3 Things Virginia Employers Need to Know: Workplace Rules Around Covid-19 Loosen in Virginia

To keep your workplace compliant with current Virginia workplace rules around COVID-19, here are three legal updates employers should know:

(1) Pandemic-era workplace restrictions are being rolled back.

(2) Interim employer guidance is now available; and

(3) Employers should follow the interim guidelines until Virginia provides further updates.

Now let’s dive deeper into how Virginia’s pandemic-era workplace rules are being rolled back:

(1) Pandemic-era workplace restrictions are being rolled back.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia was the first state to implement workplace rules for employers. These rules were outlined in the Virginia Standard 16VAC25-220 for Infectious Disease Prevention of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus that Causes COVID-19 (“Virginia Standard”). Based on dropping infection rates, on March 21, 2022, the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board voted to revoke the Virginia Standard, which will be effective shortly when it’s published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

(2) Interim employer guidance is now available.

Employers have a guide to follow for workplace safety, which is summarized in detail here by Lipp Law. In short, the guide recognizes natural immunity, encourages but does not mandate vaccination, and protects employees’ masking choice.

(3) Employers should follow the interim guidelines until Virginia provides further updates.

The new Virginia interim employer guidelines provide a useful framework to update company COVID-19 policies. If your business needs a COVID-19 policy or a review of your current policy to get it up to date, please contact Lipp Law today.