As we have described previously in recent months, several precarious federal mandates have been issued by the administration of President Biden as the country works its way toward recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. These federal mandates have imposed significant burdens on private industry by sapping much-needed corporate resources, creating a sense of overreach and invasiveness, and alienating vaccine-resistant employees at the exact moment many employers are trying desperately to rev back up and to revitalize the economy. The mandates have been implemented primarily by three executive-branch sources affecting three huge sectors of the economy: Executive Order 14042 affecting federal contractors, …
New COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate and Regulations Affecting Large Employers and Federal Contractors
President Joe Biden announced on September 9 that the federal government will require companies with 100 or more employees to ensure their employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 or test negative for COVID-19 at least once a week. The new requirements will be issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) in the coming weeks. It is expected that OSHA will give employers a limited time to get their employees vaccinated after the standard becomes effective or be subject to fines of up to $14,000 per violation. Employers will also be required to provide …