This guidance is designed to help employers protect workers who are not vaccinated or otherwise at-risk , including if they are immuno-compromised, and also implement new guidance involving workers who are fully vaccinated but located in areas of substantial or high community transmission. This guidance contains recommendations as well as descriptions of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) mandatory safety and health standards, the latter of which are clearly labeled throughout as “mandatory OSHA standards.” The recommendations are advisory in nature and informational in content and are intended to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
OSHA emphasizes that vaccination is the most effective way to protect against severe illness or death from COVID-19. OSHA strongly encourages employers to provide paid time off to workers for the time it takes for them to get vaccinated and recover from any side effects.
