On Friday, NLBMDA was asked by senior staff at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to participate in a high-level briefing regarding the recent announcement that employers with 100+ employees will be required to ensure that all employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 or require weekly COVID tests. This will take the form of an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to be issued by OSHA.
OSHA shared several key details with NLBMDA regarding the timing of the ETS, opportunities for stakeholder input and others. Below is a summary:
- OSHA plans to issue the ETS in the coming weeks, ranging from 2 to 8 weeks. There is currently no precise date or a more narrow timeframe;
- The ETS will be made effective immediately when published by OSHA;
- OSHA will provide stakeholders the opportunity to provide input after the ETS is issued and made effective;
- The 100 employee threshold will apply to the employee count and not a single worksite;
- The testing/vaccination requirement will not apply to employees working remotely or employees who are physically isolated from co-workers;
NLBMDA will continue to work with senior staff at OSHA as the voice of the LBM industry in the U.S. to ensure that any requirements from OSHA will be workable for this industry. NLBMDA will share additional information as it becomes available.
