President Biden Issues Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety

On Jan. 21, President Biden issued an Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety, which directs the OSHA to (1) Issue “revised guidance to employers on workplace safety during the COVID-19 pandemic” within two weeks; (2)“Consider whether any emergency temporary standards on COVID-19… are necessary,” and if so, to issue those standards by March 15; (3) Launch a national program to focus enforcement efforts on “violations that put the largest number of workers at serious risk or are contrary to anti-retaliation principles;” and (4) Coordinate with states that have their own occupational safety and health plans to ensure workers covered by those plans are “adequately protected from COVID-19.” Read the full text of the Executive Order here.

CGWG will continue to monitor the impact of this Executive Order. If you have questions, please contact an attorney at our Firm.