President Biden’s Vaccine Rules for 100 Million Workers Are Here
The labor department and OSHA rules regarding vaccine mandates for companies with more than 100 employees are out. The rules are being challenged in court already from states, companies and unions.
OSHA’S emergency temporary standards said employees have until January 4, 2022 to be fully vaccinated against COIVD-19 or agree to regular COVID-19 testing for full time or part time employees.
These rules were coming from some time ever since the President asked OSHA and the Labor Department in early September. The emergency standards authorization for vaccines and testing says if you work for a company with more than 100 employees you either have to be fully vaccinated by January 4th or get tested for COVID every week.
If you refuse to be vaccinated and instead undergo the testing OSHA says you must wear a mask at all times while at work.
OSHA says the emergency temporary standard rule overrides any state or local law that bans your employer from requiring you to be vaccinated, be tested or wear a face covering.
There are some exceptions to this rule those of you who work from home and don’t interact face to face with other workers or customers you do not need to comply with the mandate. Even if your company has more than 100 employees. Unless your employer goes above the minimum requirements and makes it a term of employment.
Of course you may be able to get a medical or religious exemption but that would exclude you from this if you are a federal worker, federal contractor, a healthcare worker that there agency receives money from Medicaid or Medicare.
The no exemption rule to federal workers and healthcare workers is because the President already signed an executive order. The executive order mandates the vaccine for all of those workers by January 4, 2022 with no testing option. According to the OSHA rule you must give proof of vaccination to your employer and your employer must keep that private but on file.
If you or your employer does not comply there are hefty fines. OSHA says it will conduct regular on site workplace inspections and impose penalties those can range anywhere from 13,000 dollars per serious violation all the way up to 136,000 dollars if a company willfully violates the rules.
OSHA says your employer must give you paid time off to get the vaccine and give you time off to recover if you have any side affects.
If you choose to be tested instead of being vaccinated you may have to pay out of pocket for your own testing your employer is under no obligation to pay for that testing unless there is a seperate deal with a union or other laws that require it.
