The USPS Jobs has requested interim reprieve from the new vaccine or testing regulations for large corporations that affect its 650,000 employees, citing potentially "catastrophic" consequences.
In a letter seen by Reuters on Tuesday, Deputy Postmaster Doug Tulino urged the Occupational Safety and Health Administration jobs (OSHA) to extend by 120 days the deadline for the USPS to comply with OSHA's vaccine-or-testing mandate for major enterprises, which affects more than 80 million Americans.
USPS, one of the country's top civilian employers, claims it won't be able to fulfill the deadlines because of time-consuming legal procedures to use and gather medical data, as well as collective bargaining responsibilities.
USPS also noted a lack of enough manpower, stating that "tens of thousands of local supervisors and managers" will be required to supervise employee compliance.
https://youtu.be/lMJD6RBxlXQ
USPS wants approval to continue using its current COVID-19 mitigation policies while the request is being decided. USPS has 30,000 U.S. locations. "We respectfully suggest that the nation cannot afford the additional potential substantial harm that would be engendered if the ability of the Postal Service to deliver mail and packages is significantly negatively impacted," USPS wrote.
Biden's separate requirements, which require 3.5 million federal workers to be vaccinated or receive medical or religious exemptions by Nov. 22, do not apply to the USPS.
USPS warned the rules are likely to result in the loss of "many employees." Requiring USPS, it added, "to absorb what could inevitably be a dramatic loss of employees at a time when the labor market is extremely tight and in the middle of the Postal Service’s Peak Season would have a potentially catastrophic impact on our ability to provide service."
OSHA did not respond to a request for comment right away. According to the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) announced in November, employees in firms with more than 100 employees must be vaccinated or tested weekly and must wear a face mask, according to Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) announced in November. The ETS mandate was reaffirmed by a US appeals court last month.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on the subject on Friday. Last month, OSHA announced that it would not issue penalties for noncompliance with testing standards before Jan. 10 and would not issue citations for noncompliance with testing requirements until Feb. 9 if companies are trying to comply.
