Weigh pros and cons before requiring unvaccinated to pay more for insurance.

As part of the "carrot and stick" approach to encourage more employees to get COVID vaccinations, some employers are adding a new tool by charging unvaccinated workers more for health insurance.

Delta Airlines will soon begin charging workers who refuse the vaccine an extra $200 per month for their employer-sponsored health coverage. Delta say none of its employees recently hospitalized with COVID had been immunized. The average hospitalization cost: $50,000.

While the EEOC or courts haven't ruled, such surcharges are likely to be legal, similar to insurance surcharges for smokers. Legal experts say it's best to structure the surcharge as an incentive for participating in a wellness program that requires proof of vaccination.

Before you adopt a similar policy, consider the following:

Vaccination proof. Before you can assess a penalty, you will have to verify vaccine status.

Legitimate exceptions. Both the ADA and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act carve out exceptions to mandatory vaccination rules. For example, someone with a disability that medically...