Business groups asked the Biden Administration for an extension on COVID-19 vaccine requirements for private companies
By J. Lee Hammond
Guest Journalist
NATIONAL — This week, several business groups asked the White House for an extension on Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine requirements for private companies, telling the administration a more suitable time would be after the Christmas shopping season.
“White House officials at the Office of Management and Budget held dozens of meetings with labor unions, industry lobbyists and private individuals last week as the administration conducts its final review of the mandate, which will require businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure they are vaccinated against COVID or tested weekly for the virus. It is estimated to cover roughly two-thirds of the private sector workforce,” reports CNBC.
“The American Trucking Associations, which will meet with the OMB on Tuesday, warned the administration last week that many drivers will likely quit rather than get vaccinated, further disrupting the national supply chain at time when the industry is already short 80,000 drivers,” adds the financial outlet.
“Now placing vaccination mandates on employers, which in turn force employees to be vaccinated, will create a workforce crisis for our industry and the communities, families, and businesses we serve,” said one industry insider.
“It has been a hectic holiday season already, as you know, with supply chain struggles,” said another. “This is a difficult policy to implement. It would be even more difficult during the holiday season.”
