President Joe Biden’s administration warned Thursday there would be “planned inspections” and heavy fines to ensure businesses comply with a new coronavirus vaccine mandate set for a Jan. 4th deadline.
A senior Biden official spoke to reporters about their planned enforcement measures prior to leveling an Occupational Safety and Public Health requirement for businesses with over 100 employees to get them vaccinated for the coronavirus or test unvaccinated employees weekly and require them to wear masks.
“We also will be having some programmed or planned inspections where we do go to workplaces to check to make certain that the workplace is in compliance with the rule,” the official said.
The official said they would focus much of their vaccine mandate enforcement efforts on employers where employees complained about their working status.
Employers face a standard penalty of $14,000 per violation, which could escalate if they refuse to be compliant. Willful or repeated violations of the rule could cost as much as $136,532.
“For example, if we identify that an employer is willfully violating a standard, then that penalty is significantly higher than a workplace that is not willfully doing so,” the official noted.
The White House also warned health care facilities the government will terminate them from Medicare and Medicaid programs as further punishment if they did not comply with the mandate.
“Termination would really only occur if, after providing a facility with an opportunity to make corrections and come into compliance, they chose not to do so,” the official said.
After extensive review, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration filed Thursday their official emergency temporary standard for vaccine requirements.
“The bottom line is: Vaccination requirements work,” the official concluded. “And the actions we’re taking tomorrow will lead to millions of Americans getting vaccinated, protecting workers, saving lives, strengthening our economy, and helping it to accelerate our path out of this pandemic.”