Gov. Holcomb Responds To OSHA's ETS Mandating COVID-19 Vaccine

The governor is directing the Department of Labor to work with the AG on a lawsuit challenging the emergency temporary standard.

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INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric Holcomb is directing the Indiana Department of Labor to work with the Attorney General on a lawsuit challenging the federal government regarding the OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced a new emergency temporary standard to protect more than 84 million workers from the spread of COVID-19 on the job.

Under this standard, covered employers must develop, implement, and enforce a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, unless they adopt a policy requiring employees to choose to either be vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 testing and wear a face covering at work.

The emergency temporary standard covers employers with 100 or more employees – firm or company-wide – and provides options for compliance. The ETS also requires employers to provide paid time to workers to get vaccinated and to allow for paid leave to recover from any side effects.

Governor Holcomb issued the following statement in response to the ETS:

"I direct the Indiana Department of Labor to work with the Attorney General on a lawsuit challenging the federal government regarding the OSHA ETS. This is an overreach of the government’s role in serving and protecting Hoosiers. While I agree that the vaccine is the tool that will best protect against COVID-19, this federal government approach is unprecedented and will bring about harmful, unintended consequences in the supply chain and the workforce.”

For more information, visit US Department of Labor issues emergency temporary standard to protect workers from coronavirus | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov).