Illinois adopts Biden's large employee vaccine, testing mandate
The Illinois Department of Labor (DOL) has adopted federal rules that, if upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States, would mandate large companies to require proof of vaccination or weekly testing from their employees.
The new rules would apply to any company that has over 100 employees - that goes for schools, state workers, and, even your local government like the city of Springfield.
In November, President Joe Biden and the US DOL’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) filed a rule that any public or private company with over 100 employees would have to have their workers get vaccinated or submit to weekly testing.
Those rules are being contested and went to the Supreme Court, which hear four hours of oral testimony on Friday.
But Friday night, the Illinois DOL adopted the rules, claiming that they will go with whatever the supreme court decides and wanted to give businesses time to adjust.
In a statement from Paul Cicchini, and ILDOL spokesperson, they said,
The Illinois Department of Labor, on January 7, 2022, filed Peremptory Rules to adopt the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard.
As an OSHA State Plan administrator, Illinois OSHA is required by federal regulation and state law to adopt a form of this standard that is identical to or at least as strong as the federal standard. This standard takes effect immediately, but allows employers until January 24, 2022 to begin compliance. Employer policies must be implemented by February 24, 2022.
In Illinois, State and local government employers are subject to regulation and enforcement by Illinois OSHA; private employers are subject to enforcement by the federal government.
This Emergency Temporary Standard is scheduled to expire July 24, 2022.
If the law is upheld, those employers will have until January 24 to devise a policy, and February 24 to implement it.
That includes state and local agencies like the city of Springfield.
“If it is the law of the land, so to speak, then we will be expected to comply and we will work through that to make sure we are,” Mayor Jim Langfelder said.
Langfelder said there are some things to figure out, though.
Currently city does not track employee vaccinations yet.
And the city would have to provide testing for all employees who don’t get vaccinated.
“What we will take a look at is logistically if we have to go that direction is the weekly testing that would be the big issue for us if we have to implement that piece,” The mayor said.
Now, to be clear, these rules are not official, yet. It is all contingent on the SCOTUS upholding them.