Azure Violins has adopted a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy to safeguard the health of our employees, students, and community from COVID-19.

This policy complies with all applicable laws and is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the North Carolina Department of Public Health, and all applicable state and local health orders.

Azure Violins will require all faculty, staff, and affiliates coming to campus to meet the requirements of this mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, subject to the exceptions described below.

Applicability

This policy applies to all employees (not including contractors or vendors) and affiliates. Effective August 26, 2021, all Azure Violins faculty, staff, and affiliates are required to have received the full dosage of an FDA- or WHO-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine or have an approved medical or religious exemption on file in order to come to the store. New employees will be informed of the vaccination requirement in their offer letter and will be required to be fully vaccinated and show documentation of their vaccination or receive an approved medical or religious exemption prior to their first day of work.

Documentation of Vaccination

Proof of vaccination must include the name and date of birth of the employee, and the type, lot number, and date(s) of vaccine administration. Vaccination documentation must be translated into English and both the original document and translated document must be brought in for the hiring manager to review. Only vaccines that are FDA- or WHO-authorized or approved at the time of vaccination will be accepted.

Exemption Requests

Employees and affiliates requesting a medical or religious exemption must make their request through the Request for Exemption from Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination & Reasonable Accommodation Form included below.

Such requests will be carefully reviewed by Human Resources and may involve an interactive process if questions arise during the review process. If a new employee intends to submit a request for a medical or religious exemption to meet the requirements of this policy, they may not come to the store until the exemption request has been approved.

Exemption for Sincerely Held Religious Beliefs

Azure Violins may provide an exemption to employees with sincerely held religious beliefs, observances, or practices that conflict with receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Religious exemption requests may be made by completing the Request for Exemption from Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination & Reasonable Accommodation Form included below, which will be reviewed by Human Resources.

Personal or philosophical reasons for not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine will not be granted.

Exemption for Medical Reasons

Azure Violins may provide an exemption to employees who have a documented medical reason that prevents them from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. To apply for a medical exemption, documentation from the employee’s medical provider must be uploaded to the Request for Exemption from Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination & Reasonable Accommodation Form included below and will be reviewed by the Occupational Health Specialist.

Azure Violins reserves the right to request additional documentation supporting the need for an exemption. Azure Violins will keep confidential any medical information obtained in connection with your request for exemption.

Requirements Upon Receiving Exemption

Employees who receive an approved medical or religious exemption will be required to follow Azure Violins protocols for unvaccinated individuals, which may include wearing a mask and social distancing. An approved medical or religious exemption does not allow an employee to work entirely remote.

Determinations

Azure Violins will review each request for a medical or religious exemption and will make a determination expeditiously and in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner on a case-by-case basis. Employees will be informed of the exemption determination, and may be contacted if questions arise during the review process. Exemptions are not guaranteed.

Compliance

Employees not in compliance with this policy will not be allowed on site after August 26, 2021 and will be placed on unpaid leave until their employment status is determined by Azure Violins. Failure to comply with the provisions of this policy, including violations of requirements for those who have not been vaccinated (i.e. those who receive a medical or religious exemption) may lead to corrective action up to and including termination of employment.

Managers will receive a report of staff who have been granted an exemption (no confidential information will be shared) to monitor and ensure compliance with all health and safety requirements.

COVID-19 Testing

If an employee covered by this policy is not fully vaccinated (e.g., if they are granted an exception from the mandatory vaccination requirement because the vaccine is contraindicated for them), the employee will be required to comply with this policy for testing.

Employees who report to the workplace at least once every seven days:

(A) must be tested for COVID-19 at least once every seven days; and

(B) must provide documentation of the most recent COVID-19 test result to [the supervisor] no later than the seventh day following the date on which the employee last provided a test result.

Any employee who does not report to the workplace during a period of seven or more days (e.g., if they were teleworking for two weeks prior to reporting to the workplace):

(A) must be tested for COVID-19 within seven days prior to returning to the workplace; and

(B) must provide documentation of that test result to their manager upon return to the workplace.

If an employee does not provide documentation of a COVID-19 test result as required by this policy, they will be removed from the workplace until they provide a test result.

Employees who have received a positive COVID-19 test, or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 by a licensed healthcare provider, are not required to undergo COVID-19 testing for 90 days following the date of their positive test or diagnosis.

Face Coverings

If an employee covered by this policy is not fully vaccinated (e.g., if they are granted an exception from the mandatory vaccination requirement because the vaccine is contraindicated for them), Azure Violins will require the employee to wear a face covering.

Face coverings must:

(i) completely cover the nose and mouth;

(ii) be made with two or more layers of a breathable fabric that is tightly woven (i.e., fabrics that do not let light pass through when held up to a light source);

(iii) be secured to the head with ties, ear loops, or elastic bands that go behind the head. If gaiters are worn, they should have two layers of fabric or be folded to make two layers;

(iv) fit snugly over the nose, mouth, and chin with no large gaps on the outside of the face; and

(v) be a solid piece of material without slits, exhalation valves, visible holes, punctures, or other openings.

Acceptable face coverings include clear face coverings or cloth face coverings with a clear plastic panel that, despite the non-cloth material allowing light to pass through, otherwise meet these criteria and which may be used to facilitate communication with people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing or others who need to see a speaker’s mouth or facial expressions to understand speech or sign language respectively.

Employees who are not fully vaccinated must wear face coverings over the nose and mouth when indoors and when occupying a vehicle with another person for work purposes. Policies and procedures for face coverings will be implemented, along with the other provisions required by OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS, as part of a multi-layered infection control approach for unvaccinated workers.

The following are exceptions to Azure Violins’s requirements for face coverings:

When an employee is alone in a room with floor to ceiling walls and a closed door.

For a limited time, while an employee is eating or drinking at the workplace or for identification purposes in compliance with safety and security requirements.

When an employee is wearing a respirator or facemask.

Where Azure Violins has determined that the use of face coverings is infeasible or creates a greater hazard (e.g., when it is important to see the employee’s mouth for reasons related to their job duties, when the work requires the use of the employee’s uncovered mouth, or when the use of a face covering presents a risk of serious injury or death to the employee).

Non-Retaliation

Azure Violins prohibits any form of discipline, reprisal, intimidation, or retaliation for reporting a violation of this policy or any other health and safety concern. Employees also have the right to report work-related injuries and illnesses, and Azure Violins will not discharge or discriminate or otherwise retaliate against employees for reporting work-related injuries or illnesses or good faith health and safety concerns.

Policy Modification

Governmental and public health guidelines and restrictions and industry best practices regarding COVID- 19 and COVID-19 vaccines are changing rapidly as new information becomes available, further research is conducted, and additional vaccines are approved and distributed. Azure Violins reserves the right to modify this policy at any time in its sole discretion to adapt to changing circumstances and business needs, consistent with its commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.