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Employees at Douglas Elliman offices across the country must now be vaccinated or face regular testing, sources say.
The brokerage, which has offices in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Florida, California, Texas, Colorado and Massachusetts, became the latest to implement a vaccination policy on Monday, The Real Deal has learned.
All employees working in a Douglas Elliman office must show proof of full vaccination or provide a negative Covid test to the HR Department every Monday.
Proof must indicate when the dosage was received and what type of vaccine was administered. Masks are still required in all of the firm’s public areas, though those working in private offices don’t have to wear them unless others are present.
Other brokerages have been rolling out updated vaccination policies for their employees and agents following the enforcement of the “Key to NYC” vaccination mandate, effective Sept. 13, which requires businesses in the city to check for proof of vaccination before allowing patrons to enter.
Corcoran Group started requiring proof of vaccination for anyone who enters a Corcoran office in New York City or the Hamptons on Sept. 13 in accordance with the mandate, unless they have a medical or religious accommodation. Facial coverings must also be worn regardless of vaccination status.
Proof of vaccination isn’t required in Corcoran’s South Florida offices, however, since it is not required at the city or state level there. The same goes for face coverings.
In-person attendance remains optional across all company-owned offices, Corcoran spokesperson Johnna Muscente said.
On Sept. 15, Brown Harris Stevens began requiring that staff show proof of vaccination or undergo weekly testing to enter offices across all of its regions. Agents and guests must also show proof of vaccination or a negative test result to enter its offices in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Those who don’t comply with the policy will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, said Ashley Murphy, a spokesperson for the brokerage. Masks are mandatory in all BHS offices.
It’s a similar story for other brokerages like Warburg Realty, which started enforcing similar policies in the latter half of July. And at Keller Williams’ Austin, Texas, corporate headquarters, in-office workers must be vaccinated.
When asked about its vaccination policies, a Compass spokesperson said that the firm continues to follow the latest guidance from federal authorities and state and local health departments.
Such measures are more lenient than some other employers, including developers the Durst Organization and Related Companies, which announced over the summer that they would fire staffers who remained unvaccinated by Labor Day.
