Updated December 28, 2021
On November 4, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring all private employers with 100 or more workers to ensure all employees are either fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or provide a weekly negative test and wear a face covering while working. Over the last few weeks, we have seen this standard go from being halted in the 5th Circuit court, only to be reinstated again by OSHA on December 17th, 2021.
In order to comply with this standard, PDQ Staffing has issued a COVID-19 vaccination policy effective December 21, 2021. The highlights of this new policy are listed below:
These changes are necessary to comply with OSHA’s ETS and will help to safeguard the health of our employees and their families, our customers, visitors, and the community at large from COVID-19. Implementing these measures will help us to provide a safe workplace and potentially avoid circumstances that could jeopardize our and our customer’s business operations. An email and text message were sent to every active PDQ Staffing associate on December 6, 2021, which included a link (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/pdq-vaccination-request) to complete a short survey and upload their vaccination medical documentation. Any PDQ Staffing associates who have NOT submitted this initial survey need to do so ASAP!
Employees are required to provide documentation of vaccination status as described in the attached policy. Please review the attached policy and contact HR/Risk Management, at covidresponseteam@pdqstaffing.com with any questions or concerns. Information on penalties for false statements and records is provided by OSHA and also included with this memo.
While we understand that not all employees will agree with these new policy requirements, PDQ Staffing has an obligation to comply with OSHA standards or face stiff penalties for noncompliance. It is important to note that OSHA’s ETS will apply to all employers with 100 or more employees, and you will find that other employers will be implementing similar policies. Employees who do not comply with PDQ Staffing updated vaccination policy will be subject to termination and generally will not be eligible for unemployment insurance.
Current employees needing accommodation for religious or medical reasons should complete a request for accommodation form, which can be obtained from your PDQ Staffing branch office. Current employees needing accommodation should submit their requests ASAP to covidresponseteam@pdqstaffing.com. Please do not delay submitting a request as PDQ Staffing will need time to make arrangements with the client company for accommodations.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act prohibits retaliation against employees for exercising their rights guaranteed under the Act, including filing an occupational safety or health complaint, reporting a work-related injury or illness, or otherwise exercising any rights afforded by the OSH Act. For more information, see the attached OSHA document, Workers’ Rights under the COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS.
Yes, you can! Though some of our clients have slowed down, none of them have closed their doors. Some clients are even adding staff as they make accommodations to add 3rd shifts. There is also an extraordinary demand on very specific industries right now that need our help. We are in communication daily with these businesses and foresee an urgent need for help in the very near future.
Our branch offices are open but with limited staff and face-to-face interaction. Therefore, the best option today is to complete the application online. Once you have applied, contact the branch office and one of our staff members will assist you in scheduling an interview and may proceed with the onboarding process. If you decide to come to one of our branches, you may be asked to provide information of any symptoms or exposure you may have had to COVID-19 within the last 14 days.
If you are currently an employee and experiencing a layoff due to COVID-19, please contact your branch immediately to update our staff with your current work status. You will be placed on a priority reassignment list for a new position. We will document your release date as this is important information that may affect your eligibility for government assistance benefits. If you are having COVID-19 related symptoms, please notify your branch immediately and do not report to work. In addition, contact your medical provider for evaluation and release to work. The CDC link www.cdc.gov will provide a list of possible symptoms and guidelines to protect yourself and others. Additional information can also be found at https://youtu.be/oGruT7Fd54E and by watching the video below:
We know that the stress of this pandemic is going to affect our associate workers, clients and business as a whole but we are very optimistic this will be a temporary situation. For our current employees that were directly impacted by COVID-19 through layoffs or illness, there are resources that may be applicable. Below are links to file an unemployment claim or request FMLA.
For Unemployment Claim: www.twc.texas.gov
To Request FMLA: https://timeoff.sedgwick.com/Home/Index?ReturnUrl=%2f or by calling 888-436-9530
