OSHA extends public comment on COVID-19 vaccine rule

by A.J. Plunkett (aplunkett@decisionhealth.com)

Didn’t have time to gather your thoughts yet on OSHA’s emergency temporary standard (ETS) requiring vaccination and testing for employers with 100 or more employees? You can still offer up your two cents!

OSHA has extended the public comment period until January 19, 2022. (The original comment deadline was January 4.)

The ETS is on the Federal Register as Docket No. OSHA-2021-0007. You can file electronically at https://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal and the only way to submit comments on this rule, according to OSHA.

OSHA also asks that you follow the online instructions for making electronic submissions. You can read the Nov. 5, 2021 Federal Register notice on the ETS for details.

The ETS, according to OSHA, is designed to “protect workers from the spread of coronavirus on the job.” Employers with 100 or more employees “must develop, implement and enforce a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, unless they adopt a policy requiring employees to either get vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 testing and wear a face covering at work.”

The rule originally had an effective date of 30 days after publication for implementation of testing and 60 days after publication for the vaccine requirement.

However, after court challenges, OSHA suspended enforcement until the legal issues were resolved.

You can find more information, including a rule summary and fact sheets, at OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS webpage.