OSHA: VACCINE MANDATE REINSTATED, Enforcement/Penalties Will start January 10, 2022

Washington, DC – The vaccine mandate has been reinstated by OSHA after the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a stay on the rule on Friday night.

OSHA estimated that the vaccine-or-test rule could save over 6,500 lives and prevent over 250,000 hospitalizations during its six-month implementation period.

Aside from the vaccine and testing requirements, the rule requires employers to determine who among their employees is vaccinated and who is not, and to enforce a mask mandate for unvaccinated workers.

The new deadline for completing those steps is January 10.

OSHA will not impose or penalize businesses until after January 10, 2022. Currently, enforcement and penalties will only apply to businesses with 100 or more employees.

Workers should exercise caution, limit work in confined spaces with limited fresh air intake, wear masks when around co-workers, maintain hygiene and personal air space boundaries as the holidays approach.

This holiday season, Omicron has restored a level of heightened awareness toward a group of new unknowns at a time when work is a necessity across the country. Limited data is currently available publicly as scientists perform tests and research on the new variant.