Bypassing whatever SCOTUS decides - it looks like the Borg is now pushing, through its newly acquired robo-tentacle OSHA, an "Emergency Temporary Standard" for companies in the US with over 100 employees.
I found out today that this applies to the privately owned, Texas-based company of 200ish employees for which I work - so it may be getting pretty ubiquitous here in the states very soon. I just love these "emergency" standards that seem to magically bypass any review or checks and balances. This waste of tree pulp/bandwidth states that companies must:
A) provide vaccination status of *all* of their employees (to OSHA? not sure),
B) require employees that report to an indoor workplace to either wear a mask at all times and provide a weekly negative test result, or get proof of vaccination.
My particular company's policy expressly states that those who work from home (i.e. out of OSHA's jurisdiction) are not required to get vaccinated or even tested, but they will still need to provide vaccination status.
I work remotely so I fall into this category. So, I don't *need* to get vaccinated or tested but I need to get on the vaccine naughty/nice list by the 14th or be subject to termination. I don't even think I'll play that game. I'm not getting on any lists.
I told my manager that this policy may mean me quitting and he was pretty chill about it; and even disclosed that *his* manager is on the same page as I am.
Oddly, I had planned for months to go on a one-month sabbatical starting this weekend. I find myself now with good truck and solar powered trailer, no debt and about a year or two of living expenses in a credit union from money I saved up at this place. So it's not that I'm not prepared, I just didn't think the sh*t would actually hit the fan (for me) until it did.
TL;DR, see y'all on the road.
I left my university position when I saw the writing on the wall with this nonsense, they started with the mandates about 2 months later. I had managed to save up enough money that I have been able to get my own project going. Knock on wood I'll be able to kick it into a higher gear this spring.
Lots of us out here dropping out of the bullshit. May be the seeds of a revolution being planted.
Not saying you should, but would it be better to make them fire you?
I wish the best to you on your adventures.
jh1517 wrote:
I left my university position when I saw the writing on the wall with this nonsense, they started with the mandates about 2 months later. I had managed to save up enough money that I have been able to get my own project going. Knock on wood I'll be able to kick it into a higher gear this spring.Lots of us out here dropping out of the bullshit. May be the seeds of a revolution being planted.
best of luck man... if i may ask, what is your project?
frater222 wrote:
best of luck man... if i may ask, what is your project?
I used to work as an algorithm engineer designing nueral network based controllers for glucose sensors and insulin pumps. It's mostly just noisy time series data with crazy dynamics--just like the stock market! The Gamestop/meme stock craze gave me the motivation to go independent and apply what I know to making stock trading bots.
Well, as we saw, SCOTUS stomped on it. Here's how it looks from the perspective of our HR office:
"The Supreme Court has blocked OSHA’s Vaccine/Testing Mandate ETS from being enforced for the foreseeable future. We can all breathe a sigh of relief since, as a company, we found some of the language in the standard difficult to interpret (e.g., Outdoor Worker, etc.,). This does not mean the ETS has completely disappeared.
Technically, the Court did not kill the OSHA ETS for good, but the long-term prognosis is not looking good. SCOTUS reapplied the temporary injunction that once again blocks OSHA from enforcing the ETS for the time being while the parties continue to battle in lower courts over whether the emergency rule is valid.
There are two ways that the rule could come back to life in its original or a revised form:
1. There is an unlikely chance that the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals – which will take over the case from here – could determine that the rule is valid and breathe new life into it sometime in the coming weeks and months. THIS IS VERY UNLIKELY.
2. OSHA’s ETS was only designed remain in place for six months, after which it must be replaced by a permanent standard. If the workplace safety agency wants to continue this fight, stay tuned for a formal rulemaking process that could see a formal regulation published on or before May 5. THIS IS ALSO UNLIKELY AS THE ETS CURRENTLY STANDS.
For now, (...) Employees will not be required to submit vaccination information to (...) or start the weekly testing protocol on 02/09/2022 if unvaccinated.
(...) will continue to monitor the proceedings in the lower courts and OSHA over the next several days to weeks for any changes to these mandates. We will continue to keep everyone informed.
Please be aware that although Federal OSHA was named in these proceedings, OSHA State Plans may still decide to enact mandates and (...) will continue to monitor those State Plans also."
At any rate it just seems like it will be more can-kicking for the time being. It's been an exhausting week 😛
cgj17 wrote:
Not saying you should, but would it be better to make them fire you?I wish the best to you on your adventures.
Had this ETS held up, I would have refused to disclose my vax status for sure. If they would have fired me over that, as a newly classified fully remote worker I may have an argument in court.
Now I have a couple more months at least to amass some more FU money.
After reading the HR update email, it seems like they were breathing a big sigh of relief. Companies are being painted as bad guys but they are being extorted by the threat of OSHA penalty fees, and backed against a wall where they know they will lose employees and set themselves up for lawsuits later.
orchid20 wrote:
After reading the HR update email, it seems like they were breathing a big sigh of relief. Companies are being painted as bad guys but they are being extorted by the threat of OSHA penalty fees, and backed against a wall where they know they will lose employees and set themselves up for lawsuits later.
You can pretty much tell whether a company in general is just trying to make an honest buck or is some kind of pathological economic egregore based on whether they resist/do this stuff with utter reluctance, or gleefully push it beyond even what is required.
The psychological torture that the medical/public health/political establishment has put everyone through these last two years deserves Nuremberg style show trials, complete with hangings
Since you’ve put yourself in such a good position this could be an excellent turn of events for you. I have a feeling you’ll make sure it is.
