Governor Philip D. Murphy recently signed two executive orders easing some of the COVID-19 workplace restrictions. These executive orders supersede the orders that went into effect in November 2020. As of June 4th, the following measures have taken effect:
- The mandate to allow employees to work from home has been revoked.
- Individuals who are fully vaccinated no longer must wear masks indoors.
- Employers that operate businesses not open to the public, such as printing facilities, are no longer mandated to require employees to wear face masks or social distance at the worksite as long as the employee can provide proof that they are fully vaccinated.
- Employers with employees whose vaccination status cannot be determined must continue to require these employees to wear face coverings and socially distance in indoor spaces.
The Governor’s Executive Order 243 references the recent guidance issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that sets forth a pathway for employers to manage inquiries related to an employee’s vaccination status. PRINTING United Alliance’s overview on this new guidance can be found here.
While the Governor’s new orders do offer changes to how businesses can operate, there are still requirements from the earlier EO 192 that are still in effect:
- Employers must continue to maintain their sanitation procedure ensuring proper hygiene and cleaning procedures that are in compliance with CDC recommendations
- Visitors to the facility are still required to wear face masks.
- Employees, regardless of vaccination status, must still be allowed to wear face masks if so desired.
- Facilities must maintain their employee health surveillance program.
PRINTING United Alliance continues to follow and track these emerging trends. For more information or if you have questions, please feel free to reach out to Marci Kinter, mkinter@printing.org; Gary Jones, gjones@printing.org, or for questions related to HR issues, Adriane Harrison, aharrison@printing.org.