Biden: "Vaccination Mandate for Private Companies with Over 100 Employees"

84 Million US Workers Covered

President Joe Biden of the United States [Photo by AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] On the 4th (local time), the Joe Biden U.S. administration mandated COVID-19 vaccinations for companies with 100 or more employees. This expanded the requirement from federal government employees and government contractors to private sector employees.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), under the U.S. Department of Labor, required employees of private companies with 100 or more workers to complete vaccination by January 4 next year. This measure is expected to apply to 84 million workers nationwide.

Accordingly, employers must guarantee paid time for workers to get vaccinated and provide paid leave for recovery in case of side effects. Workers who have been away from the workplace for more than one week must undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing within seven days before returning.

Employees who are not vaccinated must undergo weekly COVID-19 testing and wear masks indoors and when sharing vehicles. Violations may result in fines of approximately $14,000 (about 16 million KRW) per incident. However, exemptions may be granted for medical or religious reasons.

The U.S. administration also mandated vaccinations for 17 million people working in nursing homes, hospitals, and other facilities funded by government healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

With nearly 7 out of 10 adults in the U.S. having completed vaccination, this measure stems from the recognition that many still refuse or hesitate to get vaccinated. President Biden stated in a press release that "As seen in large and small businesses across our economy, the majority of Americans choose to get vaccinated," adding, "Vaccination requirements are no longer new."

The administration repeatedly emphasized that this measure is the way to protect the public from the pandemic. President Biden said, "We now have the requirements to protect the public from the loss of 750,000 American lives," and added, "Businesses have more power than ever to open the path out of the pandemic, save lives, and protect economic recovery."

Some companies expressed concerns that this guideline would worsen the already tight labor market conditions. In response, President Biden asserted, "Mandating vaccinations has not caused mass layoffs or labor shortages."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.