Are Lynchburg Employers following CDC's "Vaccine or Mask" Guidance?

Hello Lynchburg SHRM!

It was a joy to see many of you at the "How a Lawsuit Works" webinar. Leah and I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope you did too. We're looking forward to next time. I've been getting a lot of calls about mask policies so I thought I'd share some info with the group. Some of you may subscribe to Woods Rogers' eAlerts, which we keep current with big developments of interest to HR professionals. If not, you can sign up at our website.

1. Here is a popular recent article some colleagues and I put together that you may find helpful if you're trying to figure out the interplay between CDC/DOLI mask/vaccine guidance.
2. Also note that EEOC issued some new guidance last week (none of it really earth-shattering, but you definitely should take a look). The lesson between the lines is this: make sure your supervisors are prepared to talk about vaccines appropriately. The wrong little comment at the wrong time can cause big problems. And remember what Leah said during the "Lawsuit" webinar: document, document, document!
3. And finally, stay tuned to DOLI news releases. Just because the Governor has relaxed mask restrictions, he has not also lifted Virginia's State of Emergency relating to COVID. Therefore, DOLI's FPS will continue for the foreseeable future. Here is what has to happen for the FPS to be discontinued: “Within 14 days of the expiration of the Governor's COVID-19 State of Emergency and Commissioner of Health's COVID-19 Declaration of Public Emergency, the Safety and Health Codes Board shall notice a regular, special, or emergency meeting/conduct a regular, special, or emergency meeting to determine whether there is a continued need for the standard.” The Governor has made it clear that the state of emergency (EO-51) will remain in place until at least June 30. EO 79 “ends commonsense public health restrictions”—it does not end the state of emergency. In fact it says: “This Order is in furtherance of Amended Executive Order 51 (2020)”.

Take care! 

Patrick (pbolling@woodsrogers.com; cell: 540.330.9132).