FDA Approval And Delta Variant: How To Legally Manage The Safety Of Vaccinated And Unvaccinated Staff

What are your legal options when it comes to the Delta threat? Learn new practices to keep your team safe.

At 4,143,845, the number of COVID-19 cases confirmed across the U.S. in August was 289% of the number diagnosed in July. With the rapid spread of the Delta variant, individuals are at much more risk of contracting the disease. Indoor settings and large numbers of unvaccinated coworkers make workplaces particularly risky for many employees.

Scared people are taking advantage of the booming employment market to leave their jobs for remote work opportunities. Employees with young children ineligible for vaccines or the need to care for elderly relatives are particularly prone to seek other options if you do not protect them.

You need to implement new rules in your workplace for vaccinated and unvaccinated staff. With the Delta variant, waning vaccine efficacy, and relatively low vaccination rates in some areas, safety practices must differ from those you implemented just a few months ago. Per federal and state laws, it is your duty to keep every employee safe.

• Which laws require you to keep your employees safe at work?
• What safety practices should you implement and enforce today?
• When must you make accommodations regarding masks, social distancing, remote work, regular testing, and leaves of absence?
• How should disability and religion factor into your workplace safety policies?
• What does “protected health information” include? How must you protect it?
• What other practices are organizations using to encourage and ensure safety?
• When may you terminate employees who are jeopardizing the safety of others?