On May 10, 2023, the Oregon Health Authority (“OHA”) announced that, effective May 11, it is suspending the statewide rule requiring that health care workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they have an approved medical or religious exception. The news coincides with the end of the federal public health emergency on May 11, along
Oregon Health Authority
Oregon Health Authority Announces Sunset Date for Indoor Mask Requirements
By John Dudrey & Todd Hanchett on
On February 7, 2022, the Oregon Health Authority (“OHA”) announced that it would lift the general state-wide indoor mask requirement no later than March 31, 2022. Per the OHA, the mask requirement for schools will also lifted by March 31, in coordination with the Oregon Department of Education (“ODE”).
The OHA is basing its decision…
Oregon Health Care Employees Must Provide Proof of COVID Vaccination or Test Weekly
By Brenda Baumgart & Caroline Sundbaum on
The latest COVID-19 surge driven by the Delta variant has caused many employers — not the least of which are health care employers — to revisit mandatory vaccine requirements for employees. While many health care systems around the country already have mandated that their employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, a…
Oregon Issues New COVID-19 Guidance for Employers, Including Updated Face Covering Requirements
By Laura Rosenbaum & Caroline Sundbaum on
On the same day that Oregon’s statewide “freeze” went into effect, which we blogged about here, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued new face covering guidance and new guidance for employers. That guidance is available here (face coverings) and here (employers).
Face Covering Guidance
Under the new face covering guidance, employees working in cubicles or similar settings must wear face coverings at all times except when eating or drinking, even if the individual workstations are more than six feet apart. While an employee in a “private individual workspace” need not wear a face covering, the new guidance limits “private individual workspace” to 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 (in other words, a traditional, private office). This is a departure from prior guidance, where “private individual workspace” was not so strictly defined.
Employer Guidance
The general employer guidance largely reiterates existing guidance, including that Oregon employers must comply with the new OR-OSHA rules, which we blogged about here. The guidance also includes the following:Continue Reading Oregon Issues New COVID-19 Guidance for Employers, Including Updated Face Covering Requirements
Oregon Now Requires Face Coverings in Public and Private Offices
By Caroline Sundbaum & Laura Rosenbaum on
The Oregon Health Authority recently updated the state’s COVID-19 guidance to expand the use of face coverings to public and private offices. Under the new rule, masks, face coverings, or face shields are required at all times for office employees, including in hallways, bathrooms, elevators, lobbies, break rooms, and other common spaces, unless employees…