Utah Bill Challenges Federal Vaccine Mandate for Large Employers

In a special session this week, the Utah State Legislature passed a bill aimed at undermining the federal vaccine mandate for large employers. Like previously existing law, SB 2004 mandates that any Utah employer requiring vaccination for COVID-19 must allow employees an exemption for medical or reasons or because of religious beliefs. The Utah bill goes further, however, and requires an employee exemption for a “sincerely held personal belief.”

The formulation of these three exemptions tracks existing vaccination exemptions in public and higher education settings in Utah. The bill prohibits employers from taking adverse action against any employee opting out of vaccine requirements for one of the three sanctioned reasons and requires employers to pay for mandated COVID-19 testing. SB 2004 does not apply to federal contractors required to comply with federal vaccine mandates.

The status of vaccine mandates for Utah employers remains in flux. If Governor Cox signs SB 2004, Utah employers would be required to honor employee requests to opt-out of vaccine requirements for one of the enumerated reasons. If the federal vaccine mandate goes into effect, Utah employers should comply with the federal requirements, barring further legal action.

If you have questions about vaccine requirements in your workplace, contact your Stoel Rives Employment attorney.

The Latest on President Biden’s Vaccination Mandates

By Brenda Baumgart and Melissa Healy on September 29, 2021 Posted in coronavirus, COVID-19, News

As we blogged about here, on September 9, 2021, President Biden announced sweeping new vaccine requirements that will impact millions of employees across the country, including:

A forthcoming rule that will require all business with 100 or more employees to require that employees be either fully vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 at least once a week.
A vaccination mandate for federal government employees (with no testing alternative, although religious and medical exemptions will be permitted).
A vaccine mandate for all federal contractors (with no testing alternative, although religious and medical exemptions will be permitted).

Here are the latest developments: Continue Reading

California Assembly Bill 51 Is Back!

By Bryan Hawkins on September 16, 2021 Posted in California, Legal, News

Way back on October 10, 2019, California Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 51 (“AB 51”), which essentially made it unlawful for California employers to require workers or job applicants to execute arbitration agreements requiring them to waive their rights to sue in court for violations of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act or the California Labor Code. Like many of the California legislature’s prior efforts to ban employment arbitration agreements, AB 51 was challenged prior to its effective date. This challenge was brought in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California and resulted in the Court granting a motion enjoining its enforcement.

On September 15, 2021, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the District Court’s Order enjoining AB 51’s enforcement. While this ruling will almost certainly be appealed, at least for the time being the law is effective. This means that California employers are currently technically prohibited from requiring applicants or employees to execute arbitration agreements as a condition of employment. As such, California employers who intend to continue with those requirements should immediately consult with counsel to determine the benefits and risks of continuing down this (suddenly treacherous) path.

We will provide updates regarding AB 51 as further challenges to this law are all but guaranteed.

President Biden Announces New COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

By Melissa Healy and Laura Rosenbaum on September 10, 2021 Posted in COVID-19, News

To address the on-going COVID-19 pandemic and the recent Delta variant surge, President Biden announced yesterday that he will implement sweeping new requirements to increase vaccination rates across the country. Among the changes:

OSHA is developing a new emergency rule directing all businesses with 100 or more employees to require their employees be (1) vaccinated or (2) tested for COVID-19 at least once a week. Additionally, those businesses will be required to provide paid time off for employees to get vaccinated or recover from vaccination-related side effects. This requirement alone is estimated to impact over 80 million workers in the United States. It will not go into effect until OSHA issues its rule.
All federal government employees must be vaccinated (with no testing alternative). The White House has said this requirement will take effect in “about 75 days.”
All employees of contractors that do business with the federal government must be vaccinated (with no testing alternative). This requirement will only apply to new contracts that are entered into on or after October 15, 2021, and contracts that are extended or renewed after that date (with limited exceptions for contracts that are “solicited” before the effective date and entered into afterward). The “Safer Federal Workforce Task Force” has been ordered to issue further guidance on the specific requirements for contractors by September 24. The requirement applies to a host of contracts or “contract-like instruments,” including those for services and construction.
Employees at health care facilities that accept Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement must be vaccinated (with no testing alternative). This requirement will not go into effect until a rule is issued, likely in October.

