Understanding New Guidance from New York State and OSHA
June 17, 2021
As a bonus to Bond’s June 15 webinar about the evolving legal implications of COVID-19 for business, Bond attorneys Caitlin A. Anderson and Nihla F. Sikkander each recorded short videos addressing new guidance on the state and federal levels.
Caiti reviewed the main points included in the package of amendments to the New York Health and Essential Rights (or HERO) Act passed by both houses of the state legislature last week. Signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on May 5, 2021, the HERO Act mandates extensive new workplace health and safety protections for all airborne infectious diseases. Chief among the changes is a monthlong extension of the deadline (from June 4 to July 5, 2021) for the New York State Department of Labor to issue model safety standards and guidance documents. Once those are out, employers will have 30 days to implement plans of their own.
Nihla discussed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) just-released COVID-19 emergency temporary standard, whose scope is limited to the protection of healthcare employees. OSHA also updated voluntary guidance for all other industries, which emphasizes encouraging employees to get vaccinated while ensuring the protection of unvaccinated or otherwise at-risk workers.
The full presentation covered the following topics:
- Dismissal of Federal Lawsuit Challenging Hospital's Mandatory Vaccination Policy
- OSHA's COVID-19 Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard & General Industry Guidance
- From the Viewer "Mail Bag"
- Update from Albany
Click here to view the webinar in its entirety or to register for upcoming Tuesday presentations.
