The new federal policy aligns with prior NSC recommendations that employers follow CDC guidelines and take a risk-based approach based on their specific work environment to manage the safety of all workers.
Itasca, IL – The National Safety Council applauds the Biden administration’s bold leadership to ensure worker safety by requiring all federal employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or follow new testing, masking and distancing rules. As the nation’s largest employer, the federal government is setting a powerful example for workplaces across the nation.
The new federal policy aligns with prior NSC recommendations that employers follow CDC guidelines and take a risk-based approach based on their specific work environment to manage the safety of all workers. Employers should consistently review policies and procedures to make real-time adjustments to mitigate workers’ risk — especially in light of the highly transmissible delta variant.
Through its SAFER effort, NSC previously recommended employers monitor information about variants, infection rates and vaccination rates in their state and county and implement control measures in the workplace as appropriate, including re-instating masking and social distancing, which may have been previously discontinued.
Ultimately, the clearest route to ensure worker safety is for employers to prioritize getting their workforce vaccinated. This goal may be supported through incentives, mandates and information sharing. NSC previously shared guidelines to encourage vaccine uptake, including paid time off for immunization and recovery, on-site vaccination clinics, help with scheduling and transportation and support of peer-to-peer vaccination promotion efforts.
NSC stands ready to help employers, including the federal government, navigate this evolving situation so they prioritize the health and safety of their workforce.
About the National Safety Council
The National Safety Council is America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate – and has been for over 100 years. As a mission-based organization, we work to eliminate the leading causes of preventable death and injury, focusing our efforts on the workplace, roadway and impairment. We create a culture of safety to not only keep people safer at work, but also beyond the workplace so they can live their fullest lives.
With a century-long legacy, the National Safety Council is a global center for safety expertise. Let's work together to align resources. We look forward to learning about ways we can join efforts to expand safety everywhere!
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