By James L. Curtis, Brent I. ClarkMark A. LiesAdam YoungPatrick 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. ClarkJames L. Curtis, Benjamin D. Briggs, Mark A. LiesAdam R. YoungPatrick 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Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA has withdrawn its private employer COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS, effective Tuesday, January 25, 2022.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 Adam R. Young, Patrick D. Joyce, A. Scott Hecker, Brent I. Clark, James L. Curtis, Benjamin D. BriggsMark A. Lies, Bradley D. Doucette, and Ilana R. Morady

Seyfarth Synopsis: On January 13, 2022, the Supreme Court stayed enforcement of OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”), pending
Continue Reading OSHA ETS Stayed Again — Supreme Court Characterizes ETS as Public Health Measure Outside of OSHA’s Jurisdiction

By Benjamin J.Conley and Adam R. Young

Seyfarth Synopsis: The OSHA COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) will require unvaccinated employees to submit weekly COVID-19 testing results by February 9, 2022. New guidance from the Biden Administration could require employer health plans to reimburse the cost of at-home COVID testing in certain circumstances, creating confusion for employers on
Continue Reading Latest Biden Administration Order Requires Some Employers to Pay for Cost of COVID Testing

By Melissa A. Ortega, Bradley D. Doucette, Brent I. Clark, Benjamin D. Briggs, Adam R. Young, Patrick D. Joyce, A. Scott Hecker

Seyfarth Synopsis: In an unusual special session, on January 7, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding OSHA’s Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), which requires employers with
Continue Reading Supreme Court Special Session – The U.S. Supreme Court Hears Arguments on the OSHA COVID-19 ETS

By: Adam Young, Matthew A. Sloan, and Ilana R. Morady

Seyfarth Synopsis: The CDC’s shorter isolation and quarantine requirements will allow employers to get many COVID-19 positive employees and exposed, unvaccinated employees back to work 5 days sooner.   

On December 28, 2021, the CDC shortened the recommended isolation period for all persons with COVID-19.  Under the revised
Continue Reading CDC Amends Isolation and Quarantine Requirements for COVID-19 Amid Spread of Omicron Variant.

By: Adam Young, James L. Curtis, Brent I. Clark, Mark A. Lies, Patrick D. Joyce, and A. Scott Hecker

Seyfarth Synopsis: On January 7, 2022, in an extraordinary open session, the Supreme Court will reconsider the dissolved stay of the OSHA ETS, as well as the injunctions blocking the CMS healthcare vaccination mandate in
Continue Reading Supreme Court Will Hold Special Session on OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS, as well as Healthcare CMS Vaccination Mandate

By Ilana MoradyCoby 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