Michigan Businesses Preparing For OSHA Vaccine Mandate Following Biden Speech
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce warns Michigan businesses that the OSHA federal vaccine mandate could be implemented soon.
The heightened preparation was advised for the chamber's nearly 5,000 businesses after President Biden spoke outside of Chicago on Thursday. He noted that the Labor Department will 'shortly issue' the emergency rule that would require any business that employs over 100 people to require vaccinations against Covid-19 or require regular Covid-19 testing.
The President announced the new requirements nearly a month ago, but the Labor Department has yet to issue the emergency rule that would force employers to comply.
In remarks to the Chicago crowd, the President noted that vaccine hesitancy has prompted his actions towards a mandate:
Even after all of these efforts, we still have more than a quarter of the people in the United States who are eligible for vaccinations but didn’t get the shot...That’s why I’ve had to move toward requirements.
Wendy Block, Vice President of Business Advocacy and Member Engagement at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, tells NBC 25 that they are telling their members to 'get ready':
We're kind of telling people to hold tight. Don't make rash actions but also to get prepared right on, because federal OSHA has the ability to issue this emergency temporary standard really without any input from the business community or from the employees who would be impacted. You know, but there will be a ramp-up time that the Fed should be giving states to do this and employers in those states to do this on, but also to be thinking through the logistics.