LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A new federal mandate requiring employers with 100 or more employees to either be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing is scheduled to go into effect on January 4.
Employers in states like Kentucky and Indiana that have their own work safety agencies may not have as long to come up with their own plan.
"They are going to have to adopt a standard that's as protective as this federal standard," said labor and employment law professor Ariana Levison.
Levinson says their plan can not be less safe than the federal plan.
President Biden announced the requirements in September but has since pushed the deadline to January.
"There is an overwhelming sense that requiring vaccination is important for the health and safety of our workforce and economy," says Sarah Davasher- Wisdom, CEO of Greater Louisville INC.
She tells WHAS11, they immediately began taking surveys with companies on their thoughts about the proposed requirements. She said some companies are hesitant because of the labor shortage.
"That requiring vaccines could exacerbate the talent shortage."
Both Kentucky and Indiana have about a month to present their plan. If they do not meet the requirements, the federal group can come in and shut down the state plan and enforce their own.
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