(KWNO)-The Winona Area Public Schools Board (WAPS) voted to align the district with an OSHA rule that requires employers of 100 or more people to implement a get vaccinated or get tested policy as a way to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Minnesota Department of Labor adopted to rule that was announced by the Biden administration last year on Jan. 3. Any employee not fully vaccinated by Jan. 10 will be subject to the regular testing and face-covering requirements until fully they’re vaccinated.
Employees who report on-site at least one day per week and are not fully vaccinated by Feb. 9 must be tested for COVID-19 at least once every seven (calendar) days and must provide documentation of the most recent COVID-19 test result to Human Resources no later than the seventh day following the date on which the employee last provided a test result, the policy states.
The policy’s definition of fully vaccinated does not include booster doses at this time. The rule is a temporary standard meaning it will be in place for six months.
WAPS Director of Human Resources Emily Solheid said as of Thursday 64% of the district’s workforce has responded to requests of vaccination status. She said over 93% of respondents reported being fully vaccinated while more than 6% of respondents said they were not fully vaccinated.
School districts are required by state and federal regulations to have a policy in place to address these issues, the policy states.
If any part of the OSHA rule is deemed illegal by a court ruling then that part will not be enforced. The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments for and against the policy on Friday.
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!
