For companies with 100 or more employees
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – On Thursday, the Biden Administration issued new vaccine requirements for millions of working Americans.
People who work at companies with 100 or more employees are now required to be vaccinated by January 4th or get tested for covid-19 weekly.
The new rule will affect dozens of major employers in Kentucky….from healthcare, manufacturing, government, educational institutes and more.
Though for Transylvania University, President Brien Lewis says the University already put in place a vaccine mandate that took full effect on October 13th.
“We’re very proud that the vast majority of our campus population both students and employees are fully vaccinated. We have a few folks who did go through an exemption process and appropriately documented that and were granted that exception. So we feel that we are already ahead of the curve there and one of the reasons were having a very successful academic year.”
However he says he does believe it will affect the number of people that are looking to work in the education field from applying to the University.
“I would hope that those who want to look at Transylvania will understand we do have an exemption process that they can explore but that our priority is the health and safety of everyone on campus.”
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration say companies that fail to comply could face penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.
Governor Beshear said on Thursday that the new requirement is not a vaccine mandate.
“It may be popular to call it that in Washington, but it is a testing mandate. The level that you have to be tested or whether at all depends on whether you’re vaccinated” said Governor Beshear.
He believes Kentucky will fall under the definition of a major employer and says that if that becomes a reality they will put together the apparatus to follow the new rule.
“We believe that as a state, um to comply um we will have to test any unvaccinated state employee once a week” said Governor Beshear.
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WASHINGTON (AP) – Tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly. The new government rules were issued Thursday.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says companies that fail to comply could face penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.
The new requirements were first previewed by President Joe Biden in September. They will apply to about 84 million workers at medium and large businesses. It is not clear how many of those employees are unvaccinated.
A senior administration official says the agency would target companies if it gets complaints.