Due to high infection rates from the Omicron variant and an increase in hospitalizations, on January 7, 2022, British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer announced an order requiring employers to re-activate their COVID-19 Safety Plans.
On January 13, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, lifted lower court injunctions that had blocked enforcement in 25 states of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Interim Final Rule requiring healthcare worker vaccinations.
On January 13, 2022, the United States Supreme Court granted emergency relief to stay implementation of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA)’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) regarding COVID-19.
On December 31, 2021, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi issued Executive Order No. 2021-87 (EO) requiring first responders and certain private sector personnel to receive the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot in order to be considered fully vaccinated.
The Puerto Rico Department of Health has updated its Protocol for COVID-19 Case Management in the Workplace to help prevent exposure and provide recommendations for case management in the workplace amid the spread of the Omicron variant.
On Friday, January 7, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral argument regarding two of the Biden administration’s most contentious COVID-19 workplace health and safety policies.
On January 3, 2022, Minnesota OSHA adopted federal OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Standard (ETS) by reference in the State Register.
In response to the recent rapid increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations caused by the highly transmissible nature of the Omicron variant, Ontario announced that it is temporarily moving back to Step Two of its Roadmap to Reopen with modifications.
At their first meeting of the new year, city councilors in Portland, Maine repealed a COVID-19 emergency order that had been in place since March of 2020, thereby terminating a short-lived hazard pay provision.
