A Different Approach

On January 8, 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) issued a revised COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Plan, which now includes “mortuary” workers among those currently eligible to receive the vaccine.

With COVID-19 cases “raging across Pennsylvania” to an all-time high and straining health care providers, Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine issued orders on December 10, 2020, which impose significant restrictions on activities to mitigate the impact of the virus over the next three weeks.

After much negotiation, and a few twists and turns, on Sunday, December 27, President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act (the Relief Act) into law. In addition to providing Congress with a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the Relief Act provides nearly $900 billion in coronavirus-related aid that will be allocated among numerous designated programs.

With the advent of the COVID-19 vaccine, employers must wrestle immediately with the decision as to whether to mandate the COVID-19 vaccination. Employers may impose a vaccination requirement on employees subject to certain legally required exemptions. Specifically, exemptions to a mandatory vaccination policy include a refusal to be vaccinated based on a disability or medical condition, or a sincerely held religious belief.

With COVID-19 cases spreading across Pennsylvania to an all-time high and straining healthcare providers, Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine issued orders yesterday, December 10, which impose significant restrictions on activities to mitigate the impact of the virus over the next three weeks.

With COVID-19 cases “raging across Pennsylvania” to an all-time high and straining health care providers, Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine issued orders on December 10, 2020, which impose significant restrictions on activities to mitigate the impact of the virus over the next three weeks.

With the imminent possibility of a COVID-19 vaccine, employers must be prepared for questions and concerns related to immunization for the virus. A recent Gallup survey indicated that approximately 42% of Americans would decline an approved COVID-19 vaccination. The same concerns voiced by the general populace most certainly will arise with employees, which will require employers to engage in a balancing act between employee relations between those who have concerns about the vaccine and the employer’s obligation to protect its employees, customers and clients from exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

Gov. Tom Wolf signed an Order mandating additional restrictions on business operations in response to the increasing rate of COVID-19 infections across the Commonwealth.

With COVID-19 cases reaching “critical” levels, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine issued orders on November 23, 2020, which consolidate prior mitigation orders and announce some new efforts.