OSHA Could Remove Testing Opt-Out From Private Employer COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

Healthcare workers collect information from people arriving for COVID-19 tests, at a testing site in Los Angeles, Calif., on July 18, 2021. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

The Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private businesses could be adjusted to remove the testing opt-out, according to the agency that crafted the requirement.

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) unveiled the emergency temporary standard this week. It mandates employers with 100 or more workers to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Any worker who does not must get tested for COVID-19 on a regular basis, at least weekly.