The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hits Pause on COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS)

The anticipated publishing of the OSHA Covid-19 emergency temporary standards (ETS) is currently on hold. Since President Biden issued his executive order on January 21, which set a March 15 deadline to issue an ETS if deemed necessary, industry stakeholders have been closely monitoring the rulemaking process. According to reports from agency officials, Secretary Walsh requested OSHA update the materials to reflect the latest science and status of COVID-19. These updates will be based on the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysis and information related to the state of vaccinations and the variants.
 
As AGC has previously reported, the standard could require employers to develop and implement COVID-19 safety plans that follow guidance from the CDC. It could potentially address other issues, such as paying workers if they’re required to quarantine and ensuring those employees have jobs after their absence.
 
AGC staff will continue to monitor the rulemaking progress and provide updates accordingly. For more information, please contact Kevin Cannon at (703) 837-5410 or kevin.cannon@agc.org or Nazia Shah at (703) 837-5409 or nazia.shah@agc.org.