With COVID-19 policies at the federal and state level changing quickly, the Council will host biweekly townhalls to share best practices for the energy services and technology sector.
The townhalls will focus on responses to President Biden’s announced requirement for businesses larger than 100 employees to mandate their employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine or get tested weekly.
In preparation for the federal mandate, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order stating that “no entity in Texas can compel receipt of a COVID-19 vaccination by any individual, including an employee or consumer, who objects to such vaccination for any reason of personal conscience, based on a religious belief, or for medical reasons.” With much uncertainty on the legal challenges to this order, a townhall scheduled for October 22 will cover potential implications for businesses in Texas and our Member Companies.
Council Members have shared how they have incorporated COVID-19 vaccines into workforce education and incentive programs as a way to increase vaccination rates and comply with recent operator requirements. Recent mandates from operators are a result of the fast-spreading Delta variant and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Valero, Hess, Pioneer and Chevron have instituted some version of mandatory vaccination for certain crews or new hires.
Register now for the townhall. For more information, contact SVP Government Affairs Tim Tarpley.
Maria Suarez, Director Government Affairs, writes about industry-specific policies for the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. Click here to subscribe to the Council’s newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, Council activities and more.
