Biden admin vax mandate

And MAGA has gone bananas.  Okay, MORE bananas.

President Joe Biden took his most aggressive action yet in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic Thursday, ordering employers with 100 or more workers to ensure their workforce is entirely vaccinated or face weekly COVID testing.

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Biden said his administration also ordered that all federal employees and employees of government contractors must be vaccinated.

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They include most federal government workers, all 17 million workers at nursing home facilities and hospitals that receive Medicare and Medicaid funds and staff of federal Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

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In all, Biden said the mandates cover about 100 million Americans, or two-thirds of the U.S. workforce.

  USA Today

It covers about 90% of approximately 4 million federal workers but does not apply to non-executive branch employees such as members of Congress or judicial employees.

Why the hell not? And I don't think weekly testing is enough in the alternative where it's an option. It should be daily.

Many GOP governors have come out in opposition to Biden's orders and said they would file lawsuits once the orders go into effect.

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The administration is also requiring employers with more than 100 employees to provide paid time off to allow workers to get vaccinated or recover if they are ill after the shot.

OSHA has the power to issue those standards until a permanent standard is developed when “workers are in grave danger” from exposure to toxic substances or agents or to new hazards, according to its website.

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The orders are subject to challenge in the U.S. Court of Appeals.

And once again, the GOP is counting on running the case all the way up to the Supreme Court to get a favorable ruling.

It was unclear on Thursday when exactly the requirements would take effect. OSHA is expected to issue the rule "in the coming weeks," according to the White House.

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The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission previously issued guidelines in May that allow employers to require on-site employees be vaccinated, provided they don't violate civil rights and disability laws. In July, the Department of Justice also announced that federal law does not prohibit federal agencies or private businesses from mandating vaccines.

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The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, know as HIPAA, prevents health care professionals from sharing private health information without the patient's permission. It does not apply to those outside of a health care setting, such as businesses and individuals, asking questions about a person’s vaccine status, experts say.

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Businesses that do not comply with Biden’s directive will face “substantial fines” up to $14,000, according to a senior administration official. The Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration will enforce the fine.

Since when is $14,000 a substantial fine to a corporation that hires over 100 people?

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.