OSHA developing standards for employer vaccine mandate

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to release new standards following President Joe Biden’s executive order requiring COVID-19 vaccination and testing for private employers with 100 or more employees.

Requirements: Biden said OSHA will release in the coming weeks an emergency temporary standard that will require covered employers to:

• Ensure that all employees are either vaccinated for COVID-19 or tested at least once per week before coming to work.
• Provide paid time off to employees to receive vaccinations and to deal with side effects.

Funding: In a phone call with ICBA and other groups, the Labor Department said no decision had been made on whether employers will be required to pay for the weekly testing, which will be laid out in the emergency standard.