Covid-19: Families Of Unvaccinated Could Be Denied Death Benefits

According to multiple reports, the New York MTA has become the latest to announce that it will not pay a $500,000 death benefit to the families of employees who die of the virus who were unvaccinated at the time of their death.

Previously, the death benefit payment was available to any MTA worker who had died from COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status.

The MTA hadn’t previously held the hard stance until vaccines became more widely available, prompting the change.

Since the pandemic began in March 2020, 173 MTA workers have contracted covid and died, five of which happened after the organization enacted the new policy in June, according to the MTA.

Employees were given six weeks’ notice to get vaccinated before the policy took effect.

Other employers and local municipalities across the country have expressed similar concerns about regarding providing death benefits to those who refuse to get the vaccine.

Some have also increased charges for health insurance for the unvaccinated, while other employers have terminated employees for failing to get the shot.

This month, President Joe Biden announced a Jan. 4, 2022 deadline for all large companies to ensure a fully vaccinated workforce as part of his administration’s “Path Out of the Pandemic” plan.

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