President Biden is withdrawing OSHA's mandate for COVID-19 vaccines

On Wednesday, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) confirmed that the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for private enterprises with 100 or more workers will be formally withdrawn.

It was announced in the Federal Register that the agency will withdraw the emergency temporary standard (ETS) which required employers to have their employees either get vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing while wearing masks in the workplace.

It came after the High Court blocked the regulation on Jan. 13 with a 6–3 decision, stating that opponents to the plan, including big trucking businesses, were likely to win in court.

“Notwithstanding the withdrawal of the Vaccination and Testing ETS, OSHA continues to strongly encourage the vaccination of workers against the continuing dangers posed by COVID-19 in the workplace,” OSHA continued.

At the same period, the agency announced that a proposal to make the urgent temporary directive a permanent norm is going forward.

25 Jan 2022