Two sources have informed Bloomberg that a new federal ruling for private business is currently under review to compel employees, who refuse to go for Covid-19 testing, to pay for Covid-19 testing and other related provision such as masks.
The US. President Joe Biden had revealed his administration’s plans for a multipronged pandemic strategy on Sept. 9.
This approach encompasses a prerequisite that requires private business owners with at least 100 or more employees to make sure their employees receive a vaccination or take covid-19 weekly testing.
According to the rule, private businesses can make employees cover the expenses of getting tested and other covid-19 equipment such as masks after an initial refusal.
The rule also put up an alternative where employers can choose to cover the expense of their workers getting tested for Covid-19 and also provide masks for their employees who have not been vaccinated.
The new rule further explained that unvaccinated employees will therefore be required to wear masks indoors while also maintaining the required distance with co-workers.
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The sources who disclosed the new rule pleaded for anonymity as they weren’t allowed to share the detail of the new rule.
More so, according to the sources, businesses could possibly be compelled to cover the covid-19 testing and masks provision for only employees qualified for religious exemptions under federal law.
Employees who are also under a union labor deal can also receive the same treatment from the employers.
It can be recalled that on On Oct. 12, the allocation of an emergency temporary standard is set to be implemented by the Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health to enforce the new ruling for its member.
The agency later submitted the initial text of the emergency temporary standard to the Office of Management and Budget.
According to CNBC, Labor unions, industry lobbyists, and others have met with officials from the White House, the rule is expected to help over 80 million workers in private businesses.
According to reports from Bloomberg, the new vaccination ruling is expected to be broadcast in the first week of November.
Nonetheless, the Biden administration is expected to give the ruling its final concluding decisions and approval soon.