For New Academic Appointees
Units must include the language below in offer letters for academic personnel appointments. This includes offers for faculty, librarians, postdoctoral scholars, and other academic personnel.
Under University of Washington (UW) policy, as a condition of employment and/or other University-compensated appointment, individuals must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof thereof, or receive a UW-approved medical or religious exemption. For more information, visit https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/vaccination-requirement.
This offer is contingent upon the UW verifying your vaccination status or approving an exemption request prior to the start date of your appointment. If you wish to be considered for a medical or religious exemption, you are expected to request an exemption by notifying your UW hiring unit as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks before your start date.
Failure to provide proof of vaccination or to obtain a UW-approved exemption prior to the appointment start date may result in a withdrawal of this offer.
For Unpaid Academics Moving to Paid Status
When an unpaid academic–including an emeritus appointee–moves into paid status, the unit must prepare a new offer/appointment letter and include the language below.
Under University of Washington (UW) policy, as a condition of UW-compensated appointment, individuals must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof thereof, or receive a UW-approved medical or religious exemption. For more information, visit https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/vaccination-requirement.
This offer is contingent upon the UW verifying your vaccination status or approving an exemption request prior to the start date of your appointment. If you wish to be considered for a medical or religious exemption, you are expected to request an exemption with the UW appointing unit as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks before your start date.
Failure to provide proof of vaccination or to obtain a UW-approved exemption prior to the appointment start date may result in a withdrawal of this offer.
Updating COVID-19 Language in Offer Letters
If an offer letter for a future hire includes an outdated reference to Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 24.14, the letter should be revised or amended to reference the current UW policy as reflected above. Units are welcome to use the following sample amendment language:
[DATE]
Dear [CANDIDATE NAME]:
This is an amendment to your offer letter dated [DATE].
Your offer letter referenced Washington State Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.2. That proclamation was lifted on October 31, 2022 and has been replaced by UW policy requiring individuals to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof thereof, or receive approval of a UW-approved medical or religious exemption, as a condition of employment and/or other University-compensated appointment. For more information, visit https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/vaccination-requirement.
All other terms and conditions of your offer letter dated [DATE] remain in effect. Please acknowledge receipt of this amendment by signing where indicated below.
Sincerely,
[Unit Leader/Hiring Authority NAME & SIGNATURE]
I acknowledge receipt of this amendment.
[Candidate NAME, SIGNATURE, DATE]