Will I need a hepatitis B shot to work as a home health aide?
If your work puts you at risk of exposure to blood or other infectious material, OSHA requires your employer to offer you the hepatitis B vaccine series at no cost. That offer has to come within 10 working days of your assignment, and you are allowed to decline it if you choose.
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What the employer has to do
OSHA's bloodborne pathogens standard ties this offer to required training, so the vaccination series is made available after an employee has completed the training the standard requires, and within that 10-working-day window from when they are first assigned to exposure-risk work.
What happens if you decline
The standard does not force anyone to get vaccinated. If you decide not to, your employer is required to have you sign a declination statement, a specific form built into the standard, so there is a record that the offer was made and that you chose not to take it.
Why this is tied to training
The vaccine offer is not an isolated requirement. It comes after you have already received the training the bloodborne pathogens standard calls for, which means the hepatitis B offer and that training arrive together as part of the same early-employment protections rather than on separate timelines.
Why this rule applies to home care specifically
OSHA separately names bloodborne pathogen exposure as one of the specific hazards home healthcare workers face, alongside needlesticks and other sharps injuries, which is why this vaccination standard is relevant to the job even though it is written as a general workplace rule rather than one aimed only at home care.
More questions
Do I have to pay anything for the hepatitis B vaccine series?
No, OSHA requires employers to make it available at no cost to the employee.
What if I decide not to get the vaccine?
You can decline, but your employer must have you sign a declination statement confirming you were offered it and chose not to accept.
Does the vaccine offer come before or after required training?
It comes after you have completed the training the bloodborne pathogens standard requires.
Sources
- 1910.1030 - Bloodborne pathogens., Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Home Healthcare - Overview, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Checked against these sources on November 6, 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the source before you rely on a detail. This page is general information, not legal advice.