The COVID-19 mitigation rules for workplaces have been updated once again on the unpredictable path to “normalcy”.
On Monday, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration made some updates to the emergency rules that have been dictating how businesses operate for over a year. They had been under pressure from business interests and the legislature to do so.
The new rules remove the requirement that employers must allow employees to work from home if possible.
Other changes include allowing fully vaccinated employees to go mask-free, removing industry-specific requirements, and aligning cleaning recommendations to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control. Employers are still required to have a written COVID-19 preparedness and response plan.
Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Acting Director Susan Corbin said, “These updated emergency rules will give workers and businesses the clarity and confidence they need to bring our economy back to full-strength.”
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel said, “We continue to move toward normalcy as more and more Michiganders get vaccinated.”
The state vaccination rate is currently around 55%.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
