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    OSHA Vaccine/Testing Requirement for SD Employees

    February 15th, 2023

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring all employers with at least 100 employees ensure their workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing, beginning January 10, 2022.  

    What are the specific requirements?

    The ETS provides employers with two pathways for compliance: (1) Require that all employees be vaccinated unless the employee qualifies for a medical or religious exemption (exempt employees must participate in at least once-weekly testing and wear face coverings); or (2) Provide employees with the option/choice of either showing proof of vaccination status or participating in at least once-weekly testing.

    Pacific College will be complying with (2) Provide employees with the option/choice of either showing proof of vaccination status or participating in at least once-weekly testing.

    When do employees need to be fully vaccinated or start a weekly testing protocol?

    The ETS requires all covered employees either be vaccinated or start weekly testing beginning January 10, 2022.  Employers must comply with the testing requirements by February 9, 2022.

    The ETS defines “fully vaccinated” to mean two weeks after an individual’s second dose in a two-dose series, such as Pfizer or Moderna’s, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. 

    How will a testing program work?

    Any employee who is not fully vaccinated and reports to a workplace must submit to a COVID-19 weekly testing protocol.  The employee must take and provide proof of a negative test at least once every seven days.  

    If an employee frequents the office less often than every seven days, the employee must be tested for COVID-19 within seven days prior to returning to the workplace and must provide proof of negative test upon return to the workplace. 

    Acceptable COVID-19 tests are tests that are cleared, approved, or authorized (including Emergency Use Authorization) by the FDA and that are administered in accordance with authorized instructions.  The test must not be self-administered and self-read, unless observed by the employer or other authorized telehealth proctor. 

    Can an employee obtain an exemption?

    Employees who have a sincerely held religious belief (not a social or political belief), or a medical condition that prevents them from being vaccinated may apply for a reasonable accommodation. Employees must apply for a reasonable accommodation no later than January 21, 2022.  

    To request a reasonable accommodation due to a sincerely held religious belief (not a social or political belief), or a medical condition, please follow the steps below:

    • Step 2: Once your exemption form is complete, please submit your request with any supporting documentation directly to Marcy Madix, Vice President of Human Resources, at [email protected].

    Deadlines

    Employees must submit the OSHA COVID-19 Vaccination Verification for SD Employees form indicating they are fully vaccinated:

    • As soon as possible, beginning January 10, 2022.
    • Newly hired employees are required to submit the form upon hire.

    Privacy

    Vaccination verification information and exemption information is private and confidential.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Where can I learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine?

    Learn more on the U.S. Food & Drug website regarding COVID-19 vaccine information.

    Where can I be vaccinated? 

    To find a vaccination site go to https://myturn.ca.gov.

    I am fully vaccinated.  What do I need to do to show proof to the College?

    Please upload a digital photo or photocopy of your COVID-19 vaccination record(s) using this OSHA vaccination requirement form for SD employees onto our secure site beginning January 10, 2022.

    What type of vaccination proof is acceptable?

    For proof of vaccination, you can use: 

    • record of immunization from a healthcare provider or pharmacy;
    • a copy of the COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card;
    • a copy of medical records documenting the vaccination;
    • a copy of immunization records from a public health, state, or tribal immunization information system; or
    • a copy of any other official documentation verifying vaccination with information on the vaccine name, date(s) of administration, and the name of healthcare professional or clinic site administering the vaccine.

    I am a fully remote employee of the College; do I have to follow the same guidelines?

    If you are 100% remote, you do not need to follow the ETS requirements currently. 

    If an employee is exempt from the vaccine due to a reasonable accommodation related to a disability or sincerely held religious belief, do they still need to be tested weekly?

    Yes. The ETS requires weekly COVID-19 testing of all unvaccinated employees, including those exempt from the vaccine due to a reasonable accommodation. However, if testing for COVID-19 conflicts with an employee’s sincerely held religious belief, the worker may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation.

    When does this take effect?

    This ETS begins on Monday, January 10th, 2022.   Employers must comply with the testing requirements by February 9, 2022.

    I am an employee of the College (staff, faculty, or student worker) and I still have questions. Who should I reach out to?

    If you have additional questions or concerns, please reach out to the Campus Director, April  Paniagua at [email protected], VP of Clinical Education & Operations, Leng Tang-Ritchie at [email protected], or the VP of Human Resources, Marcy Madix at [email protected].

     

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