Career Center FAQs

Banner Bank is committed to maintaining a safe work environment for our employees, clients, and guests. All new hires who apply with Banner Bank after December 5, 2021 are required to be fully vaccinated or have an approved medical or religious exemption on or before their start date.

Who is subject to this policy?

All new full-time, part-time, and temporary employees of Banner Bank and its subsidiaries who provide services at a Banner Bank location or who interact with others on behalf of Banner Bank whether or not at a Banner Bank location. This includes remote workers who perform any portion of their work at a Banner Bank location or who interact with others on behalf of Banner Bank whether or not at a Banner Bank location. This also includes temporary employees who are employed directly by Banner Bank or who are employed by a staffing agency and performing work for Banner Bank.

What is the deadline to provide proof of vaccination?

New employees who are already vaccinated must provide proof by their start date.

Will Banner Bank share vaccination status or test results publicly?

Banner Bank does not share individual vaccination status data or COVID-19 testing results outside of authorized Banner Bank employees. However, we will share such information as required by law, such as that required by health oversight agencies and/or OSHA.

Who has access to my COVID-19 vaccination status information and/or test results?

Banner Bank will treat vaccination status information and COVID-19 test results as confidential medical information to the extent required by law. In addition, such information will only be used as necessary and appropriate to maintain the health and safety of employees, clients, and other individuals working at or visiting Banner Bank facilities. Access to these results generally will be limited to certain authorized Banner Bank employees, such as Human Resources Representatives, as necessary and appropriate related purposes described in these FAQs.

What if I previously had COVID-19, but have not been vaccinated?

Banner Bank does not offer any exemptions to vaccination requirements based on “natural immunity” or the presence of antibodies from a previous infection.

“Fully vaccinated” means a person’s status 2 weeks after completing primary vaccination with a COVID-19 vaccine with, if applicable, at least the minimum recommended interval between doses in accordance with the approval, authorization, or listing that is: (i) approved or authorized for emergency use by the FDA; (ii) listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO); or (iii) administered as part of a clinical trial at a U.S. site, if the recipient is documented to have primary vaccination with the active (not placebo) COVID-19 vaccine candidate, for which vaccine efficacy has been independently confirmed (e.g., by a data and safety monitoring board) or if the clinical trial participant at U.S. sites had received a COVID-19 vaccine that is neither approved nor authorized for use by FDA but is listed for emergency use by WHO. For “mix-and-match” vaccinations, any combination of two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine that is approved or authorized by the FDA or listed as a two-dose series by the WHO (i.e., a heterologous primary series of such vaccines, receiving doses of different COVID-19 vaccines as part of one primary series), is also acceptable.

A new employee who does not meet this definition is not considered fully vaccinated, regardless if they have previously tested positive for COVID-19.

If I am vaccinated, will I have to confirm my status with Banner Bank?

Yes. Vaccinated new hires will need to provide confirmation of their vaccination before their start date. Acceptable proof of vaccination status includes:

• The record of immunization from a health care provider or pharmacy.
• A copy of the COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card.
• A copy of medical records documenting the vaccination.
• A copy of immunization records from a public health, state, or tribal immunization information system or a copy of any other official documentation that contains the type of vaccine administered, date(s) of administration, and the name of the health care professional(s) or clinic site(s) administering the vaccine(s).
• A signed and dated employee attestation is acceptable in instances when an employee is unable to produce proof of vaccination.
  
  

What if I have lost my copy COVID-19 Vaccination Record card?

A new hire who does not possess their COVID-19 vaccination record (e.g., because it was lost or stolen) should contact their vaccination provider (e.g., local pharmacy, physician’s office) to obtain a new copy or utilize their state health department’s immunization information system.
For new hires who have no other means of obtaining proof of vaccination, Banner Bank will provide specific instructions to meet the requirement.

Can I show my employer a copy of my COVID-19 Vaccination Record card?

Banner Bank is required to maintain a record of each employee’s vaccination status. Therefore, the record maintenance requirements cannot be fulfilled by a new hire bringing
the CDC COVID-19 vaccination card to the workplace and showing it to an employer representative or showing an employer representative a picture of the immunization records on a personal cellphone. Banner Bank will retain a digital copy of the documentation.
The records and roster required by Banner Bank are considered to be employee medical records and will be maintained as such records in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1020 and will not be disclosed except as required or authorized by federal law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.

If I am in the process of being vaccinated, when can I start?

You can start as early as you have received the final dose of your vaccine protocol. Start dates will also be contingent meeting requirements of Banner Bank’s standard background check process.

Can I apply for a reasonable accommodation to be exempted from this policy?

Yes, you can apply for a reasonable accommodation. Banner Bank requires weekly COVID-19 testing of all unvaccinated employees, including those entitled to a reasonable accommodation from vaccination requirements. However, if testing for COVID-19 conflicts with a sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance, please reach out to HR@bannerbank.com to discuss a reasonable accommodation.
New hires who have an approved exemption and remain unvaccinated will be subject to weekly COVID-19 testing, beginning January 4, 2022. Unvaccinated new hires will be required to wear a face covering at the workplace beginning December 5, 2021.
All testing will be self-administered, but supervised virtually by a licensed proctor.

What if I work from home? Do I have to complete the weekly testing?

If remote new hires are in the workplace at least once a week, they will need to complete a weekly test. Any remote new hire going to a Banner Bank location will need to have completed a test within seven days of visiting a Banner Bank location.
For example, if an unvaccinated new hire has been working remotely for two weeks but needs to report to the office, where other employees will be present, on a specific Monday to copy documents or pick up mail, that new hire must receive a COVID-19 test within the seven days prior to the Monday and provide documentation of that test result to Banner. The new hire’s test must occur within the seven days before the Monday they are scheduled to report to the office, and it must occur early enough to allow time for the results to be received before returning to the workplace.

Will Banner Bank maintain copies of each COVID-19 test result?

Banner Bank will maintain a record of each test result required to be provided by each employee. These records will be maintained in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1020 as employee medical records and will not be disclosed except as required by federal law and will be maintained and preserved while this policy remains in effect.

Will temporary agency employees be subject to the vaccination policy?

Yes, temporary agency employees are subject to Banner Bank’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Policy. Banner’s Talent Acquisition team is currently working with the agencies on the vaccination verification and testing process for the temporary workers.

Is there privacy protection (HIPAA) for verifying/collecting of the vaccination information?

Requiring employees to bring in documentation or other confirmation of vaccination is not a HIPAA violation. However, the information is considered confidential and we have taken steps to protect this information and limit access to it.

Where can I learn more about COVID-19 vaccines?

Banner Bank is committed to providing each new hire with information they can understand about vaccine efficacy, safety and the benefits of being vaccinated by providing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) document Key Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines; protections against retaliation and discrimination; and laws that provide for criminal penalties for knowingly supplying false statements or documentation.

Who may I contact if I have additional questions or need additional information or assistance regarding the vaccination policy or COVID-19 Testing?

If you have questions about the vaccination mandate or the COVID-19 testing alternative, you may contact HR@bannerbank.com.