COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates in the Construction Industry

ABSTRACT

In early 2020, Covid-19 became a global pandemic, the effects of which are ongoing. Economic impacts continue to be widespread, with an estimated economic loss of $8.5 trillion (United Nations, 2020). The construction industry has been impacted by Covid-19 in various ways. Using traditional legal research methodologies of searching primary and secondary legal resources, this paper explores the recent and developing policies related to Covid-19 vaccine mandates in the United States and their applicability in the construction industry. The Executive Order on Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Emergency Temporary Standard applicable to employers with 100 or more employees will be analyzed and discussed. Relevant caselaw related to vaccine mandates and exemptions will also be analyzed and discussed. Legal challenges to these mandates are ongoing. Nevertheless, in deciding whether to require vaccines companies will need to weigh factors such as the type of projects the company undertakes, how best to protect their employees, and how to maintain their ability to obtain and deliver projects in the face of uncertainty about the future of Covid-19. © 2022 International Conference on Construction in the 21st Century. All rights reserved.