NLBMDA Member Survey Results:
White House Announces ALL Employers with 100+ Employees Must Ensure All Workers Are Vaccinated
Alternative is Requiring Weekly COVID-19 Testing for Unvaccinated Employees
As reported by NLBMDA, the Biden Administration announced that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will be issuing an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that will require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require any workers who remain unvaccinated to produce a negative test result on at least a weekly basis before coming to work.

Last week, NLBMDA was invited by senior staff at OSHA to represent the LBM industry in the U.S. at a briefing where the Agency shared some basic information. As reported by NLBMDA, many questions will be answered in the coming weeks. In order to better advocate with OSHA and the White House, NLBMDA asked members to complete a brief survey regarding this new vaccine mandate for employers with 100+ employees. Below are the results we have received as well as some key takeaways.
Summary of survey results:

  • 57% of respondents indicated they employ 100 individuals or more, therefore subjecting them to the OSHA ETS;
  • Of these respondents, 78% do not support the COVID-19 vaccine mandate and weekly testing for non-vaccinated employees;
  • 83% of respondents with 100 or more employees said the new mandate will negatively impact their business and ability to retain employees, noting the burden placed on employers to test weekly and the likelihood of employees moving to organizations under 100 employees that are not impacted by the new mandate;
  • Those who responded in support of the new mandate noted the benefits of having a fully-vaccinated staff and less resources being spent on COVID recovery, sick leave usage, and contact tracing; and
  • 75% of all respondents support NLBMDA taking a policy position against the OSHA ETS.

Overall, concerns expressed by members regarding the new OSHA ETS include the financial impact from providing weekly testing for non-vaccinated employees, potential loss of employees, administrative challenges to maintain records of vaccinations and weekly testing, and potential disruptions in production and employee wellbeing.

You may find below graphics illustrating two of the question responses from employers with 100 or more employees.
As the premiere national Voice of the LBM industry in the U.S., NLBMDA will continue its work to ensure LBM dealers are not unnecessarily burdened by the upcoming ETS. We will continue to work with senior staff at OSHA and will keep members informed as new developments occur. For questions, contact NLBMDA at membersupport@dealer.org.
Special Thanks to our Federal Advocacy Sponsors