The Employment Law Counselor

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) regulations on November 4, 2021, that will affect most employers in the United States. In brief, by December 5, 2021, all unvaccinated employees of businesses with 100 or more employees (the calculation is firm/corporate level, NOT per location) must wear masks indoors (including in a vehicle with another person for work purposes). By January 4, 2022, all businesses with 100 or more employees must ensure employees are fully vaccinated or subject to regular testing at least weekly (which can be at the employee’s own expense, though collective bargaining agreements may require employers to pay for such tests). The new regulations are expected to cover more than 80 million employees.Continue Reading

One of the more challenging issues for employers seeking to roll out mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies has been the administration of requests for religious accommodations. Just before the new OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard regarding mandatory COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing was announced, the EEOC issued a new update to its Technical Assistance on COVID-19 that provides guidance and assistance on the thorny issue of religious accommodations to mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements.Continue Reading