Private businesses and public agencies cannot be barred by federal law from mandating COVID-19 vaccinations, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). This is via an opinion issued July 26, but dated July 6, by the DOJ Office of Legal Counsel, which came just hours after a Department of Veterans Affairs mandate requiring vaccinations […]
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors in areas where COVID-19 transmission levels are high in new guidance issued July 27. This comes as a result of new unpublished data revealing that vaccinated people infected with the Delta COVID-19 variant can have as much virus as […]
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) filed a lawsuit against the owners of two Texas dental practices after two employees allegedly weren’t reinstated over their concerns regarding COVID-19 safety measures. A dental hygienist and a dental assistant who reported COVID-related safety concerns were not rehired after their offices reopened in the spring of 2020. Roger […]
The federal court for the District of Colorado rejected a lawsuit July 9 from a FedEx Ground employee who wanted to sue the company over its mandatory mask policy. FedEx Ground argued that it was following a mandate issued by the state of Colorado and couldn’t be held liable since it was obligated to follow the […]
OSHA recently revised its National Emphasis Program (NEP) for COVID-19 and updated its Interim Response Plan for enforcement of COVID-related violations while simultaneously extending the comment period for the coronavirus emergency temporary standard (ETS). Some discretionary enforcement protocols has been revoked as states begin to reopen and the agency has brought its enforcement guidance to […]
OSHA issued guidance June 28 on its COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS) instructing compliance safety and health officers (CSHO) on how to best work the standard’s directives into inspections. The ETS, which was published in the Federal Register June 21, is specific to the healthcare industry, and the inspection guidance establishes enforcement procedures for CSHOs […]
A lawsuit employees brought against a hospital over a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy was rejected by a federal judge who found “the public’s interest in having a hospital capable of caring for patients during a pandemic far outweighs the vaccination preferences of 116 employees.” The policy provided employees with a deadline to be vaccinated against […]
“I can’t wait for things to get back to normal.” “We have to prepare for the new normal.” You’ve heard people say both of those statements. So, as more people get vaccinated for COVID-19 and illness and death rates drop, are businesses working toward getting back to normal or should they be preparing for the […]
OSHA cited the owner of several Rhode Island medical facilities for failing to protect workers from COVID-19 after he allegedly contracted the coronavirus and infected six employees with the disease. Inspectors found the owner’s actions willfully exposed employees to COVID-19. An investigation revealed the owner allegedly continued to interact with workers and didn’t properly implement […]
