By James L. Curtis, Brent I. Clark, Mark A. Lies, Adam Young, Patrick D. Joyce, A. Scott Hecker, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: The U.S. Department of Labor reported today that “U.S. healthcare workers experienced a staggering 249 percent increase in injury and illness rates in 2020, based on employer-reported data, as
Continue Reading OSHA To Address Soaring Injury Rates at Healthcare Facilities
By Daniel I.Small and Robert S.Whitman
Seyfarth Synopsis: This week, Governor Hochul announced that she will lift the mask-or-vaccinate mandate for nearly all public places of business on February 10, 2022. The New York Department of Labor has now revised its model safety plan under the HERO Act to eliminate the mask requirement in most settings. Other HERO Act
Continue Reading UPDATED: New York Lifts Mask-or-Vax Mandate and HERO Act Masking Requirement
By A. Scott Hecker, Brent I. Clark, James L. Curtis, Benjamin D. Briggs, Mark A. Lies, Adam R. Young, Patrick D. Joyce, Daniel R. Birnbaum, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA has withdrawn its private employer COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS, effective Tuesday, January 25, 2022.
On Tuesday, January 25,
Continue Reading OSHA Acknowledges Reality; Withdraws COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS
By Ronald S. Gart and Christopher A. Sickles
Seyfarth Synopsis: Pursuant to the Mayor’s Order 2021-148 (the “Order”), beginning on January 15, 2022, the District of Columbia has required certain businesses to verify that all patrons aged 12 and over have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Beginning on February 15, 2022, all patrons must show
Continue Reading The District of Columbia’s Vaccine Mandate: What Businesses Need to Consider
By Ilana Morady, Coby Turner, and Patrick D. Joyce
Seyfarth Synopsis: On December 16, 2021, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board voted to readopt the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) with changes that will take effect January 14, 2022. This readoption includes many changes to the current ETS, including an elimination of many of the current distinctions between
Continue Reading Cal/OSHA Adopts Revised and Restrictive COVID-19 ETS
By James L. Curtis, Adam R. Young, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: Labelling the Delta-variant surge as the “Pandemic of the Unvaccinated,” on August 26, 2021, Illinois Governor J.B. Prtizker announced that Illinois residents must wear masks indoors, and that school and health care staff must be vaccinated.
Cook County and the City of Chicago both had
Continue Reading Illinois Governor Announces Mask Mandate for All Indoor Settings, Regardless of Vaccination
By Brent I. Clark, James L. Curtis, Benjamin D. Briggs, Mark A. Lies, II. Adam R. Young, A. Scott Hecker, Ilana Morady, Patrick D. Joyce, Daniel R. Birnbaum, Matthew A. Sloan, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: In light of rising cases of COVID-19, the CDC has recently reversed its
Continue Reading OSHA Gives Health Care Employers Green Light to Continue Permitting Facemask Exemptions, Despite New CDC Guidance
By Brent I. Clark, James L. Curtis, Benjamin D. Briggs, Mark A. Lies, II. Adam R. Young, A. Scott Hecker, Ilana Morady, Patrick D. Joyce, Daniel R. Birnbaum, Matthew A. Sloan, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: President Biden recently laid out his administration’s next steps in efforts to get
Continue Reading President Biden to Require Federal Workers, Contractors to Provide Vaccine Attestation or Mask, Distance, and Test Multiple Times Per Week
By Brent I. Clark, James L. Curtis, Benjamin D. Briggs, Mark A. Lies, II. Adam R. Young, A. Scott Hecker, Ilana Morady, Patrick D. Joyce, Daniel R. Birnbaum, Matthew A. Sloan, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: On July 27, 2021, the CDC revised its mask guidance in response to
Continue Reading Time to Mask Up Again? CDC Revises Mask Guidance for Vaccinated Individuals
By Brent I. Clark, James L. Curtis, Mark A. Lies, II, Adam R. Young, Patrick D. Joyce, Daniel R. Birnbaum, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: As we approach the heat of the summer season and as employers begin to re-open after months of COVID-19 quarantine, workers may be out of shape, out
Continue Reading Heat Illness and Back to Work — Summer 2021