The American Trucking Associations issued a statement late September 10 stating that the Administration's proposed vaccine requirement threatens to cause further disruptions throughout the supply chain, impeding the nation’s COVID response efforts and putting the brakes on any economic revival.
[ATA Statement on Vaccine Mandates]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure that their workforce is fully vaccinated or require any workers who remain unvaccinated to produce a negative test result on at least a weekly basis before coming to work, as well as require employers to provide paid time off for vaccination and recovery (with a fine of up to $14,000 for non-compliance).
[NATSO Analysis of the Biden Administration’s COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy]
Reaction to the requirement continues to be mixed, with the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable expressing cautious support. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in a statement that it "will work to ensure that employers have the resources, guidance and flexibility necessary to ensure the safety of their employees and customers and comply with public health requirements." The Business Roundtable said it "welcomes" the Biden Administration actions, including the requirement that companies offer paid time off for workers to get vaccinated.
Tyson Foods said it will require all employees, including drivers, to be fully vaccinated. Currently, only 9 percent of for-hire fleets have implemented a mandatory vaccine or COVID testing for drivers. While the number of carriers imposing mandates may not grow, some shippers are requiring only vaccinated drivers to haul their loads. If that trend grows, logistics placed on carriers, to know where vaccinated and unvaccinated drivers are, may become an unbearable challenge, driving many to require vaccines. ATA said that if the Administration's proposal moves forward, "ATA is examining all options and will choose a path that protects our industry."
[Fleets reluctant to mandate vax but it might not matter]
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