The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has extended the comment period for the COVID-19 vaccination and testing Emergency Temporary Standard to Jan. 19, 2022, according to www.osha.gov. OSHA extended the comment period by 45 days to allow stakeholders additional time to review the ETS and collect information and data necessary for comment.
On Nov. 5, OSHA issued an ETS to prevent spread of COVID-19 in the workplace; it covers employers with 100 or more employees. Covered employers 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. However, a federal appeals court has issued a temporary stay of the ETS pending further review by the court, and OSHA has suspended implementation of the ETS until the stay is lifted by the court or a decision on the rule’s future is made.
Comments identified by Docket No. OSHA-2021-0007 can be submitted electronically at www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal; follow the online instructions. The Federal e-Rulemaking Portal is the only way to submit comments for this rule. View the Nov. 5 Federal Register notice for details.
More information about the ETS is available on OSHA’s website.
