WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 Reuters - White House officials are meeting with influential industry trade groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable as the administration races to issue a rule to implement President Joe Biden's plan to require private sector workers to be vaccinated against COVID - 19.
The Office of Management Budget OMB is holding these public meetings, some scheduled for Friday and Monday, which will also include the National Retail Industry Leaders Association and the Virtual Association of Manufacturers among others, according to virtual filings.
Other powerful organizations and companies such as the HR Policy Association, a forum for the largest U.S. employers, and automaker Stellantis Automaker discussed the mandate with OMB officials on Thursday.
The HR Policy Association emphasized that businesses want to be a partner to boost vaccination rates, according to Roger King, the group's senior labor and employment counsel.
The group expressed concerns that employers need clear rules on a variety of issues, including COVID testing alternatives to vaccination, record keeping and confidentiality.
King said the HR Policy Association also pressed the administration to be flexible given concerns that mandated vaccines could worsen labor shortages in some industries.
It appears to be moving with warp speed, King said.
Mitch Biden's plan has brought mixed reactions from companies and industry trade groups.
Several big employers such as American and JetBlue have imposed mandates since Biden's announcement along with airlines such as Procter Gamble 3 M and Bill Clinton. Others, including IBM, have said it will require all U.S. employees to be fully vaccinated by December 8, regardless of how often they come into office. Several other U.S. employers, such as Walmart, have yet to issue broad requirements.
The retail industry, which supports over 50 million U.S. jobs, wants the administration to address questions regarding vaccination verification processes and what remedial actions can be taken in situations where employees refuse vaccinations and testing, according to a letter RILA sent to the U.S. Labor Department.
On Thursday, Biden said the mandate ruling can be expected soon. The Workers Department on Tuesday submitted to the White House https: Reut.rs 3 FSOqzN by LOCo at the first text of the ruling.
The mandate applies to businesses with 100 or more employees and will be implemented under a Federal rulemaking mechanism known as an emergency temporary standard. Along with Biden's order last month that requires all federal workers and contractors to be vaccinated, the orders cover 100 million people, or about two-thirds of the workforce.
Biden's mandate announcement in September came at a breaking point as the country was facing a surge of COVID - 19 hospitalizations and deaths due to the fast spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus, due to a large swath of the population refusing free vaccinations.
The coronavirus has killed more than 700,000 Americans.
The vaccine order has already spurred pushback from many Republican governors including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has issued an executive order for businesses in his state to revoke Covid 19 vaccinations for employees.