Frequently Asked Questions

The online Vaccine Certification is the only form that needs to be completed and submitted at this time. The County will perform random verifications and should you be selected, you will be required to show acceptable proof of vaccination.

If you are an Orange County resident and need to request a replacement CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card, visit the Florida Department of Orange County’s webpage to make this request. If you are NOT an Orange County, Fla. resident, please contact the County Health Department where you reside in order to make this request. Please note that if you received your vaccination through the Veterans’ Healthcare System and you lose your card, you must go through the VA for a replacement.

Yes, the County requires employees to get vaccinated regardless of prior exposure to the virus.

There are many location options for eligible individuals to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, including Orange County’s Barnett Park, select CentraCare locations, local CVS, Walgreens, Publix or any other pharmacy locations taking part in the Federal Retail Pharmacies program. Other vaccination sites can also be found at ocfl.net/vaccine.

If requested to provide proof of vaccination, employees will be expected to provide documentation from their respective immunization source showing the dates the vaccine was administered. Employees shall not provide any additional medical or family history information. This documentation shall be treated as a confidential medical record.

The County will provide reasonable accommodations for employees who are unable to be vaccinated for documented religious or disability-related reasons, unless such accommodations pose an undue hardship on its operations. Please contact your dedicated HR Service Center for further information.

The ADA requires that the County store employee medical information separately from employee personnel files. This would apply to COVID-19 and/or vaccine-related medical information. Additionally, in accordance with the guidelines established by the County’s HIPAA Privacy Officer, Human Resources conducts random compliance audits in an effort to ensure all protected records are properly maintained in accordance with these guidelines.

Yes, you can be disciplined up to and including termination.

Employees may be responsible for any cost share associated with the weekly testing relative to the Mayoral directive on employee vaccination.

According to the CDC, vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be available without cost to individuals, but vaccination providers can charge a fee for administrating it. These administration fees should be covered by an employee's health insurance or, in the case of uninsured patients, the vaccine provider can seek reimbursement from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Provider Relief Fund.

You can obtain the COVID-19 vaccine on County time with supervisor approval through September 30, 2021.

You may use your personal accrued leave to cover any absence. When this paid leave is exhausted or unavailable, COVID-19 related requests will be evaluated under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Illness will be addressed consistent with county/contractual leave policies and any applicable federal and state laws.

• Yes. The vaccine is County mandated and a requirement of your job. As a result, any adverse reaction will be covered under workers compensation.
• To report an adverse reaction, you need to contact your direct supervisor who will report a claim to the County’s claim administrator, which is how all other workers compensation claims are handled.
• You will be required to go to the doctor if you experience an adverse reaction from the vaccine. Your supervisor will provide you with an authorization to treat letter and you will be required to go to Centra Care to be evaluated by a medical professional. Taking a drug test will be part of the evaluation. Only a licensed medical provider can authorize your absence from work under workers compensation.
• If you simply are not feeling well as a result of receiving the vaccine, you can opt to call out sick in accordance with your department’s standard operating procedures. However, workers compensation will not pay for this time out of work. In order to receive lost-time pay under workers compensation, the County’s Workers Compensation treating medical provider must authorize your absence from work.

• Non-union employees only
• Active, full-time employees
• Active, part-time employees (includes on-call, casuals, FRS casuals and student interns)

Employees must have completed the COVID-19 Vaccination Certification form by August 31, 2021.

All full-time, active union and non-union employees are eligible to receive the one day of personal leave as an incentive for completing the COVID-19 Vaccination Certification form by October 31, 2021.

For additional information, please visit the following:

• County Website – Vaccine Information
• CDC’s Website – Frequently Asked Questions