USAA asking employees to confirm COVID-vaccine status, but not requiring shots

SAN ANTONIO – USAA is asking employees to confirm their COVID-19 vaccination status by early January but isn’t requiring inoculations.

The San Antonio-based insurance giant announced Tuesday that it is asking employees to “certify their vaccine status to ensure we have a good understanding of who has been vaccinated,” according to a statement.

Employees are asked to share that information via the company’s COVID Safe Workplace tool by Jan. 4.

On Tuesday evening, Republican Rep. Chip Roy Tweeted a letter from Pat Teague, USAA’s executive vice president and chief human resources officer, to employees. USAA confirmed the letter was sent to employees.

The letter said the data gives the company a sense of the vaccinated population as more people return to the workplace.

The letter states that it “will also help us plan for potential federal requirements” under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Emergency Temporary Standard. The order was temporarily suspended after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a motion to stay it on Nov. 12.

The OSHA order stated that employers must enforce a COVID-19 vaccination policy or have staff undergo regular COVID-19 testing and wear face coverings. The implementation has been suspended pending litigation.

Roy Tweeted the letter with the hashtag “DoNotComply.”

“So⁦ @USAA⁩ is not “firing” anyone (yet), but is requiring that employees show their papers?” he Tweeted.

While USAA encourages employees to get COVID-19 vaccinations, the company does not require them for staff.

Unvaccinated employees are required to wear masks inside USAA facilities.

“Employee safety continues to be a priority for USAA,” the statement reads in part.

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