OSHA withdraws its COVID 19 ETS as of 1/26

OSHA withdraws its COVID 19 ETS as of 1/26

The Supreme Court blocked the federal requirement for COVID vaccines or testing earlier this month.

Directly thereafter, OSHA revisited its own mandate-or-testing rule for large employers. And, as of yesterday, Jan. 26, 2022, OSHA withdrew their Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that would have required employers with at least 100 workers to require COVID vaccines or weekly testing for unvaccinated workers.

What does this mean for large employers and their employees?

In announcing the withdrawal of the enforceable ETS, OSHA stated that it is still proposing that the details of the ETS be proposed as a permanent rule. OSHA is also making it a priority to focus on the establishment of a COVID-19 health care standard for workplaces and in their statement, OSHA echoed that it "strongly encourages vaccination of workers against the continuing dangers posed by COVID-19 in the workplace."