LANSING, Mich — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Monday changes to return-to-work guidelines and capacity limits.
The state announced May 10 that 55% of Michiganders had been vaccinated against COVID-19. Monday, two weeks since that announcement, Michiganders can begin returning to in-person work as outlined in the MI Vacc to Normal plan.
“As we work to put Michigan back to work, we are moving quickly to invest in our families, small businesses, and communities to help them succeed,” Whitmer said. “The reason we can take these steps is thanks to every Michigander who has stepped up and taken action to keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe. Together, we are eliminating this once-in-a-century virus, and now we are poised to jumpstart our economy and power it to new highs.”
Now that the state has reached the 55% vaccination threshold, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) has removed the requirement that employers create a policy prohibiting in-person work for employees who can do their jobs remotely.
Now, employers can also allow fully-vaccinated workers to not wear a face covering or social distance, as long as they have a policy deemed effective to ensure non-vaccinated individuals continue to follow those requirements.
Below is a list of other updates from the MIOSHA, as provided by the state:
- The rules have been reformed focusing on performance, eliminating industry-specific requirements. Definitions have been updated to more clearly reflect changes in close contact and quarantining requirements for fully vaccinated employees.
- Cleaning requirements have been updated to reflect changes in CDC recommendations.
- Employers should continue to have and implement a written COVID-19 preparedness and response plan in accordance with the updated rules.
“As we work with the administration to get back to normal, protecting Michigan workers on the job remains the top priority for MIOSHA,” said Michigan Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity Acting Director Susan Corbin. "These updated emergency rules will give workers and businesses the clarity and confidence they need to bring our economy back to full-strength."
MIOSHA gave several options for how employers could ensure that non-vaccinated individuals continue distancing and wearing masks:
- Keeping records of whether employees are fully vaccinated persons
- Posting signs in the work area reminding employees that are not fully vaccinated to wear face coverings and maintain appropriate distancing.
- Allowing or requiring remote work
- Requiring face coverings and social distancing for all employees regardless of vaccination status.
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