On September 9th, President Biden announced his administration’s new 6-step plan to fight COVID-19. The plan includes mandates for private employers, government workers, schools, and more. Below is an overview of the plan’s components.
Prong 1: Vaccinate the Unvaccinated
- Require Private Employers with Over 100 Employees to Mandate Vaccinations or a Weekly Negative Test Result
- This mandate is not yet in effect. The President has directed OSHA to begin work on an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) implementing this requirement.
- Require Private Employers with Over 100 Employees to Provide Paid Time Off for Vaccination or Recovery from Post-Vaccination Symptoms
- This mandate is not yet in effect. The President has directed OSHA to begin work on an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) implementing this requirement.
- Require All Federal Executive Branch Workers and Federal Contractors be Fully Vaccinated
- Require Health Care Workers at Medicare or Medicaid Participating Hospitals or Other Settings be Vaccinated
- Encourage Large Entertainment Venues to Require Proof of Vaccination or Negative Test for Entry
Prong 2: Further Protect the Vaccinated
- Easy Access to Free COVID-19 Booster Shots
Prong 3: Keep Schools Safely Open
- Require Staff in Head Start Programs, Department of Defense Schools, and Bureau of Indian Education-Operated Schools be Vaccinated
- Encourages All States to Adopt Vaccine Requirements for School Employees
Prong 4: Increase Testing and Require Masking
- Mobilize Industry to Expand Easy-to-Use Testing Production, Make At-Home Tests More Affordable, Expand Free Pharmacy Testing
- Continue to Require Masking for Interstate Travel and Double Fines
- TSA has extended its masking requirement to January 18, 2022.
Prong 5: Protect Our Economic Recovery
- New Support for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 with EIDL loans
- Directs the SBA to increase the maximum eligible amount for EIDL loans from $500,000 to $2,000,000.
- Directs the SBA to ensure no small business begins EIDL repayment for two full years after receiving funds.
- Directs the SBA to establish a 30-day exclusive window for small businesses seeking a loan under $500,000 to apply once the new provisions take effect.
- Streamline PPP Forgiveness for Small Loans
- For loans under $150,000, directs the SBA to send a pre-completed forgiveness application to borrowers, requiring only review and signature.
Prong 6: Improve Care for those with COVID-19
- Increase Support for COVID-19 Burdened Hospitals
Before much of the plan’s mandates can be implemented, OSHA must issue its ETS. NFIB has expressed serious concern about the proposal and will continue to review President Biden’s COVID-19 Action Plan, and, in particular, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that proposes to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations or frequent testing by businesses with 100 or more employees. Members with questions or concerns can reach out to NFIB by email: [email protected].
September 10, 2021
