In the attached letter, NJ Secretary of Agriculture Doug Fisher encourages you to participate in a brief online survey to sign up your farmworkers for COVID-19 vaccinations. As stated, once your information is received by the Department of Health, it will be routed to a local Health official who will contact you to schedule vaccinations on your farm or at a standing location. Please complete the survey by March 23, 2021.

Sign up for the opportunity to get your workforce vaccinated against COVID-19!

Dear Agricultural Employer:

Effective March 15, 2021, migrant farm workers are eligible to receive the vaccine. In an effort to help migrant farm workers access the vaccine and continue to support the agriculture industry and food chain in New Jersey, an agricultural vaccine program is being created to partner farms with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to help vaccinate you and your workforce.

If your business participates, all adults aged 18 years or older who live or work on the farm will be eligible to receive the Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine, administered by FQHCs. If you are interested in joining a vaccination program tailored to the needs of the agricultural community, please sign up at http://healthsurveys.nj.gov/NoviSurvey/n/zz2jr.aspx. Since interest is quite high, we ask that you complete the survey by Tuesday, March 23, 2021.

Outside of this dedicated agricultural vaccine program, effective March 29, 2021, you and your non-migrant workforce are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Questions you may have about the vaccine and COVID-19:

• Can I lift mask-wearing and other health and safety protocols/mandates at my business, where my workers live on-site, or in group transportation once my entire workforce has been vaccinated?
  ➢ No. Vaccines are only an additional layer of protection. Employers and their workers need to continue to follow health and safety protocols as currently mandated by the state. Information on protocols currently in place is available at https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/slowing-the-spread/where-can-i-find-guidance-on-best-practices-to-maintain-the-health-and-safety-of-seasonal-farmworkers-what-rules-are-in-place-and-what-resources-are-available 
• Is the vaccine safe and which vaccine will my workforce, my family and I be receiving?
  ➢ Yes, the vaccine is safe. The vaccine which will be offered is the single-dose COVID19 vaccine developed by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (J&J), to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older. The J&J vaccine is the state’s first choice for the agricultural community because it only requires administration of a single-dose, and it can also be stored at refrigerator temperature thus making it possible to bring the vaccine to the farms reliably. In addition, it is important we create immunity rapidly in settings where workers, such as migrant workers, live in congregate housing, rely on group transportation and work in close proximity to one another. Learn more about the different vaccines at https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/slowing-the-spread/how-do-covid-19-vaccines-work#direct-link
• Can I require my workforce to get the COVID-19 vaccine in order to seek employment with me?
  ➢ Yes. An employer can require that an employee receive the COVID-19 vaccine in order to return to the workplace, unless the employee cannot get the vaccine because of a disability, because their doctor has advised them not to get the vaccine while pregnant or breastfeeding, or because of a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.
  • More information on vaccine requirements is available at https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/reopening-guidance-and-restrictions/can-my-employer-require-me-to-get-the-covid-19-vaccine-in-order-to-enter-my-workplace
  • In addition, the US Food and Drug Administration has resources for agricultural employers to help them discuss the vaccine with their workforce in a transparent and ethical manner at https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/covid-19-vaccination-food-and-agriculture-sector
• Do I need to participate in this agricultural vaccine program in order to personally receive a vaccine?
  ➢ No. The agricultural vaccine program is being set up to support access to the vaccine for your agricultural workforce, especially your migrant workforce which will face challenges accessing the vaccine otherwise. Your business is strongly encouraged to participate to help your workers become vaccinated and you too can get vaccinated through an FQHC. However, once you are personally eligible to receive the vaccine, you can alternatively choose to book your individual vaccine appointment on your own through the State-run NJ Vaccine Scheduling System or directly with any of the vaccination locations throughout the state. You can learn more about appointment scheduling at https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine.
• Can my employees use paid sick leave to get their vaccine?
  ➢ Yes. Under NJ state law, employers must provide up to 40 hours of paid Earned Sick Leave to their full- and part-time employees, including migrant and seasonal employees. Employees can use their earned sick leave to get vaccinated for COVID19. Learn more about New Jersey’s earned sick leave law at
  https://www.nj.gov/labor/worker-protections/earnedsick/law.shtml