Whether it comes to opening up borders, destroying jobs, hastening inflation, ditching reporters, or caving to America’s enemies, President Joe Biden means business. Rest assured, the president is fully committed to “keep up the great work” and enforce his draconian COVID vaccine mandate for the companies with 100 or more employees.
The $3.5 trillion “Build Back Better” reconciliation bill, passed out of the House Budget Committee and already sent to the floor, now contains a section specifically describing the penalties companies would face if they dared to not force their employees to roll up their sleeves and take that “lifesaving” experimental gene therapeutic.
Per Zero Hedge, the measure was inserted into the mega bill by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Saturday, and can be found on page 168.
The provision reads:
EC. 21004. ADJUSTMENT OF CIVIL PENALTIES.
(a) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 1970.—Section 17 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 666) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) by striking ‘‘$70,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$700,000’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘$5,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$50,000’’;
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘$7,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$70,000’’; and
(3) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘$7,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$70,000.”
As one can see, fines on employers could reach up to $70,000 for “serious violations,” and $700,000 for “willful or repeated violations” of the new requirements.
The Biden administration has already been making advancements in setting up the mechanism for vax-mandate enforcement.
Back in June, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal agency responsible for overseeing workplace safety, enacted an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to address the “grave danger” of COVID and make it a workplace hazard for healthcare employment.
When Biden announced his 100-or-more employee COVID vax mandate, he tasked OSHA with drafting enforcement tools to exert emergency vaccine compliance authority over all companies with 100 or more employees, regardless of their industry.
Currently, OSHA can fine companies for safety violations, i.e. “when a company or employee willingly or unknowingly ignores potential and real safety hazards,” by imposing fines that range from $1,000 to $13,653. If a violation is repeated within three years, companies face stiffer penalties that run up to $136,532.
OSHA stated in its June ETS that violation of vax mandates by healthcare companies would result in $13,653 fine per each unvaxxed staffer, “regardless of the scope of the hazard.”
Certainly, all and any workplaces must be safe. But it’s one thing if a company does not have properly working electrical or ventilation system, has a broken fire prevention and protection system, or some glitching machinery that may cause serious injuries or death to those operating it. But this all, apparently, pales in comparison to the “grave dangers” of a disease that has 99.7-percent-plus survival rate and proven treatments, hence the fines that many would consider astronomical and inadequate.
The Wireless Estimator reports that the while OSHA is still working on the details, judging from the information available so far, the rule would undoubtedly meet pushback from many of the businesses.
For example, many of the occupations are arguably not even near the “grave danger” of getting or transmitting COVID. Tower technicians, or any workers who perform their duties outside and don’t congregate, are very safe at their jobsites since infections are more likely to occur in an office setting.
Then, many of people have already contracted COVID and have therefore developed natural immunity that is likely much stronger and more durable than that of any vaccine. In terms of COVID transmission, it is much safer to be around those who have recovered from COVID than around those who received a shot. Yet, the Biden administration does not bother to exclude those people from the rule.
Another provision that will likely be challenged is OSHA’s definition of “emergency.” What level of COVID transmission, hospitalizations, and deaths would be considered “urgent” to warrant such harsh measures? If COVID poses such a “grave danger” now, why wasn’t it considered dangerous earlier this year, when cases were at their highest? Also, the sweeping mandate that covers all of the nation does not take into consideration the places that see little to no infection, and where “herd immunity” has most likely been achieved.
The outlet further notes, “Once issued, the standard would pre-empt existing state rules, except in states that have OSHA-approved agencies with their specific programs. Those states have an additional 30 days to adopt the standard or provide one that is more effective — which industry observers believe will not occur since they would have to be vigorously defended in lawsuits.”
The new OSHA rules are expected to be published within weeks.
Biden’s Orwellian $3.5 trillion “Build Back Better” bill could very well cripple the American economy. The additional provision would make companies that do not comply with the vaccination enforcement go bankrupt in no time, unless they push back now and make their voices heard.
The New American has previously reported that at least 15 governors vowed to fight the administration’s mandates, calling them “unconstitutional” and “blatantly unlawful overreach.”
Representative Chip Roy (R-Texas) called on businesses to “openly rebel” against any OSHA vaccine mandate.