Oregon Health Authority Releases Mandatory Vaccine Rule and Religious/Medical Exemption Forms for Health Care Workers

By John Dudrey, Todd Hanchett and Caroline Sundbaum on August 26, 2021 Posted in COVID-19, Oregon

Last week, Governor Kate Brown announced that the State of Oregon would require that all health care workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they could prove they were entitled to a religious or medical exception. The Oregon Health Authority (“OHA”) just released its administrative rule implementing the Governor’s announcement: effective October 18, 2021, health care workers and staff working in a health care setting must present documentation that they are fully vaccinated or that they are entitled to an exception. Medical and religious exemptions must be documented on specific forms prescribed by the OHA, available here. After that date, health care entities may not employ, contract with, or accept the volunteer services of an individual who cannot present such documentation. Below is a summary of additional details about the rule’s requirements.

Broad Applicability. The mandatory vaccine rule applies to all individuals, “paid or unpaid, working, learning, studying, assisting, observing or volunteering in a healthcare setting.” “Healthcare setting” is broadly defined to include “any place where health care, including physical or behavioral health care is delivered.” In addition to traditional medical facilities, the definition also includes providers of “alternative medicine such as acupuncture, homeopathy, [and] naturopathy” services.

Proof of Fully Vaccinated Status. As with prior OHA and Oregon Occupational Health and Safety rules, “fully vaccinated” means that at least 14 days have passed since the individual received the second dose of a two-dose vaccine (Pfizer/Moderna) or the first dose of a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson). Likewise, “proof of vaccination” means documentation issued by a government entity or health care provider that includes the worker’s name, date of birth, type of vaccine, date(s) the vaccine was given, and the name or location of the site where the vaccine was administered. A COVID-19 vaccination card or digital photo or printout from the OHA’s immunization registry satisfies the rule’s requirements. Continue Reading

Washington to Reinstate Indoor Mask Mandate and Require Proof of Vaccination of Certain Workers

By Karin Jones and Mark Morgan on August 20, 2021 Posted in COVID-19, Washington

Mask Mandate

Effective August 23, 2021, masks will once again be required in indoor public spaces in Washington, regardless of vaccination status, for everyone over the age of five. Masks will not be required for vaccinated employees in office spaces that are not public-facing, but are still required for unvaccinated employees in such offices. Masks will also not be required for individuals working alone with no in-person interaction.

As a general matter, masks will not be required, but are strongly encouraged, in crowded outdoor settings. However, unvaccinated employees are still required to wear masks when working outdoors with other people. Continue Reading

Oregon to Require Vaccinations for All Health Care Workers

By Caroline Sundbaum, Todd Hanchett and John Dudrey on August 19, 2021 Posted in COVID-19, Oregon

On August 19, 2021, just two weeks after announcing that all Oregon health care workers must either be fully vaccinated or test weekly for COVID-19, which we blogged about here, Governor Brown announced that vaccinations will be mandatory for health care workers starting October 18, 2021, assuming the vaccines have full FDA approval by then. There will not be a testing alternative. Employers may, however, need to make accommodations for employees with disabilities or sincerely-held religious beliefs that prevent them from receiving the vaccine.

Prior to October 18 and full FDA approval, the Oregon Health Authority rules requiring health care workers to either show proof of vaccination or test weekly remain in effect.

If you have any questions about workplace vaccination policies or exemptions, please contact us.

State of Oregon and Multnomah County Publish Details of Indoor Mask Requirements

By John Dudrey and Melissa Healy on August 13, 2021 Posted in COVID-19, News, Oregon

As we previously wrote about, the State of Oregon and Multnomah County are each imposing new indoor mask requirements beginning today, August 13, 2021, in response to the escalating COVID-19 pandemic driven by the Delta variant. Yesterday, the State and County released details of their respective requirements (the “Rules”), which overlap in most respects and are summarized together below.

