On Thursday President Joe Biden administration announced that private businesses that have 100 or more employees have to mandatorily vaccinate their workers or make them undergo at least weekly COVID-19 testing. The date of compliance is January 4, which comes after the holidays. Many businesses had been stating that they needed time and the reprieve till after the holidays has come as a relief for some, while others say that they already have high compliance.
According to a report by CNBC, workers are expected to get their second dose of a Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or a Moderna vaccine or a single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine by the deadline early next year. The recent rules that have been issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under the labor department. They also require all unvaccinated workers to wear masks indoors by December 5. They have to provide a negative COVID-19 test, every week, after the January deadline.
The new rules also say that companies need not pay for the tests or for face coverings unless it is required according to state laws, local laws or labor union contracts. Any employee who tests positive will not be allowed at the workplace. However, these rules do not apply to those who work at places where other people are not present, or who work from home or who work exclusively outside. Exemptions will also be allowed for employees with sincerely held religious beliefs, with disabilities and those who have medical conditions that prevent them from getting vaccinated.
Companies can also offer paid time so that employees get vaccinated or paid sick leave if they need to recover from side effects up to December 5.
On Thursday, the Biden administration also extended the deadline for federal contractors to comply with the vaccine mandate. The earlier deadline for this group of workers was December 8 and these workers, who are mainly salaried ones, also have their deadline extended to January 4. Now, all workers, whether they are federal contractors, or employees in private companies or are health care workers, have the same January 4, 2022 deadline.
Image Credit President Joe Biden
