. Individuals requesting a religious accommodation are required to provide the UW with a statement explaining how their religious observance, practice or belief necessitates the request for accommodation and prevents the employee from receiving an authorized COVID-19 vaccination.
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- Final candidates to all staff positions: Complete the religious exemption form in the Vaccination Exemption Request tool through the link provided to you by your recruiter.
- Final candidates to campus academic student employee and student hourly employee positions: After hiring managers have completed the Initiate Exemption Request Process for Non-UWHIRES Candidates, you will receive a link to complete the religious exemption form online.
Requests for medical or religious exemption must be submitted within three calendar days of a conditional offer. An offer may be withdrawn if an exemption is not submitted within three calendar days.
The UW will not provide accommodations that are known to be based on false, misleading, or dishonest grounds or information; and/or are based on the personal preference of the individual and not on an inability to get vaccinated because of a disability or a conflict with a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.