Home Our Firm People Practices News & Insights Career Opportunities

President Biden Signs Executive Order Directing Additional COVID-19 Guidance from the DOL

On January 21, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order directing the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) to issue updated guidance for employers to strengthen protections for workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The following are the key provisions of the executive order:

  • The executive order requires OSHA to release new guidance addressing workplace safety during the pandemic within the next two weeks.
  • The executive order instructs OSHA to consider whether any emergency temporary measures are necessary, which must be issued by March 15, 2021.
  • The executive order requires OSHA to review its enforcement procedures and identify any potential changes that could further protect worker health and safety.
  • The executive order directs the Department of Labor to work with other federal agencies and State governments to explore measures to protect workers not covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

We expect OSHA and other federal and state authorities to issue new guidance regarding workplace safety within the upcoming weeks and will be monitoring for any new guidance. We will send out an update as soon as new guidance is released.

Please contact us with any questions.