This week, the Biden administration has finally released the COVID-19 vaccine mandate rules for employers with 100 or more employees, and the challenges started right away.
Employers Face December, January Vaccine ETS Deadlines
On November 4, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its much-anticipated Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). The ETS covers COVID-19 vaccine, testing, and related requirements for most employers with at least 100 employees. Attorneys Bob O’Hara and Nancy Popper discuss how employers are beginning preparations to meet deadlines in early December and January, despite challenges to the standard already popping up in court. Read more.
Circuit Court Blocks OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard
Just one day after the OSHA ETS became effective, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit temporarily stayed the regulation in a case captioned BST Holdings, LLC v. OSHA. Additional petitions for review of the ETS have been filed in at least three other circuits. Read more.
CMS Rules Require Health Workers to Be Fully Vaccinated
Also on November 4, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued an interim final rule requiring COVID-19 vaccination for staff at Medicare- and Medicaid-certified providers and suppliers. The interim final rule requires full COVID-19 vaccination by January 4, 2022. Read more.