To get the U.S economy back on track and combat the coronavirus, President Biden has introduced what he calls the ‘6-Point COVID-19 Plan’. This national strategy will help aid in economic recovery and increase the number of vaccinated Americans. The six points are:
Vaccinating the unvaccinated Further protecting the vaccinated Keeping schools safely open Increasing testing & masking requirements Protecting economic recovery Improving care for those with COVID As one of his main focuses, President Biden turned his focus on businesses as the driving force of this plan. There is the hope of a fast recovery by including economic assistance to small businesses and implementing new COVID-19 measures.
This article will break down the 6-point plan for businesses and what business owners predict will happen once implemented.
MANDATORY VACCINATIONS FOR EMPLOYEES To increase the number of vaccinated workers, the Biden Administration has stated that businesses with more than 100 employees must have fully vaccinated workers. U.S workers who do not get vaccinated before December 8th will be placed on unpaid leave.
If businesses do not enforce this policy, they will be required to pay hefty fines and face legal ramifications. This mandate will put pressure on unvaccinated workers and allow them to get vaccinated.
The vaccination plan gives employees plenty of opportunities, with businesses even offering paid time off to encourage employees to get vaccinated. President Biden has made it his goal to make COVID-19 vaccines as accessible as possible.
This ruling has come into effect because the United States has not hit its goal of 80% of people being fully vaccinated. These regulations have been shown to work, according to The White House website.
After United Airlines introduced a COVID-19 vaccination mandate, more than half of the unvaccinated workers went out and got vaccinated. These mandates work, and the Biden Administration will be using its regulatory power to make vaccines mandatory for employees.
Vaccines in the United States are also free, not adding more costs to your health insurance plans. By simply signing up at the various vaccination sites throughout the country, you can quickly get vaccinated.
FINANCIAL HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES There is no denying the negative impacts that COVID-19 had on countless businesses in the United States. An estimated 800,000 businesses shut down in 2020 after the peak of the pandemic was causing lockdowns.
While many businesses have closed up shop, others are still hanging on and waiting for better days. The Biden Administration has made it a goal to help small businesses with government assistance.
As part of the 6 point plan, financial help will be added in the form of low-interest business loans and streamlining the Paycheck Protection Program. The added support will help business owners recover from the pandemic and get back to stable finances.
The Paycheck Protection Program will also help increase confidence in employees that they can continue to work without fear of layoffs. This financial help will also increase the number of job openings and the employment rate.
WHAT DO BUSINESS OWNERS THINK OF THE SIX-POINT PLAN? There have been mixed predictions of what businesses think will happen with this six-point plan. Some business owners believe mandatory vaccines are a good thing in keeping employees and customers safe. Other businesses think it will lead to negative impacts on the labor market.
However, most large businesses support the vaccination mandate and are prepared to enforce it. Large food provider Tyson Foods has set a vaccine mandate deadline of November 1st. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Claudia Coplien stated that:
“Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the single most effective thing we can do to protect our team members.”
Many experts believe these vaccine mandates will be here to stay for the foreseeable future. University of Virginia law professor Margaret Foster noted the importance of these vaccines, saying:
“One of the most influential factors in fighting vaccine hesitancy has been employer action.”
Once employment is tied to vaccination status, it will be increasingly difficult for those who decide not to get it. As a result, you will likely notice a fast increase in fully vaccinated Americans with this plan.
CONCLUSION The Biden Administration’s 6-point plan will require businesses of more than 100 employees to have fully vaccinated workers. This requirement has been a topic of controversy among businesses but is seen as necessary by President Biden. With this policy, the workers and businesses will be protected, setting the U.S economy up for a strong recovery.
What Joe Biden’s 6-Point COVID-19 Plan Means for Businesses