Employers can now give employees time off to get their eligible children vaccinated for COVID-19 and claim tax credits through the American Rescue Plan (ARP), according to new guidance from the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS. In their guidance, the agencies noted: “eligible employers can claim tax credits equal to the wages paid for providing paid time-off to employees to take a family or household member or certain other individuals to get vaccinated, or to care for a family or household member or certain other individuals recovering from the vaccination.”

The announcement comes one week after the Health Action Alliance, American Academy of Pediatrics, Business Roundtable and more than two dozen other national business and public health organizations called on employers to support working parents who choose to vaccinate their children. 

Previous IRS guidance did not extend this benefit to cover the COVID-19 vaccination for an employee’s eligible family members. Now employers with fewer than 500 employees can use the Paid Leave Tax Credit to provide paid time off for employees to take their children 12 and older or other family members for their COVID-19 vaccinations and stay home to care for them if they suffer vaccine side-effects. The leave also applies for comparable credits for self-employed individuals. The tax credit is currently available through Sept. 30, 2021.  

The IRS published answers to Frequently Asked Questions to support employers interested in taking advantage of these credits.
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It's Time to Take Action

August is National Immunization Awareness Month and a great opportunity for companies to take advantage of the new Paid Leave Tax Credit to support working families who want to get their children and other household members vaccinated for COVID-19.
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You can take one of these three actions to support working parents this week: 
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1. ‍Businesses with fewer than 500 employees: Email your employees to let them know that if they want to get their eligible children vaccinated for COVID-19, they will be paid for the time off necessary for the vaccination appointment and any side effects their child may experience. 
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2. Businesses with more than 500 employees: Make it easier for working parents at your company who want to vaccinate their children by providing PTO or removing other barriers. Check out our Employer Toolkit to create your plan.
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3. Business Associations: Inform your networks across the country that small and mid-sized employers are now able to provide paid time off for employees who want to get their eligible children vaccinated for COVID-19 with the Paid Leave Tax Credit. 
   
   

TODAY: HAA Childhood Vaccination Initiative Partners Co-Author Opinion Piece in Morning Consult

In the Op-Ed "Employers Should Support Working Parents Who Want to Vaccinate Eligible Children Against COVID-19," American Academy of Pediatrics President Dr. Lee Savio Beers and SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. make a clear case as to why businesses must support working parents who choose to vaccinate their families against COVID-19.  

READ THE OP-ED

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Share with us the actions you are taking for National Immunization Awareness Month and beyond.

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