WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) – The U.S. Postal Service raised concerns on Wednesday that the Biden administration’s new rules requiring large employers to require vaccinations or weekly COVID-19 testing could result in “high levels of absenteeism” and affect deliveries.
Last week, the Labor Department issued rules 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.”
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.
I agree with Ralph. Tons of carriers and clerks are military veterans and had no problem getting vaccinated when they were in the service. Now all of the sudden the culture war is causing them to have second thoughts about not only the vaccine but even freaking facemasks? Guess what? They never had problems breathing while wearing them for the entire day when there were ashes from nearby fires. Nobody died from “breathing their own CO2” or “lack of oxygen” before. The only carrier I know who died on the job is that lady in California who died from heat since the LLVs don’t have A/C in them. The irony is that not only did it not save the post office money by taking them out, it supposedly cost them more money to have had them removed (at the planning/building stage?) back when they were first built. But yeah, good riddance to anyone who refuse to get the jab or mask up; I’d rather carry 2 routes than work with ppl who don’t give a care about science, their co-workers and even their own health.
Have you ever stopped and questioned why they’re pushing this vaccine so much? The fully vaccinated can still catch and transmit the virus. It’s not working as advertised. Plus, there’s been studies that proved natural immunity is superior to all vaccines.
Get the shots or quit. Medical exemptions only.