Utah is one of three states to receive a warning from the U.S. Labor Department regarding their failure to comply with COVID-19 rules.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said Utah is not adopting and enforcing the standards outlined by the federal agency to protect health care workers. These standards include safety requirements such as personal protective equipment and social distancing when working with COVID-19 patients, as well as paid sick leave for employees who contract COVID-19 or who need to get the vaccine.
In response, Governor Cox released a statement asserting that Utah’s plan is as effective as the federal program without placing an unfair burden on the healthcare industry to pay employees’ sick leave. He requested the opportunity to discuss and negotiate federal expectations.