On January 7, the Supreme Court heard an oral argument regarding the applications for an emergency stay of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) as well as the regulations issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. As we recently reported here, pending a ruling to the contrary by the Supreme Court, the ETS is currently in effect in the 29 states operating without a state-run OSHA Plan.
Continue Reading TOSHA Will Delay Vaccine Enforcement and Await Supreme Court Ruling
Sixth Circuit Dissolves Stay of OSHA ETS Requiring Vaccination and Testing for Large Employers
UPDATE: The U.S. Supreme Court has announced it will hold a special session on January 7, 2022 and will hear oral argument on the legal challenges to the OSHA COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard as well as the regulations issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requiring vaccination for certain healthcare staff. We will provide additional updates as they become available.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has dissolved the Fifth Circuit’s stay of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS).
In a 2-1 decision issued on December 17, the Sixth Circuit determined that OSHA did not exceed its authority in issuing the ETS, concluding that “[l]ongstanding precedent addressing the plain language of the ACT, OSHA’s interpretation of the statute, and examples of direct Congressional authorization following the enactment of the OSH Act all show that OSHA’s authority includes protection against infectious diseases that present a significant risk in the workplace, without regard to exposure to that same hazard in some form outside the workplace.”
The Sixth Circuit went on to conclude that the plaintiffs could not show irreparable harm in light of COVID-19 still posing an emergency demonstrated by a recent rapid increase in COVID-19 infections and the emergence of the delta and omicron variants, and ultimately that the plaintiffs could not establish a likelihood of success on the merits warranting the Fifth Circuit’s stay.
Continue Reading Sixth Circuit Dissolves Stay of OSHA ETS Requiring Vaccination and Testing for Large Employers
OSHA Releases COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard: Here’s What It Means for Employers
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published the long-awaited Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) as directed by President Biden in his September 9 COVID-19 Action Plan – Path Out of the Pandemic.
The ETS will take effect as soon as it is published in the Federal Register and sets forth the following two options for employers with over 100 employees:
- A mandatory vaccination policy.
- A written policy allowing employees to undergo ongoing testing and masking instead of vaccination.
Employers are required to comply with all aspects of the ETS by December 5, except for the testing program for those employers who choose to provide this option to employees. In that case, employees must either be fully vaccinated or submit proof of testing by January 4, 2022.
We break down the details below.
Which Employers Are Covered?
All employers with a total of 100 or more (full-time or part-time) employees at any time the ETS is in effect are covered. The ETS does not apply to workplaces subject to the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force COVID-19 Workplace Safety: Guidance for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors or settings where an employee provides healthcare services or healthcare support services when subject to the requirements of § 1910.502.Continue Reading OSHA Releases COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard: Here’s What It Means for Employers
Who is Responsible for Granting Medical/Religious Accommodations to the COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate?
As contractors and agencies scramble to comply with the government contractor vaccine mandate, there seems to be growing confusion over whether contractors or federal agencies are responsible for evaluating whether contractor employees working at government sites are entitled to medical or religious accommodations. In some cases, agencies tell contractors that the government, not the
[WEBINAR] Mandatory Vaccinations for Government Contractors Are Here. What Should You Do Now?
On September 9, President Biden issued Executive Order 14042 requiring that federal contractors comply with forthcoming COVID-19 workplace safety guidance. That guidance, which was issued on September 24, is remarkably broad, requiring that employees working directly on government contracts, in connection with government contracts, or in the same facility as an employee in the first
Contractors, You Will Get the Jab!
On September 24, following President Biden’s September 9 Executive Order, Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force) issued new guidance on COVID-19 safety protocols applicable to federal contractors and subcontractors. It is notable that the guidance does not apply to grants.
Before the guidance was released, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget determined, as required by the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act that compliance with those measures laid out in the guidance will promote economy and efficiency in federal contracting. This determination was met because decreasing the spread of COVID-19 “will decrease worker absence, reduce labor costs, and improve the efficiency of contractors and subcontractors performing work for the Federal Government.” There is no indication that the director considered the impacts of attrition or costs on businesses to administer these requirements.
Breakdown of Requirements under New Executive Order
These requirements, in addition to any requirements applicable in a federal workplace, apply to contractors and subcontractors with a “covered contract.” The obligations that the guidelines require to be part of a soon-to-be draft contract clause include:
- By December 8, 2021, “covered contractor employees,” regardless of prior COVID-19 infection and associated immunity must be “fully vaccinated” for COVID-19. This means that at least two weeks have passed after they have received the last required dose of an approved vaccine, except in limited circumstances where an employee is legally entitled to an accommodation.
Many contractors have questions regarding when an employee may be legally entitled to an accommodation. The guidance provides that this may be the case “because of a disability (which would include medical conditions) or because of a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.” It continues, “[r]equests for ‘medical accommodation’ or ‘medical exceptions’ should be treated as required for a disability accommodation.”
After December, all covered contractor employees must be fully vaccinated by the first day of the period of performance on a newly awarded contract and by the first day of the performance period on an exercised option or extended or renewed contract when the clause has been incorporated into the covered contract. This also applies to contractor employees working from home on a covered contract.
- Compliance by covered contractor employees and visitors with published CDC guidance for masking and physical distancing is required while in a “covered contractor workplace.” This does not apply to covered contractor employees working from home. It does, however, require that in areas of “high or substantial community transmission,” even fully vaccinated individuals wear a mask in indoor settings. To determine the level of community spread, covered contractors must check the CDC COVID-19 Data Tracker County View website.
- Designation by covered contractors of a COVID-19 workplace safety coordinator at covered contractors’ workplaces whose primary duties appear to be communicating the required safety protocols to all covered employees and visitors and confirming compliance by reviewing the required vaccine documentation. COVID-19 workplace safety protocols may comprise some or all of this person’s regular duties.
President Biden Announces Mandatory Vaccination Requirements for Certain Employers
President Biden has announced a series of measures aimed at combatting the COVID-19 pandemic which will require certain employers to set forth mandatory vaccination requirements. These measures direct the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force) to set forth specific guidance, which we are still awaiting. However, here is what we know now:
OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard
According to President Biden’s September 9, 2021 briefing, OSHA has been tasked with developing an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring companies with 100 or more employees to require employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested on a weekly basis. The ETS will also require these companies to provide paid time off for the time it takes workers to get vaccinated or to recover if they are under the weather post-vaccination. The fines for violating this rule are reported to be $14,000 per violation.Continue Reading President Biden Announces Mandatory Vaccination Requirements for Certain Employers
Labor & Employment Law Update: Continued COVID-19-Related Developments and Policy Guidance for Employers
Join us for a virtual seminar in which the firm’s labor & employment and employee benefits attorneys will discuss recent COVID-19-related announcements from the CDC, FDA and other relevant agencies, and the implications they have on how employers should structure policies and procedures moving forward.
In this session, we will provide guidance for navigating the
Key Considerations for Emerging Companies: Employment Law Risks
The first few years of operations can be an overwhelming task for emerging companies, especially when it comes to navigating the wide range of employment laws that come with hiring new members of the team. Below is a list of issues to be aware of as you build and structure your workforce. Continue reading to
Rights of Tennessee Employers to Bar Firearms and Weapons in the Workplace Remains Unchanged
Effective July 1, 2021, Tennessee’s Constitution Carry law allows individuals over the age of 21 (or military members between ages 18 to 20) to carry a firearm, both concealed and open, with or without a carry permit. However, this new law does not impact a private Tennessee business’ right to prohibit the possession of weapons