The Rules mandate that all individuals age five and older must wear “face coverings” at all times when visiting “indoor spaces or enclosed areas” within a business. (The State Rule also requires individuals age two and older to wear a face covering while using public transportation or inside transportation hubs.) The exceptions are as follows:

When engaged in an activity that makes wearing a face covering impracticable, such as swimming, eating, drinking, or sleeping.
When engaged in an activity that only involves members of the same household. (County Rule only)
When removal is required for visual comparison, such as at a bank or if interacting with law enforcement.
When a person has a medical condition or disability and has appropriately requested an accommodation to enable full and equal access to services, transportation, or other facilities open to the public (note: the definition of “appropriately requested” is unclear). (County Rule only)
When receiving personal services or medical evaluations or treatment where a face covering is impractical, such as dental patients, beard services and cuts, facials, or nose/mouth waxing services.
When engaged in athletic or other physical activities for which use of a face
covering is unsafe.
When at a private individual workspace, which is a space that is used by one
individual at a time and is enclosed on all sides with floor-to-ceiling walls and a closed door.
When at or in a location where the employee, contractor, or volunteer does not have a job that requires interacting with the public or with other employees, such as a large warehouse and at least six feet of distance can be maintained between other people. (County Rule only)
When performing (such as playing music or giving a speech). (State Rule only)

Generally, “indoor spaces and enclosed areas” refers to any section of a business that is enclosed on three or more sides along with a roof. The definition of “business,” while broad, does not include private homes under either Rule. “Face coverings” are defined as cloth, paper, polypropylene, or medical-grade masks. Notably, the County Rule does not on its face permit the use of face shields, while the State Rule does.

Business operators must ensure that employees, customers, and other visitors comply with face covering requirements under the Rules. As with the prior Oregon Health Authority (“OHA”) and Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OR-OSHA”) rules, businesses must provide face coverings for their employees (although not for customers and other visitors). In addition, businesses must post notices about the mask mandate.

Finally, the State and County Rules reiterate what is generally true under the law: that businesses must make reasonable accommodations for the face covering requirement under state and federal discrimination laws, most prominently the Americans with Disabilities Act and its state equivalent. Both Rules provide for civil penalties in the event of a violation.

In addition to its Rule, the County also published a helpful FAQ, which is available here.

The new OHA rules do not address the OR OSHA rules’ ongoing requirement that employees, patients and visitors generally wear face coverings in health care settings where patient care is provided. The OR OSHA rules in that setting remain in effect.

Employers with questions about how the State and County Rules affect their business should contact any of our Stoel Rives attorneys for assistance.

EUA Status Does Not Prohibit Employers from Requiring the COVID Vaccine; Seven Factors for Employers to Consider When Considering a Mandatory Vaccination Policy

By Caroline Sundbaum, Andrea Thompson and Ryan Kunkel on August 12, 2021 Posted in COVID-19, EEOC, Gov't Agencies, News

While many employers initially were hesitant to institute mandatory COVID vaccinations, the recent surge driven by the Delta variant and announcements from large organizations—including the U.S. military, United Airlines, and major health care systems across the country—have caused many employers to revisit mandatory vaccination policies.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) have made clear that, absent a contrary state or local law that prohibits mandatory vaccines (as we previously blogged about for Oregon’s restrictions for health care employers here, with accompanying regulations available here), employers may require employee vaccination as a condition of employment. This is true notwithstanding the current Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) status of the COVID vaccine, which may have led some employers to hesitate in issuing a vaccine mandate. In a recent written memorandum, the DOJ explained that the EUA status does not affect whether such a mandate is lawful:

Section 564(e)(1)(A)(ii)(III) of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act concerns only the provision of information to potential vaccine recipients and does not prohibit public or private entities from imposing vaccination requirements for a vaccine that is subject to an emergency use authorization. Continue Reading

Governor Kate Brown Announces Renewed State-Wide Mask Mandate, Vaccination Requirement For Executive Branch Employees

By John Dudrey and Melissa Healy on August 10, 2021 Posted in COVID-19, News, Oregon

Governor Kate Brown announced today that the State of Oregon would impose a state-wide mask mandate that applies to indoor spaces (effective date to be determined). It is unclear at this time whether employers will be required to mandate masks for employees and customers (or take other COVID-19-related precautions), and whether penalties will be imposed on employers who fail to enforce the mandate. We expect the Governor to release more details tomorrow during a press conference.

Governor Brown also announced a requirement that state executive branch employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 once the vaccines receive full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

At this juncture, it is unclear if Multnomah County will proceed with its mask requirement effective August 13 given the impending state-wide regulation. We will report as soon as we have more information.