|
 Last week, the Labor Department issued rules
https://www.reuters.com/
business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/
bidens-vaccine-mandate-be-enforced-after-new-year-offering-us-companies-relief-2021-11-04
that require businesses with 100 or more employees to mandate weekly
testing or vaccines by Jan. 4. The rules also require that employers
ensure unvaccinated employees working in-person must wearing masks
by Dec. 5.
The 644,000-employee USPS said in a financial filing that complying
with the new vaccine and testing rules known as an Emergency
Temporary Standard, or ETS, "will be extremely challenging to
implement and administer during the height of our peak season,
particularly given its expedited schedule."
Compliance, the USPS warned, "could result in labor challenges and
high levels of absenteeism." Some employees could opt to leave,
which "could cause significant business disruptions, and could
adversely impact service performance and result in lower mail volume
and revenue."
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 The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals in New Orleans is weighing whether to
lift an order issued on Saturday that froze the
rule during litigation. The government has been
sued by private employers, religious
organizations and states including Texas for
allegedly exceeding its authority to issue the
vaccine rule.
USPS spokesman David Partenheimer said on
Wednesday the Postal Service was reviewing the
ETS. "We continue to take measures to protect
the health and safety of our Postal workers," he
said.
President Joe Biden's administration estimates
the rules will affect about 84 million workers.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Peter
Cooney)
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