Vaccine mandate for large employers reinstated

We have another important update for you regarding a vaccination requirement for employers.

The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has lifted the stay that was preventing a federal vaccination-or-testing mandate from going into effect. The requirement only applies to employers with 100 or more employees.

There is still a chance that the 6^th Circuit’s decision will be reversed and a stay could be reinstated. In the meantime, it is important that employers with 100 or more employees take steps to prepare themselves.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced that the previous deadlines for action have been pushed back. Covered employers must take the following actions by Jan. 10:

• Determine employees’ vaccination status
• Start providing required support for employee vaccination
• Start/continue requiring that unvaccinated employees wear face coverings in the workplace
• Institute the written vaccination/testing policy
• Start/continue requiring employees to promptly inform them of any COVID-19 diagnosis or positive test result

Additionally, employers that choose to provide the testing option to unvaccinated employees, as opposed to mandating vaccination, must begin weekly testing by Feb. 9, as opposed to Jan. 3.

You can find more information, including free policy samples, at https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/ets2.

DBA member Michael Best and offering a package of sample materials to make preparing for the possibility of implementation easier. The cost is normally $750 but DBA members qualify for a $250 discount. (Learn more about DBA, here, including a three-year membership special.)

We will keep you posted on changes.